“Good. You’re decent.”
My brows lifted. “What did you think was going on?”
He ignored my question.
“Maeve,” Karvey said, his voice carrying that deep, steady weight that always made the room feel smaller. “We have a problem.”
My stomach dropped as uneasiness tightened in my chest.
Of course, we did.
“My cousin twice removed told Horny that the Priestess is getting antsy. Your mom is still considered safe, from what Shadowick’s gargoyles can see, but no one knows for how long. Your mom spends most of her days in her own quarters. But they saw the Priestess conspiring with a few rogue orcs.”
“So the priestess is trying to infiltrate through the hordes.” I nodded, feeling a sick sensation roll through my stomach. “It's only a matter of time before the Priestess finds the shadow stone and uses my mom's tears.”
“Did you mean to say that aloud because that felt more like a thought you’d keep to yourself?” Twobble muttered.
“I need to stop her before it’s too late.”
Keegan eyed me. “But you can't just roll through Shadowick or up to the Priestess' compound, Maeve. Too much is at stake, and we can't afford to lose you.”
“But I can't afford to lose my mom,” I said softly.
I cleared my throat and looked around the cozy cottage that usually brought me great comfort. But I understood that first and foremost, I was the headmistress of Stonewick, and my responsibilities were to the Academy, the students, and the village. And now that Gideon had left the inn, we were no closer to finding the stone.
Yet something deep inside me told me that not holding the shadow stone just yet was actually a gift because I wasn't certainI would make the right choices. I hadn't shared that with anyone, and I wasn't sure I ever would.
“We need to join the other witches at the Academy and make their schooling as normal as possible. The professors have been doing a wonderful job, and I am not about to mess up as headmistress.” I glanced at Karvey and noticed something in his eyes. “What aren't you telling me?”
“While your mom is currently in her own quarters, our Shadowick informants told us that they saw workers preparing the dungeons.”
My heart fell, and Keegan reached for my hand.
“For my mom?”
Karvey didn’t answer right away, and that told me everything I needed to know.
The room felt smaller somehow, like the walls had crept in just a little closer while I wasn’t paying attention. The warmth from the kitchen, the soft scent of lavender and honey, even the quiet crackle from the hearth all faded into the background as that one thought took hold and refused to let go.
The dungeons.
I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry, as I tightened my grip on Keegan’s hand without thinking about it.
“She hasn’t been moved yet,” Karvey said carefully. “But they’re preparing.”
Preparing.
That word sat heavily in my chest.
I nodded slowly, though it didn’t ease anything. “That means she’s running out of time.”
No one argued with that.
Twobble shifted beside me, unusually quiet for once, his earlier excitement gone as he glanced between us and then toward the door like he half expected more bad news to come knocking.
Keegan’s thumb brushed lightly against my hand, and I focused on that instead of the image trying to form in my mind.
My mom alone.
