Page 43 of Bearly Bewitched

Ren answered. “Xabir and I put him in magical containment to let his body rest. We’ll see how he is in the morning.”

“Could we separate him from the crystal somehow?” Clover asked, leaning into Rook’s protective embrace. “Break Ledger’s hold over him?”

Kaine shook his head grimly.

“I’m sure Ledger wanted to use him as a conduit during the eclipse.” Vail sighed. “All that stolen power channeled through someone who already has a strong magical connection to the academy...”

“And to you,” Sabine added gently. “That kind of emotional resonance would amplify the ritual’s effects significantly.”

“Which is exactly what Ledger wants,” Neve said, her usual levity absent. “To twist every connection, every bond, into a source of corruption rather than strength.”

Daisy had fallen asleep at the table, her diary pillowed under her cheek. Felicity carefully moved the soup bowl before it could spill while Kaine tucked his jacket around his niece’s shoulders.

“Poor thing’s exhausted,” Madame Zephyrine said fondly. “Though I must say, her insights about magical balance are remarkably advanced for her age.”

“She takes after her father that way,” Neve agreed, refilling teacups with a wave of her hand. “Always looking for the deeper patterns others missed.”

Sabine stretched, then winced again. This time Ren didn’t just steady her—he pulled her chair closer, letting her lean against his solid warmth. The gesture made Rook mock-gag, earning an elbow from Clover.

“Like you’re any better,” Sabine shot back. “Who spent an hour yesterday practicing the perfect romantic dinner setup?”

Rook’s ears actually turned red. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh really?” Burke grinned. “So those floating candles arranging themselves in heart shapes in your office was just... what? A magical accident?”

“Whatever,” Rook muttered as everyone dissolved into laughter again. But his arm tightened around Clover, who beamed up at him with pure affection.

Vail slipped out onto the porch, letting the cool evening air soothe her magical exhaustion. Madame Zephyrine’s garden sparkled with floating lights like earthbound stars, their gentle glow reflecting off the enchanted wind chimes. Her thoughts drifted inevitably to Kaine—his quiet strength during the battle, the way he’d protected those around him, how just being near him made her feel simultaneously safer and more alive.

She’d spent so long keeping people at arm’s length, focused solely on her duties as headmistress. But somehow Kaine had slipped past those carefully constructed walls, becoming as essential to her as magic itself.

Familiar footsteps approached, and her heart picked up speed before he even spoke. Her magic reacted to his presence, warming beneath her skin as if recognizing something vital. “How are you holding up?”

She turned to find him much closer than expected, close enough that she had to tip her head back to meet his eyes. The movement made her aware of every inch of space between them, every breath that could close that distance. Her fingers itched to trace the strong line of his jaw, to smooth away the worry lines around his eyes.

“Better than the academy’s magical barriers,” she managed, then sighed. “Sorry. Gallows humor.”

“I’ve noticed it tends to run in magical academies.” His slight smile transformed his whole face, softening the usual intensity of his features. That smile did things to her heart she wasn’t ready to name, made her want things she’d convinced herself she didn’t need.

FORTY-TWO

“Speaking of survival...” Vail forced herself to focus, taking in the lingering evidence of the day’s battles—stone dust in his dark hair, that small cut on his jaw that made her magic itch to heal it, the careful way he held himself that spoke of hidden bruises. “Are you okay? Really okay?”

“I should be asking you that.” He reached out slowly, deliberately, and brushed debris from her sleeve. But instead of pulling back, his touch lingered, warming her skin through the fabric. His other hand came up to cup her cheek, and she found herself leaning into the contact before she could think better of it. “You’re the one who held the academy’s defenses together through sheer stubbornness.”

“You’re the bear who fought shadow monsters in the vault.” She stepped closer without conscious thought, drawn into his warmth. His familiar scent—pine needles and mountain air, now mixed with stone dust—made her want to bury her face in his chest and just breathe him in. “We make quite a team.”

“We do.” His voice deepened, and suddenly the porch felt too small to contain the energy crackling between them. Moonlight silvered his hair and caught the gold flecks in his eyes, makingher breath catch. She’d never seen anyone look at her the way he did—like she was both fierce and precious, someone to be cherished but never caged.

“Kaine...” She started, but his gentle grip on her sleeve became a caress down her arm that left trails of tingles in its wake. Her magic responded to his presence, to the steady strength of his shifter energy that radiated from him even in human form.

“We can take things at your pace, Vail,” he said quietly, his thumb tracing patterns on her cheek that made it hard to think. “No need to rush. It’s okay. Just give me a chance, okay?”

“A chance?”

“To be your support and your strength when you need it. I’ve got your back. We all do.”

The simple sincerity in his words combined with the tender strength of his touch made her chest tight. Here was someone who understood duty, who carried his own weights and responsibilities. Someone who saw her strength and supported it instead of trying to control it. Who looked at her like she was something precious but never fragile. Who made her want to take risks she’d been avoiding for years.

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