Chapter Fourteen
“Maeve, I know your daughter needs to be kept safe, and we can send a team to her, but I need to be here. The Priestess isn’t going to get kinder, and her tactics are going to get worse. Caleb would do a fantastic job protecting Celeste.”
My eyes met his. “You think you need to stay here to protect me.”
He let out a deep breath and nodded. “I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to you.”
I shook my head. “That's how I feel about Celeste. Only a million times more. My heart literally aches at the thought of her being brought into this. I won't be able to focus if I'm worried about her. If you're there, I won't worry quite as much, and I won’t make a mistake.”
He didn't say anything right away. He just rested his hands on my shoulders and studied me quietly. A few midlife witches walked out of the Academy and down the steps.
“I know how I am, Keegan. You being with her would keep me safer than you can imagine because I won't let my mind slip up thinking about her safety. I’m getting the hang of my magic, but it still takes focus. It’s not second-nature.”
“When?”
I let out a slow breath, not wanting the relief to trickle through me just yet. After all, he hadn't committed.
“Tonight.”
“What if we brought Celeste back here?” he asked.
I shook my head. “I don't feel right about that. I think it would be too easy for the Priestess or someone close to her to take Celeste. There are more obstacles outside of Stonewick.”
I could see the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, and my chest tightened.
“It wouldn't be for long,” I added.
He kept his gaze on me. “We don't know that.”
“We do, because my mom doesn't have much time left, and I will not let anything happen to her. There's too much at stake with the Academy, the students, my mom, Celeste…” I kept my gaze on him. “The list is endless.”
“I get it.” He nodded. “I really do.”
“Is that a yes?”
“A reluctant yes.” He glanced around the grounds and lifted his eyes back to mine. “But if there's any hint that I'm needed here. I will bring her back.”
“Thank you,” I said softly.
“I’ll protect her, and hopefully there's nothing to protect her from.”
I nodded. “I'll text her later so she knows what’s going on.”
But I also knew what this meant. We were closer to getting my mom back and to stopping the Priestess once and for all.
With these choices came great risk, but we couldn't let it go on anymore. She was twisting magic and livelihoods. It was enough whether we were ready or not.
But first, we had to tell the others.
Because nothing said magical confidence like announcing we were splitting up while an ancient Priestess sharpened her patience somewhere in the dark.
Keegan walked beside me toward the Academy doors.
I could feel every inch of his worry like it had learned how to breathe between us.
“You’re doing the right thing,” he said quietly.
“I know.” I glanced at him. “That’s what makes it worse. I don't feel ready.”
His mouth tilted, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.
The Academy doors opened before we reached them, which should have comforted me. Instead, the groan of old wood sounded too much like a warning.
When we stepped inside, the foyer still carried the bright chaos of midlife students enjoying the fall semester.
Twobble stood on his stack of books, Cindy the snailacorn perched on his shoulder like a tiny, glittering brooch.
“No,” he told a woman in purple glasses. “You cannot request to move dorms based on proximity to the pastry cart. That’s not how education works.”
The woman blinked. “It seems to in your world.”
Twobble froze as the woman wandered off.
Stella glided in behind him with a tray of teacups.
Nova appeared near the east corridor, her gaze landing on me before I said a word.
Of course it did. She started walking toward us, and Ardetia followed, pale and elegant, her expression already pinched with concern.
Bella slipped in from the courtyard a moment later, copper hair wind-touched, fox eyes too sharp to miss a thing.
Whatever look was on my face gathered them faster than a dinner bell.
Stella set the tray down. “Oh, bother. That expression means no one gets to finish their tea.”
Twobble hopped down from the books, clutching Cindy with one hand. “Is this a dramatic emergency or a regular emergency? I need to know which comfort food to bring.”
“Both,” I said.
His ears dipped. “Hate those.”
Keegan’s hand moved to the small of my back, brief and steady, and I forced myself not to lean into him. If I started leaning now, I might never stop. And then I just might not do what was best for Stonewick.
“We need to send protection to Celeste,” I said, keeping my voice low enough that the students wouldn’t hear. “Tonight.”
Stella’s face softened instantly. “Oh, darling.”
“And my mom,” I added, the words scraping out of me. “She’s in far more danger, too. I can feel it. Maybe I’ve been feeling it all along and didn’t want to name it.”
Nova’s green eyes flicked to Keegan. “You’re going to her daughter?”
He nodded once. “Maeve asked me to.”
Twobble sucked in a breath as if Keegan had announced he was leaving to marry a swamp toad. “You? Away from here? Away from Maeve? I don’t like this plan. I’d like to return it for store credit.”
“I don’t like it either,” Keegan said.
“That doesn’t improve the plan or change it.” Twobble pointed at him. “That only means we all have excellent instincts.”
Keegan nodded.
Bella folded her arms. “Celeste will be safest with Keegan.”
“I agree,” Nova said, though her gaze remained on me. “But Maeve will feel the distance.”
“I already do,” I admitted.
There it was.
The tiny truth with teeth.
Keegan looked down at me, and something moved across his face. Worry, maybe. Or love. Lately, around here, the two often wore the same coat.
Before anyone could respond, the front doors burst inward so hard that every floating orb in the foyer bobbed toward the ceiling.
Skonk came barreling in, one shoe untied, vest crooked, cheeks flushed a deep goblin green. He had a rolled parchment clutched in one hand and what looked suspiciously like half a cheese roll in the other.
“Bad news!” he shouted. “Possibly terrible news. Definitely not cheese-related, though I am emotionally supported by this roll.”
Twobble straightened. “Cousin, we are in the middle of a crisis.”
“Then you’ll love this.” Skonk skidded to a stop in front of us and bent over, panting. “I got word from my sources in the UnderLoom. The Priestess is growing impatient.”
The foyer seemed to tilt.
I heard the students behind us quiet, one by one, as if fear had tiptoed through the room and tapped each shoulder.
Stella’s voice went very soft. “How impatient?”
Skonk swallowed, and for once, he didn’t make a joke.
“She’s calling in old debts. Pulling favors from things that don’t like being woken. She’s not waiting for Maeve to come to her anymore.” His gaze darted to mine. “She’s reaching outward.”
My birthmark burned. I clutched my side, and Keegan’s hand closed around my arm.
“Maeve?”
“My mom,” I whispered.
Nova’s face tightened.
“And Celeste.” Saying her name nearly broke something open inside me. I could see her so clearly, my beautiful girl with her whole life ahead of her, unaware that magic had teeth and bloodlines had consequences. “She’ll go for both of them. One to hurt me. One to use me.”
Ardetia’s fingers curled around the edge of her sleeve. “Bloodlines matter to the Priestess.”
“They matter to the shadows too much,” Stella murmured.
Bella’s ears appeared sharp and alert. “Then we start planning now.”
The Academy gave a low thrum beneath our feet.
Twobble made a tiny choking sound behind me, and I ignored him.
I thought of exploding brownies, haunted corridors, goblin tunnels, wolf curses, vampire tea, fox shifters, and a snailacorn named Cindy.
“Once we settle this, Stonewick will get back to normal,” I assured everyone.
A wry grin settled on Stella's lips. “This is normal. Surprise.”
I chuckled.
Stella coughed delicately into her hand. “Who said I was kidding?”
Keegan leaned closer. “I’ll leave within the hour.”
My chest squeezed so hard I nearly forgot how to inhale.
“No,” I said, turning to him. “You should leave sooner.”
His jaw flexed. “I’d like to know what the plan is before I take off.”
“You need to go before the Priestess gets ahead of us.”
Skonk cleared his throat. “One of us can always communicate with you somehow. But I agree with her, time is of the essence.”
For a heartbeat, neither Keegan nor I moved.
Then he cupped my face in both hands and kissed me, right in front of Stella, Nova, Bella, Ardetia, two goblins, one snailacorn, and half a dozen midlife witches pretending not to watch.
“I’ll keep her safe,” he said.
I nodded and let out a slow breath. “I know.”
His thumb brushed my cheek. “And you keep yourself safe.”
“I’ll make a strong effort.”
His mouth twitched. “Maeve, that’s not the answer I was going for.”
“I will,” I promised, smiling.
He pressed a kiss to my forehead. He’d always been the strong, silent type who trusted me and wanted to see me step into my role, and now that I was, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was ready.
Keegan stepped back, and the air went colder where he’d been.
Twobble sniffed loudly. “I hate heroic departures. They’re terrible for digestion.”
Stella’s eyes gleamed suspiciously. “Take Caleb with you, Keegan. And one of the gargoyles, if they’ll agree.”
“I’ll send Karvey,” I agreed, feeling the shadow mark flare on my shoulder
“No, Caleb’s strength is needed here,” my dad announced from behind us.
The Silver Wolf stepped next to him. “I agree.”
Keegan and I traded a glance. “Karvey should stay with the Stone Ward.”
I nodded.
Skonk shoved the last bite of cheese bun into his mouth and raised the parchment. “There’s more.”
“Of course there is,” I muttered.
“Well, spit it out, Cousin.” Twobble’s hands flew to his hips.
He held it out to me, and I noticed the paper was warm.
My name appeared across it in dark, curling script, but underneath it, another name slowly burned into view.
Celeste.
And another sizzled onto the paper.
My mother’s.
The room blurred at the edges as I realized the Priestess wasn’t threatening possibilities anymore.
She was choosing targets, and just like that, whatever hesitation I had left turned to ash.
And Keegan left the Academy.