Goody Magic Academy, Year Three

Chapter 23

Chapter

Twenty-Three

D imitri strutted out of Café Du Monde, the bell above the door jingling softly as he left. The scent of powdered sugar hanging in the air contrasted sharply with the bitter taste of defeat in my mouth. My stomach churned as I imagined Dimitri running to tell the high priestess that I would bring her the Dragon Nexus.

The sad reality was that right now she had a royal flush, while I didn’t even have a pair of twos. My palms grew clammy, and I wiped them on my jeans, leaving damp streaks.

Kamaron’s voice was low and tense as he leaned in, worry lines etched deep into his forehead. “You’re not really going to give her the Nexus, are you?” His fingers drummed out an anxious rhythm on the table, the soft tapping eerily mimicking my racing heartbeat.

I sighed heavily, the weight of all the world pressing down on my shoulders. Leaning back in my chair, I heard the old wood creak in protest. The noise grated on my already frayed nerves. “She’s the high priestess, Kamaron,” I said quietly. I swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump in my throat. “If I don’t bring it, she’ll kill my parents. What would you do? What would any of you do?”

As the words flew out of my mouth, I could almost see my parents and the fear etched into their faces. The spectral image sent a shiver down my spine, leaving goosebumps in its wake.

Silence fell over us like a dark pall and the hustle-bustle of the café faded into the background, leaving only the sound of our shallow breathing. Kamaron’s coffee cup clinked against its saucer as he set it down, the sound jarring in the stillness. His shoulders slumped, mirroring the defeat we all felt.

Valentin drummed his fingers on the table. “If you’re going to take the Dragon Nexus to the high priestess, how do you plan to get it from the headmaster? Costin’s not going to just hand it over.”

Rose clasped his hand. “I can get it from him. Ethan will help me.”

Valentin stared into her green eyes, his own filled with concern. “Costin will consider that a huge betrayal.”

She gave him a weary smile. “Perhaps, but isn’t that what we’re all going to do?”

Finn rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Maybe we should let Jaxon and Peyton go to the bayou first, then we can follow.”

I shook my head vigorously as a knot of dread formed in my gut. “No, she’ll be expecting that,” I said, my voice low and tight. “Jaxon and I have to go alone.”

Finn slammed his hand on the table, causing the nearby glasses to rattle. “That’s as good as suicide,” he growled, his face flushing with anger. “She could kill both of you.” His eyes bored into mine, silently pleading.

My throat constricted, a lump forming in it as I struggled to maintain composure. “Finn, I’m not going to let my parents die,” I choked out, my voice cracking on the last word. Hot tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, and I blinked rapidly, fighting to hold them back.

Rose’s brow furrowed deeply as she brought her hand to her chin. Then her expression shifted, her eyes taking on a faraway look as the gears in her mind began to turn. “Once I obtain the Dragon Nexus,” she mused, “I’ll perform a tracking spell. Yes…” Her fingers twitched at her sides, as if she was already weaving intricate patterns of magic.

The tension in the restaurant was like a boiling kettle ready to bubble over. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears, a frantic rhythm that matched the urgency of our situation. The scent of fear—like cold sweat and adrenaline—permeated the space around us, reminding us all of the danger we were about to face.

Valentin finally broke the silence. “Well, if we’re going to do this, then let’s do it now while the headmaster is away.”

Jaxon took my hand and led me out of the crowded restaurant. All I could think about was my parents and what the high priestess was doing to them. I knew how cruel and vengeful she was, how much she delighted in hurting people. My mind raced with terrifying visions, and I could almost hear their screams.

We returned to the headmaster’s quarters in record time, our lungs burning from the exertion. The familiar oak door loomed before us, its intricate carvings a blur to my panicked eyes.

Ethan opened the door immediately, almost as if he knew we were coming. His bald head gleamed in the light, and his usually impassive face was creased with worry. “Good afternoon,” he said, his eyes flicking over us. Then he frowned deeply. “What’s wrong?”

Rose clutched Ethan’s arm, her knuckles white and her face ashen. “Ethan,” she whispered, looking around furtively, “I must speak with you in private.” The urgency in her tone sent a fresh wave of dread through me even though I knew what was going on.

I couldn’t stand still. I paced back and forth across the polished wooden floor, each turn sharper than the last. The urge to act, to do something, burned through me like wildfire. I could feel the heat building beneath my skin and my dragon stirring restlessly. I was ready to burn this place to the ground if I didn’t get the Dragon Nexus.

“Peyton, please. You need to calm down,” Jaxon said, his voice tight with tension.

I stopped mid-stride, spinning to face him. A growl rumbled deep in my chest, savage and threatening. I could feel my dragon pushing against the boundaries of my control, its scales itching to burst through my skin. “Calm down?” I snarled, my voice rough and barely human. “Would you calm down if it was your parents?!”

The air crackled with tension, like before a thunderstorm. My vision sharpened, the world taking on the hyper-focused clarity that always came with my dragon form. I was balancing on a knife’s edge, teetering between human and beast, desperate for action yet terrified of the consequences of losing control.

A few minutes later, Rose returned, her footsteps quick and light on the polished floor. In her hands she cradled a small purple velvet pouch. The very air around it hummed with barely contained power and shimmered with an otherworldly iridescence, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

Rose’s fingers trembled slightly as she handed the pouch to Jaxon. Her voice was tinged with a mix of hope and apprehension. “I’ve put a tracking spell on it,” she said, her eyes darting between us. The scent of lavender and ozone lingered around her, a telltale sign of recent magic casting.

Ethan came back into the room, his shoulders slumped. His usual stoic demeanor had cracked, revealing the turmoil beneath. He bowed his head, the light gleaming off his bald pate. When he spoke, his voice was rough with emotion. “Go. Go before I change my mind.”

His gaze swept across the room, taking in the others. The lines on his face deepened as he continued, “The headmaster will be angry, and you don’t want to be here when he returns. It’s up to me alone to face him. I’m the one who betrayed him.” The words hung in the air, heavy with resignation and perhaps a hint of fear.

Rose stepped forward, her hand reaching out to rest on Ethan’s arm. Her touch was gentle as her fingers curled around his sleeve. “I’m sorry to put you through this, Ethan,” she murmured.

Ethan’s stoic mask slipped further, his eyes softening as he looked at Rose. “Only for you, Rose. You’re like a daughter to me, and you know I can deny you nothing.” The tenderness in his voice was heartbreaking, and my eyes filled with unshed tears.

His gaze fell on me next, and I felt the weight of all his years and wisdom in his look. “Godspeed in saving your parents, child,” he said, his voice filled with both hope and trepidation.

The room fell silent, the gravity of the moment settling over us heavily. The ticking of a distant clock seemed to grow louder by the second. The air felt charged with a potent mix of fear, determination, and the faint whisper of magic coming from the Dragon Nexus.

My heart raced, adrenaline surging through my veins even as the dragon within me stirred restlessly, sensing both the promise of action but also impending danger. Jaxon stood beside me, his breathing measured, his presence a steady anchor. The purple pouch in his hand pulsed with an otherworldly rhythm, a constant reminder of the power we now wielded and the responsibility that came with it.

Ethan’s sacrifice, the potential danger awaiting my parents, and the perilous journey ahead all weighed down on me. Yet beneath the fear and anxiety a spark of hope flickered. We had the Dragon Nexus. Maybe we could save my parents without having to give it to the high priestess.