I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “We’re back to that again. Questions with no answers.”
The mention of Grandma Elira sent a pang of guilt through me. She was so happy to have me back at the Academy, to have someone to listen to and talk with.
“I just can’t believe all the lies and deceit that fill up Gideon and his days in Shadowick.” I shook my head. “It’s especially hard for a new witch like me. I don’t want to be tricked.”
Bella’s voice softened. “Sometimes, though, the truth is the best weapon.”
I stared at the curling steam in my mug.
Maybe Bella was right.
Fight him with the truth.
Stella reached out, resting a cool hand on mine, a sympathetic spark in her eyes.
“Don’t let fear paralyze you, darling. We’re part of you forever, whether through conjuring, tea, or late-night battles arise at the cottage, we’ve got your back. Keegan especially.”
“Thank you,” I murmured. “Really. And those doors to the Academy will open.”
“We believe you.”
“I really do miss it,” I confessed. “I can’t wait to get my dad back so I can focus on opening it up for real and breaking the curse. Stonewick needs it. We all do.”
Stella’s expression softened. “And we need you. Promise not to rush into Gideon’s illusions alone, all right? Tonight is going to be all about patience.”
I gave a rueful laugh. “We all know how that works for me.”
“Exactly why I said it, dear.”
Eventually, my gaze drifted back to the old book, its faint glow beckoning.
I let my fingertips trail over the runes on the cover for a moment. The hush that fell around me spoke volumes.
Stella sipped her tea silently, giving me space while Bella waited patiently. Stella nudged me gently.
“Don’t forget,” she reminded me in a dramatic stage whisper, “the first rule of spells. Mislead your enemies, not your friends.”
She walked away to clean the tables and counters, and I let myself stew on that for a minute. Was I misleading them by not confessing what I’d planned to do tonight?
The bell above the door jingled softly, its sound strangely ominous beneath the flicker of golden candlelight. Keegan stepped in first, snow dusting the shoulders of his coat, followed closely by Nova, who swept in with her usual cool elegance, her long scarf trailing behind her like a silken cloud.
The energy shift was immediate.
Stella, who’d been wiping down the counter with a cloth that had seen better decades, glanced up and narrowed her eyes.
Without a word, she flipped the little wooden sign in the front window fromOpentoClosedand turned the old brass lock with a loudclick. The door heaved as it settled into place. It was almost as if it knew something important was about to happen.
“Tea?” she offered, voice deceptively casual.
Keegan gave a small nod. “If you have something strong.”
“I have something illegal in three regions,” Stella replied. “Perfect for plotting.”
Bella, still seated next to me, arched an eyebrow. “She’s not joking, is she?”
“Nope,” I said, then smiled as Stella began working her magic behind the counter.
Nova approached the table where I still had the book. Her eyes flicked over the runes, her expression unreadable.
