Goody Magic Academy, Year Three

Chapter 6

Chapter

Six

F inn folded his arms, his muscles tensing visibly as he glared at Jaxon. “Are you telling us that Dimitri used some kind of Lord of the Rings type thing to break a spell and free Jaxon?” His voice was heavy with sarcasm and disbelief. “I don’t believe it.”

The anger rolled off him in palpable waves, so intense I could almost see it shimmering in the air around him. Anger and jealousy fueled his red dragon: if he wasn’t careful, he’d shift and lose control of his power. The thought swept down my spine like a cruel icy wind.

I took a deep breath, trying to center myself. Supposedly, I was a black dragon and was able to control the other dragons. Time to put that theory to the test. I wasn’t sure how to do it, but I would go on instinct and trust my dragon.

“This is no time for petty prejudices, Finn,” I said, forcing my voice to remain calm and authoritative. I held his gaze, refusing to back down. “We need to focus.”

I could see the struggle in Finn’s eyes, the battle between his anger toward Jaxon and his respect for me. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.

“I believe him,” I continued, my voice growing stronger with each word. “We have to get to New Orleans and retrieve the Dragon Nexus before the high priestess does.”

The mention of the Dragon Nexus sent another ripple through the room. I saw confusion, fear, and curiosity flash across different faces. Finn’s eyes widened slightly, his anger momentarily overshadowed by surprise. Kamaron frowned, his brow furrowing deeply. “How are we all supposed to do that?”

“Shift,” Jaxon said, his voice low and determined. “You all need to shift into your dragons. Then Valentin, Rose and I will ride you. I’m sure you’re all tired of playing cat-and-mouse games with the high priestess, aren’t you?”

My stomach clenched at the thought of shifting, a mix of excitement and fear coursing through me. I stood my ground, silently willing Finn and the others to trust me.

“They’ll find us if we stay here much longer.” Jaxon headed over to the window and peeked out cautiously. “And this time, the high priestess will drag all of you back to her little dungeon.”

Finn shoved him. “And how the hell do you propose we get out of here?”

“I already told you. You’re a dragon.” Jaxon met his hostile stare levelly. “So fly.”

“I can’t shift on demand, you idiot. I’ve only done it once, and that was just because I lost my temper.”

Jaxon cocked his eyebrow. “Like you’re losing your temper right now?”

“I don’t shift when I get angry,” Kamaron said quietly. “I haven’t shifted yet at all.”

“That’s okay,” Jaxon said. “We have a witch that can help us.”

I turned to Rose, who had remained very quiet throughout all this. My eyes searched her face, looking for any sign of confidence. “Is that true? Can you help us, Rose?”

“M-maybe. I’m not sure.”

My stomach dropped at her uncertain response.

“You’re a powerful witch, my love,” Valentin said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He kissed the top of her head affectionately. “I know you can do it. Professor Eastey believed in you, and I do too.”

Rose sighed deeply and put her hand on his chest. “I’m glad you do, because sometimes I’m not so sure.”

Valentin brushed his lips over Rose’s pouting ones. “Just try, Rose. For me?”

Rose’s black cat, Bellona, padded silently across the room on velvet paws and sat in front of her. The feline’s tail swished once, twice, before curling neatly around her. Bellona’s golden eyes fixed on Rose solemnly, unblinking.

“Ohhh,” Rose breathed, her fingers twitching at her sides.

I leaned forward, transfixed, as Bellona stretched out a paw and placed it deliberately on Rose’s foot. The cat’s ears twitched, her gaze never leaving Rose’s face.

Rose’s shoulders relaxed slightly. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, there was a glimmer of hope and determination in her expression.

“Bellona always knows,” Rose murmured, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

As I watched their silent exchange, my hand involuntarily moved to my side, my fingers grasping at empty air and causing a familiar ache to bloom in my chest.

“Midnight,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. I glanced at Twyla, and she had the same gut-wrenching look on her face that I knew I did.

Valentin turned to me, eyebrows raised. “Your familiar?”

I nodded, swallowing hard. “My cocker spaniel. She’s... She’s not here, is she?”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry, she’s not. Where did you last see her?”

“In my room with Twyla’s white rabbit, Ivory. Do you think they’ll be okay? I mean, the Bloodborne Brotherhood wouldn’t hurt them to get at us, would they?”

He placed his hand on my shoulder. “I don’t know. I sincerely hope not.”

My eyes stung as I pictured Midnight’s wagging tail, her sweet floppy ears perked up in attention. I could almost hear the soft jingle of her collar and feel the press of her warm body against my leg.

I clenched my fists, trying to focus, but my thoughts kept returning to my dog, desperate to know if she was safe.

Rose’s voice cut through my misery. “Okay, I can’t defy both you and Valentin. If you believe I can do this, then maybe I can.”

Bellona let out a soft meow of encouragement. It made me wonder where Midnight was, and if she knew how much I needed her right now.

Rose looked between me and Twyla. “I can cast a protective spell to keep them both safe, don’t worry.”

Rose’s fingers trembled as she picked up a small leather book from the counter. The worn cover creaked softly as she opened it, releasing a faint scent of musty paper and dried herbs. “This is my father’s old grimoire,” she explained softly. “He gave it to me as a wedding present.”

Her eyes flew across the yellowed pages as she flipped through them, the old paper rustling with each turn. The dim light danced over faded ink writing and cryptic symbols. “Maybe there’s a protection spell and one that will help you all with your shifts, too.”

I leaned in closer, straining to catch a glimpse of the spells. My heart raced, hope and fear battling in my chest. The book brimmed with potential, each page holding the promise of salvation or disappointment.

Jaxon’s voice cut through the tense silence. “You’d better hurry,” he urged, his words tight with barely concealed anxiety. He glanced nervously at the door, then back to Rose. “I have a feeling the high priestess will have the Bloodborne Brotherhood searching every apartment in this building pretty soon.”

At his words, a chill ran down my spine. I could almost hear the heavy footsteps of the Brotherhood approaching in the hallways, growing closer with each passing second. The walls of the apartment suddenly felt paper thin, offering little to no protection against the looming threat.

Rose’s fingers moved faster, almost frantically, through the pages. The soft rustle of paper on paper filled the room, punctuated by her sharp intake of breath each time she thought she might have found something useful followed by a disappointed sigh when she realized she was mistaken.

The air in the room grew thick with tension. Each creak of the building, each noise from outside, made me flinch. Time seemed to stretch and yet compress simultaneously, the urgency of our situation warring with the painstaking process of searching through the ancient tome for the perfect spell.

I found myself holding my breath, my gaze fixed intently on Rose’s face, searching for any sign of discovery or defeat. The fate of all of us hung in the balance, within those fragile, time-worn pages.

“Ah! Here it is.” She smiled. “I knew Father would have it. He was a very powerful witch.”

Rose’s eyes lit up as her finger traced a line of text. She cleared her throat and began to read aloud, her voice gaining strength and conviction with each word:

“Guardians four, of fur and scale,

Heed this call through mystic veil.

By pale moon’s light and stars above,

Shield these souls we dearly love.

Midnight’s bark in distant space,

Ivory’s hop across the lawn

Scales of Zephyr and Ember’s grace

In realms unseen, keep them from harm,

Protected by this shielding charm.

Blood of witch and dragon’s fire,

Weave a ward that none can tire.

Until we call them back to sight,

Keep them safe through day and night.

By witch’s will and magic’s might,

This spell I cast to set things right!”

As Rose finished speaking, I saw a soft shimmer ripple through the air. The room fell silent for a moment, then a gentle warmth spread through my chest. I could almost feel Midnight’s comforting presence, distant but safe.

Twyla let out a shaky breath. “Thank you. I know Ivory’s all right. I can feel it.”

Bellona, who had been sitting quietly at Rose’s feet, let out a soft meow. Rose bent down to scratch behind her ears, a look of relief on her face.

“So… Did it work?” Finn asked, his voice hushed with a mix of hope and disbelief.

Rose nodded slowly, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I think so. I can feel a connection to the others... They’re okay. They’re somewhere else now. Somewhere safe.”

I let out a breath and placed my hand over my chest, knowing my little girl was safe from the high priestess’ clutches. “Me too. It’s like...like Midnight’s just out of reach but protected at the same time.”

Kamaron and Twyla smiled, relief evident on their faces.

Jaxon’s lips curled into a sardonic smirk. “Well, isn’t that touching,” he drawled, his eyes darting to the door. “Now that your little pets are safe, maybe we can focus on not getting ourselves killed?” He rapped his knuckles sharply on the spell book. “That shifting spell isn’t going to find itself, and I’d rather not be here when the Bloodborne decide to drop by for afternoon tea.”

Bellona’s fur bristled, her tail puffing up to twice its size like a bottle brush. She arched her back and hissed at Jaxon, sounding like a steam kettle releasing pressure.

“Stop it, Bellona,” Rose scolded, not even looking up from the book. “I can’t concentrate with you hissing at Jaxon.”

Bellona’s ears flattened against her head. She scampered over to Jaxon, her claws clicking on the wooden floor, and quick as a flash she swiped her paw across his leg, leaving thin red lines in her wake and making him wince and hiss through his teeth.

Then she turned her back on him, tail held high. She marched off, each step deliberate and haughty, as if she was a queen surveying her domain.

Jaxon bared his fangs, a low growl rumbling in his chest. I clasped his arm, my fingers digging into his sleeve, and shook my head slightly, meeting his eyes with a warning glance.

Rose remained hunched over the book, her brow furrowed in concentration, ignoring all of us as her finger traced the lines of text and she flipped through the book.

Suddenly, the air grew thicker, making it hard to breathe. Heavy footsteps moved outside in the hall, each thud sending vibrations through the floorboards.

“Time’s up,” Jaxon said softly, his body coiled like a spring about to release. His gaze was laser focused on the door, eyes sharp and alert, like a predator sensing danger.

My stomach twisted into knots as a cold sweat broke out across my skin. The sound of my own heartbeat thundered in my ears, nearly drowning out the approaching footsteps. It was as if I was frozen in place, caught between the instinct to run and the desperate hope that Rose would find the spell in time.