Page 108 of Magical Melee
“That was beautiful,” I said, shaking my head. “You…”
He nodded. “It’s far too dangerous to speak those words. I had to send them to you somehow.”
Keegan let go of my hand as the chant ran through me, and I looked at the looming building ahead.
“Go on,” he said softly.
I nodded and stepped up to the gate, letting my fingers trace the flame as I silently chanted the words that held so much hope.
But the metal felt cold.
Lifeless.
He looked at me with a nod. “You ready?”
“I think so.”
I followed him down the sidewalk, hoping the alley would be visible, but something felt off as we approached.
The alley that should have opened didn’t. The buildings that should have separated to allow for the small alleyway stayed as tight as ever, and disappointment washed through me.
I stared at nothing. Just the tiny opening between two mismatched buildings and the same tuft of weeds I’d spotted the last time I tried.
My heart sank as I looked over at Keegan.
“This can’t be right,” I said, stepping closer and running my hands over the cold, unyielding bricks.
Keegan stood silently for a moment, his eyes narrowing. Then he turned slightly, his gaze flicking toward the shadows. “Maniakats,” he muttered.
“Maniawhats?” I asked, glancing at him.
He nodded. “You can’t see them, but they are here.”
“What are they?”
“Bursts of energy sent by those who want to harm.”
Dread filled me.
“So Shadowick hasn’t left us alone these last few days,” I said quietly, wishing I could go inside the Academy walls and learn things that would actually help this small village. “Are they spirits or…”
“They can take different forms, but locking you out is the town’s way of saying things aren’t what they seem. Stonewick can shift when it senses something is off—whether to protect itself or you, I’m not sure.”
I pressed my palm against the wall, frustration brewing. “Could Stonewick ever be wrong?”
“What do you mean?”
“How do we know it always knows what’s best? It shut itself down a hundred years ago and, in all that time, couldn’topen up again to train magicals and mystics? In all that time, it couldn’t find someone to teach?”
“Do you know what makes magic so powerful, Maeve?” he asked.
“I can think of lots of things.”
“There’s one thing. Only one.” His index finger waved in front of me.
“Okay…”
“And it’s trust.” His eyes stayed steady. “You have to have trust in the systems and the constructs around us in order to believe truly.”
