Page 37 of Goody Magic Academy: Year Three

An uncomfortable silence fell over the group as I dressed. I could feel their eyes on me, anxious and expectant. It was like being on stage, about to perform, only to realize I’d forgotten my lines—not to mention my clothes.

As I pulled on my T-shirt and stepped into my jeans, Headmaster Tarus brushed past the others, his piercing gaze zeroing in on Jaxon. “Did you find the Dragon Nexus?” His voice was low, intense.

Jaxon nodded, reaching into his pocket. “Yes, we did.” He pulled out the Nexus, handing it over without hesitation.

Headmaster Tarus’ eyebrows arched as he took the artifact, his fingers curling around it possessively. “Any problems?” The question seemed casual enough, but there was an undercurrent of... I wasn’t sure. Concern? Irritation?

I stepped closer to Jaxon, fighting the urge to snatch the Nexus back. “Simon and Marsha promised retribution, but we managed to get away,” I said.

I had been expecting praise at that, but instead, Headmaster Tarus’ face darkened, his eyes narrowing. “So they know it was you two who stole it?”

My stomach dropped. The headmaster’s reaction was all wrong. Where were the congratulations? The relief that we had the Nexus in our possession? Suddenly, I felt like a student who had studied for an English test only to find that all the questions on the paper were about algebra.

I glanced at Jaxon, searching his face for any sign that he understood what was happening. The air was quivering with as much tension as when I had been first summoned to the high priestess’ office at Goody Magic.

Jaxon clasped my shaking hand. “Why does that matter?”

“It means they will be looking for you, boy. You need to be careful, both of you. Do not underestimate the dark forces in New Orleans. The mafia here is ruthless and will stop at nothing to get what they want. Did Simon mention if anyone else was after the Dragon Nexus besides the mafia kings?”

My fingers drummed an anxious rhythm against my thigh, each tap echoing the rapid beating of my heart. “Just the kings and the high priestess. But since we have the Dragon Nexus, we can rescue my father now. Isn’t that what’s really important?”

“The battle isn’t over yet,” the headmaster said grimly as he rubbed his chin. “The high priestess won’t give up that easily. Anything else that we should know?”

I glanced away, not wanting to think about it too much. “Simon said that Maximo Barone wanted to buy me.”

The headmaster snorted with disdain. “That doesn’t surprise me. Barone is infamous for buying and selling human flesh. He’s an abomination, one that should have been snuffed out years ago.”

He placed the Nexus in his pocket. “I’ll keep this safe. In the meantime, I’ll get in touch with Headmaster Lange of Legacy Academy. He’ll contact Raven to let her know to stay well away from New Orleans.”

Hearing that sent a shiver of relief through me. From everything I’d heard, Raven Acosta was a force of nature, a hurricane in human form who would annihilate anyone who so much as thought about snuffing her out. But she was also a champion for all those of mixed bloodlines, a beacon of hope in a world that often looked down on those of us with diverse heritage. Almost all my friends, except for Jaxon, were of mixed blood like me.

My jaw clenched as determination welled up inside me. I’d be damned if I was going to be punished for not being a pureblood. Raven’s stance on mixed bloodlines wasn’t just admirable—it was an inspiration. In her, I saw the possibility of a future where I wouldn’t have to apologize for my existence, where my friends and I could stand tall. She could be more than just a powerful ally. She could be the key to changing the very system that had made us feel lesser for so long.

“I suggest we all go inside,” the headmaster said. His voice hinted that we were perhaps being watched.

I swept my gaze across the picturesque campus, drinking in the sight of blooming roses, stately antebellum buildings, and towering magnolia and oak trees. A dark sense of dread settled in my gut as I realized the enemy could be concealing themselves in the shadows.

Jaxon held my hand as we entered the headmaster’s quarters. An involuntary yawn escaped my lips, my body giving into exhaustion.

He put his arm around me. “Tired?”

I pressed my palm against my clammy forehead, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over me. “Yes. I think all that shifting is draining. I’m getting lightheaded, too.”

Without another word, Jaxon picked me up and cradled me in his arms. My body felt weightless against his strength, nestled securely against his broad chest. Even so, the sudden movement made my head spin again, a reminder of just how exhausted I truly was.

“Come on,” he murmured, his deep voice rumbling through his chest and into my body. “Let’s get you to bed.”

I snuggled in closer, turning my face into the crook of his neck. His scent enveloped me—a scent that had become synonymous with safety in my mind. My eyes fluttered closed as I listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, strong and unwavering, just like the man himself.

Finn blurted, “Don’t you think you should tell us what all happened?”

Jaxon scowled, his voice low and protective. “Later. Look at her, she’s exhausted.”

As Jaxon carried me to my room, I could feel the curious gazes of the others on us. Their whispers and judgments floated in the air around us, but they felt distant and unimportant. In this moment, wrapped in Jaxon’s arms, all that mattered in the world was the two of us.

He was my anchor in the storm, my rock. He was both comforting and possessive, and in my bone-deep weariness, that was exactly what I needed. I didn’t care what the others thought. Let them talk. I was exhausted, emotionally and physically drained, and all I wanted in the world was to be alone with him.

As Jaxon’s footsteps carried us away from the prying eyes and toward the promise of rest, the tension began to seep out of my body. In his arms, I could finally relax. Whatever challenges tomorrow would bring, for now, I was safe.

---