As I sip my pineapple mimosa and look around at the witches and mages gathered here, it’s hard for me to remember a time when Ididn’thave magickal friends. When I actually believed magick was a curse, no matter how deeply I craved this knowledge. Since I enrolled at the Academy, my life has changed so much—and I owe it all to magick. To the path that was hidden from me for so long, finally revealed.
Despite the challenges, the dangers, the threats still looming, I wouldn’t chose another path for anything. Ibelonghere, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my friends safe.
To protect the ones I love, no matter what the cost.
Finally, when the telling is complete, the barrage of questions answered, and the last of the champagne poured, Doc clinks his fork against his glass, calling for a toast.
“As an Arcana mage and member of the Keepers of the Grave, it is my sworn duty and honor to protect magick and all those who are blessed with it,” he says, lifting his glass in salute. “I renew that vow today, in the presence of everyone gathered here, every one of whom I’m proud to call a friend.”
“And as your friends,” Professor Maddox says, raising her glass, “we take your vow as our own. I pledge my service to protect magick and all who are blessed with it, for all of you and for all the generations of mages and witches to come.”
The other witches follow suit, solemnly repeating her words and raising their glasses, solidifying a promise that will echo in my heart for the rest of eternity.
“To magick and friendship,” Professor Maddox says.
“To magick and friendship,” comes the unanimous reply, all of us clinking our glasses and drinking in solidarity. In friendship. In love.
Finished with her mimosa, Professor Maddox sets down her glass and rises from her chair, a familiar psychotic light dancing in her eyes—one that tells meshe’sabout to start dancing on desks again, andwe’reabout to get homework.
“I’ll get the markers and poster board,” she says, beaming with renewed energy and a fiery sense of purpose I haven’t seen in her since the Academy canceled classes. “We’ve got big plans to make, witches. Big plans.”
Twenty-Four
STEVIE
“Good afternoon, my Gingersnap.” I set a plate of lemon sunshine bread on the table next to Ani’s bed and climb in beside him, burying my face in the crook of his neck. Even in a magickal coma, he still smells like my Ani, warm and sweet and full of summer. Closing my eyes, I take a few moments just breathing him in, visualizing a time when he’s back with us, when our enemies have been defeated, when witches and mages no longer have to fear for our lives just for being who we are.
The rest of the house is buzzing with activity as Professor Maddox sketches out a training plan and doles out assignments, and I give Ani the full report.
“Professor Broome is going to work with us on protective as well as offensive potions and charms. Maddox plans to kick our Tarot education into high gear—she wants us to have a better grasp on how to harness the energies of each suit to create more effective spells.” I reach for his hand, lacing our fingers together. “Doc’s got mental magicks covered. Baz is on earth magick, Kirin on air. As first years, the girls and I have a lot to learn about tapping into and controlling our magick, but we’re ready for it. I’ve already learned some cool earth and air tricks, and Doc’s going to show me how to harness water energy. I just need my favorite fire mage to wake up, and I’ll be all set.”
I smile and close my eyes, still breathing him in.
“I know,” I say. “It’s a lot, right? And here I thought we’d be getting a break with Trello ending the semester early, but nope. No such luck. On top of the elemental magick stuff, Kirin and I are supposed to hit the figurative books again tomorrow—ouractualbooks were stolen, of course, but there’s still a lot to work with on his backups, and he’s got access to some online databases full of Tarot lore.”
The more I tell Ani, the more daunting it all sounds. A handful of witches and mages trying to scrape together a curriculum of magickal learning while researching lore and plotting defensive and offensive maneuvers against the Dark Arcana, the non-magickal authorities who wish we’d all stop breathing, and legions of corrupt mages and witches who don’t knowwhoseside they’re on?
What kind of odds are those?
Still, something Kirin said last night really stuck with me. Whether we’ve got an entire library, a single book, or a single page, we’re not giving up. And we’ve got so much more than that. We’ve got each other, and the promises we made today. No matter how hard things get, all I have to do is think about is the people who sat around that table and held up their glasses today, and I’m ready to fight to the death for every single one of them.
I spend a few more minutes catching Ani up on all the news, and then I tell him about my hopes for the future—all the things I still want to learn at the Academy, all the places I want to explore with him, all the songs and games and sweet, sultry kisses I plan to share with him.
Then, rising from the bed, I light a yellow candle behind the plate of lemon sunshine bread, then place a fist-sized citrine crystal before it, right on top of the Sun card.
The spell comes to me easily, flowing directly from my heart, out through my lips, and right out into the universe, where I picture it sailing across the realms to Ani, lighting his pathway back to us.
Mage of sunshine, mage of fire
Hear my words and know my desire
Wherever you wander, wherever you roam
May the light of our love guide you back home
I repeat the spell three times, then kiss my fingertips and press them to the card, sealing the spell with the most powerful magick there is: love.
“Okay, now that we’re all caught up… I’ve got another concert queued up for you. If you’re not in the mood for my singing, just say so.” I wait a few beats, then lean closer, cupping my hand around my ear. “Nothing? Okay, I’m taking your silence as permission to continue.”
