Page 86 of Monster's Mystery

Bruce scratched his chin. “That’s an interesting thought. I don’t think it was affected because the tree is actually the size it’s supposed to be. So even though it was hidden in an area that was within a spell, it wasn’t affected by it.”

“Fascinating,” Hazel and I echoed each other, and then we smiled.

“I’ve missed you so much!” I said.

She squeezed my hand. “Same.”

By this point, we were out of the forest, our usual size, and heading for the academy.

The kitchen door flew open, an intimidatingly large fire-wreathed Professor Dunlop framed in the opening. “Where in the bloodyhellhave you been?” he roared.

I grabbed Aiden’s hand, scared for a moment.

“I’m sorry, professor,” Bruce said, stepping forward. “I must confess to the kidnapping of the students over the past week.”

Pure confusion stopped the professor in his tracks. “You... What?”

“You didn’t kidnap me,” Aiden said firmly.

“Or me!”

“Me neither!”

“Never been kidnapped in my life!”

“Professor, I think what we’re trying to say is that Bruce asked for our help, and we agreed,” Hazel said.

“All of you?” Professor Dunlop said dazedly. He counted heads. “Every single blessed one of you is safe? Wait, there’s one extra...”

Bruce cleared his throat. “Allow me to introduce my wife, Clarissa Blackthorn.”

“It sounds like there is quite the story here, and while I can’t wait to hear it, I think we should all go and see the headmistress,” the professor said weakly. “Is anyone hungry? We can grab something on our way through the kitchen.”

“Starving! I haven’t eaten in weeks,” Lincoln teased.

“I brought you dinner before the—” Bruce cut himself off with a shake of his head. “Shut up.”

“Maybe we should travel unnoticed,” Professor Dunlop muttered to himself. “I don’t want everyone and their brother to stop us with questions.” Louder, he added, “Come on then, invisibility spells, everyone. Follow me to the headmistress’s office. If you don’t arrive, I will personally hunt you down.” He glared at us all, his eyes fierce under bushy eyebrows. “I assure you, I can do it.”

He cast a spell, and I realized that I still had my flow of magic spell on. I’d forgotten to remove it once magic wasn’t happening anymore. The magic moved across the sixteen of us, breaking into pieces, and tagging each person.

“Come on, chop chop,” the professor ordered, striding into the academy via the kitchen.

“You heard the man,” Bruce said.

“We’re not going to let you take the blame,” Aiden said to his friend.

Bruce’s face screwed up in a half smile. “Thing is, Aiden, I did ask multiple students to leave the academy. I took the memories of others, even if it was with permission.”

“But you had a good reason!” Aiden shouted.

“I’m not getting into this now.” Bruce took Clarissa’s hand and they disappeared.

“Fuck,” Aiden cursed.

“Come on,” I said. “You can argue with him in Headmistress Blackthorn’s office.”

I hadn’t been up close and personal with Headmistress Ophelia Blackthorn before, and certainly never been in her office. She gave an address at the beginning of every school year, but beyond that, she wasn’t seen very often, so I was eager to meet her.

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