Page 3 of Spellbound and Gagged

Juno opened her eyes, staring at the colorful pots of herbs that lined her windowsill. She'd thrown herself into her work after that, driven to prove that her nurturing approach to herbology was valid. Every achievement, every accolade, had felt like a vindication of her choices.

But now Thaddeus was back, taking the very teaching position he'd once scorned. And the worst part? He still made her heart race like a cornish pixie trapped in a jar. Being close to him today, feeling that old spark reignite, it made her wonder if this could be a second chance for them.

Or if Thaddeus didn't get the department head position, would he be off again on another exotic adventure? This time, Juno didn't think her heart would recover if he chose to leave her again.

One thing was certain: this Brewfest competition would be about much more than just herbology. It would determine not just the future of plant magic at Grimm Mawr Academy, but perhaps the future of her heart as well.

A knock at her door startled Juno from her thoughts. She opened it to find Minerva Everhart standing there, a bottle of amber liquid in one hand and two glasses in the other.

"I thought you might need this," the potions professor said with a knowing smile. "Nothing cures an encounter with an ex like a good firewhiskey and a friend to vent to."

Juno smiled gratefully, stepping aside to let Minerva in. "You have no idea how right you are."

As she closed the door behind her friend, Juno couldn't help but glance out the window towards the greenhouse, where a single light still burned. She knew without a doubt that Thaddeus was there, probably fussing over his precious nettles.

The Brewfest competition was going to be interesting indeed.

Chapter Two

The next morning dawned with an annoyingly cheerful brightness, sunlight streaming through Juno's windows as if it were personally offended by her desire to sleep in. She groaned, burying her face in her pillow. Maybe if she ignored it hard enough, yesterday would turn out to be a bizarre dream induced by accidentally inhaling too much dreaming daffodil pollen.

No such luck. The events of the staff meeting played on repeat in her mind: Thaddeus's deep voice, the accidental mixing of their plants, and that moment of electric connection that had made her toes curl inside her sensible teaching shoes. Juno's cheeks burned hotter than a flame flower in full bloom.

"Oh, get a grip," she muttered to herself, finally dragging her body out of bed. Her wild curls resembled a tangling vine nest, and her breath could probably wilt even the sturdiest of magical plants. Some brilliant, composed professor she was.

She glanced at her workbench, where a collection of half-completed potions sat from her previous mishaps. One bottle contained a bubbling purple mixture she'd created last winter after accidentally turning her fingernails into tiny singing mushrooms. Another held the remains of the solution that had reversed her three-day bout of involuntary levitation the previous spring. Magical accidents were common enough in her line of work, and while the remedies were sometimes complex,solutions almost always existed. It was just a matter of finding the right combination of ingredients.

As was her habit, Juno made her way to her personal herb garden to tend to her plants before the day began in earnest. The familiar routine usually centered her, but today, each plant seemed determined to remind her of Thaddeus.

The pussy willows sighed his name. The memory mint gleamed like his eyes. Even the stubborn stinkweed mimicked his rigid posture. Juno glared at it. "Et tu, stinkweed?"

She moved among the pots and planters, whispering encouragement and channeling what little positive energy she could muster into each leaf and stem. "He left you," she reminded herself, nearly overwatering a sensitive weeping wisteria in her distraction. The plant gave a dramatic sob.

"Oh hush, you're fine," Juno muttered, gently patting its petals. "At least you don't have to face your annoyingly handsome ex-boyfriend in a professional setting today."

The wisteria perked up at that, clearly pleased it wasn't in Juno's shoes. Plants could be such smug little chlorophyll factories sometimes.

For a moment, Juno's mind drifted back to that final, horrible argument five years ago. The way Thaddeus had stood in her doorway, travel pack already slung over his shoulder.

"You're being selfish," he'd said, his voice cutting through her like ice. "There's a whole world of magical plants out there, discoveries waiting to be made. And you want to stay in this tiny town, teaching the same curriculum year after year?"

"This isn't about the curriculum," she had fired back, tears threatening to spill. "This is about building something stable, something lasting. Just because you're afraid of putting down roots doesn't mean the rest of us are."

His face had hardened then. "I'm not afraid. I'm ambitious. And if you really loved me, you'd be supporting that, not trying to clip my wings."

"And if you really loved me," she had whispered, "you wouldn't ask me to abandon everything I've worked for."

He had turned to leave, pausing at the threshold. "Maybe love isn't enough, then."

The door had closed behind him with such finality, and Juno had collapsed onto the floor, sobbing among her sympathetic plants. By the time she'd gathered herself enough to go after him, he was already gone.

Juno shook her head, banishing the painful memory. Water under the bridge now. Or it should be, if her traitorous heart would get the message.

Juno tried to focus on the tasks ahead. She had classes to teach, research to conduct, and a Brewfest competition to prepare for. She couldn't afford to be distracted by old feelings and what-ifs.

Brewfest wasn't just about the department head position, after all. It was one of the most prestigious magical competitions in the region, attracting visitors from all corners of the magical community. The winner brought honor and recognition not just to themselves but to their entire institution. Academy enrollment typically jumped by fifteen percent after a Brewfest victory, and research grants flowed more freely. Last year's winner, Professor Nightbloom from Everwood Academy, had secured funding for an entire new wing in their botanical gardens. The stakes were high—professionally, financially, and personally.

But as she gathered the herbs she would need for her first class, Juno wondered what Thaddeus was doing at that very moment. Was he also up with the sun, putting his plants through their paces like some sort of botanical drill sergeant? Did he everthink about the times they'd spent together in the greenhouse, learning and growing side by side?

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