Page 18 of Magical Mission
A shifter fox family, the youngest cub tugging impatiently at his mother’s cloak, whispering, “When do we get to learn how to make the fire spells?”
Good question. I wondered the same thing.
Even a gaggle of garden gnomes, who stuck stubbornly to the edges, muttered about how the architecture needed work but stayed put.
Twobble fidgeted beside me, his hands clasped behind his back, doing his best to look dignified.
Which, for Twobble, mostly involved standing on his tiptoes and glaring at anyone who dared whisper about the goblin on the stage.
“I think it’s time,” I murmured.
Twobble nodded furiously. “Yup. Definitely time. Been practicing my speech all afternoon.”
“You’ve been in your room for an hour.”
“Sixty very productive minutes.”
I stifled a smile as I stepped forward, the murmurs settling into a hush that stretched across the courtyard.
I cleared my throat.
“Welcome,” I said, my voice stronger than I expected. “Welcome to Stonewick Magical Midlife Witch Academy.”
A ripple of whispers.
Some confused.
Some hopeful.
All hungry for what came next.
I gestured to the towers, the glowing stained glass, and the ivy-draped stones of the Academy.
“This place… it’s been asleep for a long time. But you woke it. All of you. You answered the call. You felt in your bones that you were meant to be here. Some know why they are here, and others just listened to the pull to come.”
More nods. Some cheers.
Twobble tugged at my sleeve.
“I felt that same pull, and I can tell you that the Academy is here to learn from, to listen to its guidance, and if needed, to protect. This is your safe place to learn, grow, make mistakes, and discoveries…” I cleared my throat and scanned the crowd, and all I felt coming back was kindness. “We will learn magic here. We will understand its powers, strengths, and weaknesses. Most importantly, we will gain friendships and found families. We will learn that our experiences in life don’t cripple us. They make us stronger and more aware of what’s on the horizon. Most importantly, I hope the Academy will teach us that we can overcome and create greatness wherever we stand and with whomever we stand because we’ve learned to believe in ourselves.”
Cheers erupted, and I knew I belonged here to make mistakes, develop a mission, and defeat Gideon. There was no other place I wanted to be.
When the crowds quieted, I started again.
“I’d like to introduce someone special.”
Twobble puffed out his chest so hard I feared he might fall backward.
He stomped up beside me and cleared his throat dramatically.
“Twobble will be here to assist you as you become accustomed to student life here at the Academy. If you have questions or concerns or just want a good friend, Twobble is your guy. He’s also the direct line to me.”
“Ahem,” Twobble’s voice bounced off the courtyard stones like he was addressing a royal court. “First, I’d like to remind everyone that the Academy has an official snack drawer. Managed by me. Donations welcome. Bribes encouraged.”
A few students laughed. A female goblin barked a loud, hearty guffaw, and Twobble’s cheeks warmed.
Twobble pressed on, undeterred. “Second, anyone caught rearranging the library shelves without consulting the local book sprites will be hexed into next week. And third…”
