Chapter Seventeen
I stretched my arms over my head, hearing a few soft pops in my shoulders. Things didn’t used to crack like that. The movement should have felt refreshing, but I just felt… tired.
Bone-deep exhaustion clung to me like a too-heavy quilt, and I wasn’t entirely sure why.
I didn’t remember any strange dreams. No ghostly visitors whispering cryptic warnings in my sleep. No visions of ancient battles or flickering candles leading me through secret corridors. Just the dull sensation of having closed my eyes one moment and opened them the next, with nothing in between.
I glanced at the bedside clock and groaned.
Too early, yet somehow also too late.
Still, I had things to do today. Important things.
Celeste was taking the train to the city, and I was meeting her two hours away, which meant two hours in the car alone with my thoughts.
Dangerous. But I had a plan to fix that.
I swung my legs out of bed and padded down the stairs to where Frank was already sitting by the door, his jowly face fixed in the exact expression of a dog who knew something was about to happen and was determined to be a part of it.
I scratched behind his ears, and he let out a satisfied grunt.
“How do you always know when I’m going somewhere?”
Frank blinked up at me, then let out an exaggerated sigh.
I chuckled. “All right, fine, you win. You’re coming with me.”
His tail pulsed once.
“But we’re going on a long drive, and you must behave. No barking at other dogs, no trying to climb out the window, and absolutely no drooling on my seats. Deal?”
Frank yawned dramatically.
I narrowed my eyes.
“I’ll take that as a deal.”
Another blink. Another snort.
“Why do I even bother negotiating with you?”
Frank responded with a toot.
“That’s what I thought.”
After making a quick cup of tea, showering, and throwing on a cozy sweater and leggings, I grabbed Frank’s leash and my bag, double-checking that I had everything I needed. Wallet, phone, keys… an emergency supply of snacks in case Celeste got that starving college student look in her eye.
I hesitated as I grabbed my coat, my fingers tightening around the fabric.
Keegan’s voice echoed in my mind, warning about Gideon and being careful. About the fact that I was important to the Academy now.
I shook my head.
No.
I refused to live in fear.
I had spent too many years letting someone else’s control dictate my life, and I wouldn’t do it now—not when I was finally, finally starting to feel like myself again.
I shrugged into my coat and glanced at Frank. “All right, buddy. Let’s go get Celeste.”
Frank, thrilled, immediately trotted to the door and waited expectantly, his entire body vibrating with excitement.
I smiled, pressing a hand against the wood momentarily before opening it.
Cold air bit at my cheeks, but it was crisp and refreshing. It woke me up better than my tea had.
Frank hopped into the backseat with his two back legs scuttling up the fabric, so I gave him the last little push.
I started the car, the heater kicking on with a familiar groan, and glanced in the rearview mirror at my furry passenger.
“This is going to be a long ride,” I warned.
Frank stretched out, taking up as much space as he possibly could.
I sighed. “I see we’re already breaking the stay-in-your-seat rule.”
No response.
Shaking my head, I put the car in gear and pulled onto the road.
The drive stretched ahead of us, two hours of long country roads and open highways. Two hours of thinking. Two hours of worrying about Celeste, Keegan, the Academy, and everything I was trying so desperately to juggle.
Frank snored in the back, oblivious.
I turned up the radio and kept driving.
My heart picked up speed as I finally pulled into town and followed the directions to the train depot. Quickly finding a spot, I pulled right and scanned the crowd.
Celeste had texted me when her train arrived, but I hadn’t heard anything since. I eased the car into a parking spot and peered through the windshield, searching for her.
Then I saw her.
She was walking toward the curb, tugging her suitcase behind her, the wind catching the loose waves of her dark hair. She looked the same but also… different. Maybe it was just the time apart or how she moved more confidently and easily.
But my eyes caught on something else—someone else.
A figure walked just behind her, close enough that my stomach clenched with immediate, irrational panic. My magic stirred at my fingertips, barely contained, ready to do something , even though I wasn’t sure what.
Then Celeste tossed her head back and laughed, nudging the person beside her with her elbow.
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
The tension in my limbs eased as I watched them.
My pulse still hammered but for an entirely different reason now.
She was smiling. Genuinely smiling. The kind of laugh that crinkled her eyes and made her nose scrunch up, just like when she was little.
I sat there for a moment, watching, marveling.
How fast things changed.
Not that long ago, everything in my life felt like it was crumbling.
My marriage.
My sense of self.
My belief that I had control over my own life.
And now… now, I was living in a town filled with magic, tangled up in something bigger than I could fully understand, stepping into a legacy I never knew was mine.
And Celeste? She was growing, too. Finding her own life, her happiness, beyond the safe little world I had tried so hard to help her thrive in.
It was a strange feeling, knowing she didn’t need me as much anymore. But it wasn’t a bad feeling.
It just… was.
Frank let out a low huff from the back seat, probably tired of my emotional silence when there were clearly more important matters—like greeting Celeste and getting back on the road.
I swallowed the lump, straightened my shoulders, and reached for the door handle.
“Frank, are you coming or going?”
His one eye opened, and he buried himself under some blankets.
“You’re a hot commodity, Frank. Stay under those blankets. I don’t want anyone stealing my sidekick.” I reached for another blanket and put it on top of him.
Time to see my girl.
I barely had the car door shut before I was moving, my feet hitting the pavement faster than my mind could catch up. Celeste turned at the last second, and before she could say a word, I wrapped her up in a tight hug, squeezing her against me.
“You’re here,” I murmured into her hair, inhaling the familiar scent of her shampoo, something citrusy and warm.
“I’m here,” she said with a laugh, squeezing me back before pulling away. “And you’re squishing me.”
I let her go—reluctantly—but kept my hands on her shoulders as I looked her over.
She looked good.
Happy.
That same confidence I’d noticed from the car was even more apparent up close.
And then my gaze flicked up—finally—to the man standing just behind her.
Huh.
I arched a brow as I took him in. He was tall and lean but well-built, with warm olive skin and a head full of blond curls. Sharp jawline. Bright, intelligent eyes. Dressed well but not pretentious. My daughter had taste .
Celeste cleared her throat, clearly noticing my once-over, and gestured between us. “Mom, this is Darren. My boyfriend.”
Boyfriend.
I blinked, trying not to look as surprised as I felt, but a grin was already tugging at my lips.
How was this not worthy of a text message or call?
She really was soaring.
“Ohhh,” I teased, drawing the word out. “ This must be why I don’t hear from you as much anymore.”
Celeste groaned, but Darren chuckled, holding out a hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Bellemore.”
“Oh, don’t do that,” I said, waving off the formality as I shook his hand. “Maeve is fine.”
Darren nodded, his grip firm but easy, and I instantly liked him.
“Come on,” Celeste said, rolling her eyes but smiling. “There’s a café across the street I found. I figured we could grab something to eat while we catch up.”
I reached for her suitcase as we started walking, but she pulled it back with a shake of her head.
“Oh, I can handle it,” she said.
“But why do you even have a suitcase? We’re just meeting for lunch,” I asked.
Celeste winced like she’d been caught.
“So, funny story. Darren and I are heading straight to Aspen after this. We’re catching another train out later.”
My steps faltered slightly, but I caught myself before she noticed.
Aspen.
A trip with her boyfriend.
Just like that.
Her father would meet Darren.
I pulled the scowl from my face and nodded with a smile.
“Well, enjoy the train. You’ll be happy when you can get off it.”
Celeste grinned. “I’ve heard, but Dad was too cheap to buy plane tickets.”
“Sounds about right.
We stepped into the café, and the scent of coffee hit us instantly. It was a cute little place, all dark wood and soft lighting, with plants hanging from the ceiling and turquoise chairs giving it a cozy, lived-in feel.
A server greeted us at the counter, and we all ordered drinks. I ordered coffee for me, tea for Celeste, and some ridiculously complicated espresso drink for Darren that raised my brow.
“Coffee connoisseur?” I asked as we found a table near the window.
He laughed. “Something like that.”
Celeste snorted. “He’s just picky.”
Darren shrugged, clearly unbothered by the accusation.
We settled in, and I turned to Celeste. “So, tell me. What’s been your favorite subject so far?”
Her eyes lit up as she launched into a breakdown of her classes, talking animatedly about her history course and the research project she’d been working on. I listened, soaking in how she spoke and how passionate she was. She’d always had a sharp mind and a love for learning, and it was beautiful to see her thriving.
“And what about you?” she asked, tilting her head. “How’s life in your little cottage?”
I took a sip of my coffee, debating how much to say.
“Oh, you know,” I said vaguely. “Quaint. Cozy. Occasionally filled with bickering gargoyles.”
Celeste blinked. “What?”
“Nothing,” I said quickly, waving it off. “It’s nice. Peaceful. I think Frank likes it.”
Darren glanced at me and narrowed his eyes, and I realized I probably just came off like the crazy lady.
Celeste laughed. “Frank? You’re seeing someone?”
I almost spit out my coffee.
“No, Frank is my bulldog. He came with the cottage, town, or tea shop. Actually. I’m unsure how I wound up with Frank, but now I can’t imagine life without the little wrinkly guy.”
“Sounds like the perfect fit.” She grinned.
“Gee, thanks,” I said dryly. “Are you saying I’m wrinkly?”
“Not at all. I hope I look half as good at your age.” She giggled and rolled her eyes.
“I’m not that old, sweetie. You just wait.”
Darren glanced out the window, scanning the streets, and something set me on edge.
“You know I love you, Mom.” Celeste grabbed Darren’s hand and squeezed it, and I forced myself to get over the sudden uneasiness and focus on the here and now.
We kept chatting, the conversation easy and familiar, but there was an undercurrent—an awareness that things weren’t the same… we were both in different places, growing in different directions.
And yet, the bond was still there.
Strong.
Unbreakable.
Even with her heading off to Aspen. Even with my world shifting into something I never could have predicted.
We were still us.
And then I saw him…