I nodded and felt hope swell inside my chest as images of my dad flooded my mind.
Everything happened so quickly I couldn’t…I wouldn’t let myself mourn my father because we would get him back.
“I’ll go in quickly. Get the needed answers and meet you as soon as possible.”
“You’ll find your answer in there,” Nova assured me.
Bella smiled encouragingly. “Sometimes, though, a headmistress must be patient. I’ll be there to remind you of your time inside the walls, but I won’t rush you.”
But as the wind blew outside, and snowflakes drifted, shadows deepened, and a final, chilling sound cut through the air.
A low, mocking laugh echoed from the darkness, and my blood ran cold.
Gideon was sending a message.
And by the looks of it, nobody else heard it.
I closed my eyes, and in that breathless moment, I knew my dad was still alive.
But I didn’t know for how long.
Chapter Two
We’d spent what felt like hours winding through Twobble’s intricate goblin tunnel that started under the cottage grounds. The maze smelled of damp earth and whispered secrets of old magic I’d yet to learn.
Brilliant pieces of Goblin Gold twinkled with a luminescent shine as we walked in the narrow passageway.
It was hard to believe the first time I’d been here was with Twobble when I still didn’t know if the Academy planned on accepting me or throwing me into the next town.
Everything since stepping into Stonewick had been a whirlwind, and this moment was no different.
I had my dad.
I lost my dad.
To say magic had a circular way of living was an understatement.
I couldn’t focus on stopping the curse until I got my dad back. The Academy couldn’t open until I had enough teachers,and the Wards couldn’t protect as well without students to feed the magic.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Bella asked, glancing over at me. Her human form held the essence of her fox body with every lithe movement and calculated gesture.
When I looked at Bella, I could not help but see the animal version of herself, so controlled and confident.
There were moments in my life when just getting out of bed was a feat.
“It’s hard to believe such a world exists under the streets of Stonewick.” I shoved my hands deeper in my pockets. “I haven’t used any other goblin tunnels, just the one to get me to the Academy.”
Her smile widened as her eyes scanned the goblin’s transportation network. “Maybe we'll explore after we get your dad back.”
I stepped over a boulder as a creeping vine wrapped around one of the pebbles. “That would be nice. I bet my dad would love to come down here.”
We walked in silence for a little while.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Bella said softly.
“What has?”
“We’ve been waiting for our call so long that I almost thought it would never come.”
