He let out a breath that almost sounded like a laugh, but there wasn’t humor in it. “Maeve.”
“What?”
“You’re talking about rewriting the Academy.”
“I’m talking about adapting it.”
He shook his head once, slowly. “This place was built for witches reclaiming power in midlife for second chances, growth in craft, or to begin again.”
“And what happens when the world around it fractures?” I asked. “Do we keep brewing tea and pretending the fractures don’t touch us? If we do that, they’ll eat us whole. Things here are changing, Keegan. Magic shouldn’t be for only a few because then, when someone like the Priestess waves her wand, they might think she’s more than they are.”
“The choices we make now will forever affect the Academy.”
“The wolves want inside,” I said quietly.
His eyes flickered, and I could tell that he’d felt it too.
“The shifters are stationed in the Wilds,” I continued. “The orcs are on our borders negotiating instead of raiding. Magical families are booking rooms at your inn because they think we’re stable.”
“We are,” he said firmly.
“For now.”
I didn’t want to let my mind go there. I had to stay in the present.
He ran a hand through his hair. “If you open these doors to non-witches, you change the foundation.”
“Maybe that’s what’s required. Won’t the Academy tell us?”
“I suppose.”
“And isn’t that what magic is supposed to be about? Bringing energy together for…”
“For unity?” he asked, taking a bite of apple.
“For survival,” I said.
The word hung there, and he studied me and sighed.
“You think if we bring them inside,” he said slowly, “if we teach them here, under this roof, that it creates something stronger?”
I nodded.
“I mean, I think it could be really powerful if we let the Academy decide who comes through these doors by offering a choice. Think about Twobble. If he hadn’t kept trying, he wouldn’t be here, and he’s so valuable. Skonk too.”
“I think proximity can create understanding, and fear can breed with distance.” I pressed my lips together and felt my shoulders relax a little, seeing agreement in Keegan’s eyes.
“But their needs are vastly different,” he pointed out.
“True, but I think we should share the craft with as many allies as we have.”
“And how do you think the current students will feel?”
“They’ll adapt.” I smiled wider. “They put up with you, right?”
He chuckled. “That’s optimistic.”
Keegan’s gaze shifted past me toward the windows.
