by Lucia Ashta
“Holly’s fine. She had her pups and is resting. Mordecai, Walt, and Marie are on the rooftop with Humbert and the rest of the firedrakes. They only just arrived.”
His attention landed on Gertrude and Brave, who were still kissing. “To the rooftop then. I need to see Marie.”
I smiled before I could stop myself. “I bet you do.”
He chuckled, as if we hadn’t barely survived the most gruesome day of our lives and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I have the feeling you might want to come with me.”
I looked at him suspiciously but nodded just the same. “Yes, I do want to check on Walt, now that I know you’re all right. Mordecai said he’d bring him down, and he should have by now.” Although I knew next to nothing about magical healing and floating and whatever else Mordecai was doing to help Walt, it did seem like it’d been too long.
Nando flicked another glance at Gertrude and Brave, then at me. He waggled his eyebrows. “Come on, let’s go check on them.”
He grabbed my hand and tore through the parlor, pulling me along. “Nando,” I protested, but he ignored me, as if he realized as well as I that I didn’t wish to be left behind.
It was just that I had a feeling I knew why Nando wanted to see Marie, and he probably thought I had the same reason to want to see Walt. But even though I’d promised myself to live to the fullest, I still hadn’t built the courage to follow through on it.
I mean, yes, I’d told myself I wanted to kiss Walt. That was all fine and dandy when I wasn’t actually considering doing it as soon as I reached the roof.
Never mind. Don’t worry, I told myself. Walt will be sleeping anyway, so it’s no big deal.
That’s when I remembered Elwin. I’ll be back soon, I told him. Just wait for me there please.
I didn’t need an audience for... whatever was about to happen.
Live life like you mean it. Elwin’s immediate response wasn’t nearly cryptic enough this time.
Nando pounded up the stairs, and for the second time that day I bounded up them. He must really be in a hurry to get to Marie. He hadn’t even retrieved his sword from the floor, and Papá, the father we might never see again, had given that sword to him.
It seemed Nando was all too ready to follow Elwin’s silent advice.
Far too quickly, he crashed through the door to the roof, pulling me behind him. I lunged to the top with him, my breath coming heavily. Immediately, the crisp air of the deep night hit me and cleared my mind. Now that Nando was safe, and the day’s dangers were finally over, a surge of energy pumped through me.
Right away, I noticed why Mordecai had delayed. Walt was awake. They’d moved him so he leaned against a chimney and sat upright.
Marie met my eyes first, a smile of relief gracing her face, but then she saw Nando, and she forgot about me entirely. Her eyes grew dreamy and a small cry escaped her lips.
Nando squeezed my hand and let go. In efficient strides, he closed the distance between Marie and him. She was, of course, at Walt’s side. But when Nando reached her, he leaned over, scooped her up, and pulled her into his arms.
Faster than I could believe it, he kissed her.
And she kissed him right back.
Mordecai was startled at first, but a smile soon shone between his bushy mustache and beard. Walt watched them... until his eyes settled on me.
I couldn’t look away from those eyes I’d longed to see again.
I gulped and took timid steps toward Walt.
“Go on, child,” Mordecai said to me, not helping things one bit.
My cheeks erupted in a furious blush, all but announcing that I was considering kissing Walt.
But he’d only just woken up from the sleep of near death, and he was still gravely injured. I wasn’t the kind of person who wanted to bring levity to that. Walt needed care and rest to recover.
By the time I reached him, I’d convinced myself that I’d be open to whatever might develop between us... over time, and that was still living life to the fullest. After one more timid glance at my brother, who was happily kissing away, I settled at Walt’s side.
I cleared my throat and forced myself to meet the gaze that was waiting for me. “I’m so glad to see you’re feeling better.” I cleared my throat again. “And that your leg will be fine with time.” I fidgeted. “I was so worried.”
Walt started to smile, and I suddenly felt as if I didn’t deserve it. I hurried to say, “It’s my fault your leg was crushed. You wouldn’t have been back in that blasted castle if I hadn’t gone in there to get Sir Lancelot. If you hadn’t followed to help, y-you wouldn’t be in all this pain and—”
“Isa?” he interrupted.
“Y-yeah?”
“Just shut up and kiss me.”
“W-what?” I sounded like a stuttering dummy but I couldn’t help it.
“You heard me.”
I had, of course I had; I was frozen in place.
“I can’t move very easily,” he said. “Will you kindly lean in so I can kiss you?”
I couldn’t think, couldn’t move or do a single thing... even though I desperately wanted to.
Then Walt’s eyes lowered as if I’d caused a bout of sudden embarrassment, and it was all because I couldn’t get myself to do what he asked of me.
He addressed me while looking at his lap. “I thought... I like you, Isa. But if you don’t like me in the same way, it’s all right. I have to recover anyway and—”
I swooped in and kissed him.
I closed my eyes as the kiss pulled me in, but I felt his smile beneath my lips.
Walt, I thought happily, and then I really lost all capability for rational thought and action. I kissed him as if I’d died and come back to life, and as if I’d almost lost him today before we’d even gotten to share this first kiss. I kissed him as if we’d been to hell and back and somehow survived it, and as if we had cause to celebrate now that Maurisse and Miranda were dead, and the Sorcerers for Magical Supremacy were sure to disband.
I kissed him and let him kiss me until he wiped clean the impact of all the terrible memories, until hope replaced them, and life seemed bright and full of potential again.
We kissed until I heard Mordecai’s telltale voice rumble something, but the actual words didn’t permeate through the fog of happiness. Besides, I didn’t think they’d been upset words; perhaps they’d even been happy.
But I did register Nando when he called out, “All right, you two. I think that’s enough.”
It wasn’t enough, however. I was pretty sure all that Walt and I would come to share was only just getting started.
When I finally managed to pull away, I discovered myself half sprawled across his lap, mindless of his severe injury. With an alarmed expression, I opened my mouth to apologize, but Walt claimed it in another kiss. “Don’t you dare apologize or worry,” he muttered against my lips. “Don’t ruin the best moment of my life.”
He smiled fully, and I grinned back, and kissed him some more. Who cared what the others said or did? I was living life to the fullest, or haven’t I told you?
Epilogue
~ One month later ~
“Come now, pupils,” Sir Lancelot called, swooping overhead. “It’s time to return inside for your lessons.”
Sir Lancelot had dutifully resumed his role as instructor of magical history, and he seemed to be enjoying the authority that came with the position.
“Aw, come on, Sir Lancelot,” Walt said, leaning into his crutches, with me at his side. “Give us some more time in the sun.”
“There is no more time to rest, Sir Walt. You’ve frolicked enough. We have work to do, and no time to spare.”
“Isa killed Maurisse.” Walt beamed at me. “Surely that’s bought us a little time to relax.”
Sir Lancelot swooped lower, flapped his wings rapidly so he’d hover above Brave, and asked, “Lord Brave, may I?”
Brave inclined his head to the owl, who immediately landed on his shoulder with a puff
. He brushed his wings along his coat a couple of times, before addressing Walt again. “You heard Lady Arianne and Lord Mordecai as well as I did when they said we had to get straight to teaching you all there is to know about magic.”
“Yeah, yeah. That the Sorcerers for Magical Supremacy might have disbanded, but there’s no guarantee that a new leader won’t fill the power void. That dark power draws magicians, and history has proven that there’s always a sorcerer willing to take the place of the last evil one who’s fallen. Did I get it right?”
“You did precisely,” Sir Lancelot said, “which is why your recess is over.”
“Surely we’ve earned a little time to enjoy each other’s company,” Brave said, making mooning eyes at Gertrude, who giggled in response. Those two had been more inseparable than usual this last month.
“You surely have earned quite a lot of time to enjoy the leisure activities of youth, Lord Brave. However, our enemies might be gathering forces as we speak, and we don’t want to be caught unaware again, now do we?” Sir Lancelot stared at us with those big, serious, yellow eyes.
He made eye contact with every one of us, skimming across Nicholas, Angelica, and Simon, and Nando and Marie, as well as my hellhound pup, before adding, “This trial with the late Duke Maurisse has revealed how many talents you all possess as a group, and I’m certain we have many more to discover.”
His large eyes landed on me. “This is no time to rest on our laurels. It’s the time to train, to learn, and to become powerful, so that we’re fully capable of protecting the magical world, and all those humans who live outside of it.”
He was right, of course. Still, it was glorious to be safe—or at least to feel safe—and to be in the company of loved ones. The sound of laughter had echoed throughout the academy all month. Even Count Vabu had made his peace, deciding Priscilla was better off wherever she was than living an eternity of gloom. I had no choice but to agree, because it was the better option than to regret what none of us could fix.
“Can’t we have five more minutes?” Walt asked of the owl.
Sir Lancelot brought his wings to either side of his waist. “Do you think the Sorcerers for Magical Supremacy are taking five?” Again, he scanned all of our faces.
“Fine,” Nicholas said. “But will you teach us something really fun to make up for the sunny day we have to abandon?”
“Abandon.” Sir Lancelot rolled his eyes and I hiccuped my surprise, mostly to keep from laughing at the comical gesture on the owl who took life and teaching so seriously. “No one’s making you abandon anything, Lord Nicholas. You’re gaining in this equation, not losing. You all have stellar potential. Let’s not waste that now, shall we?”
“What’s our next lesson about?” Simon asked.
“I’ll be teaching you the basics about the history of magical creatures.”
“Magical creatures?” Brave said. “I thought that was Arianne and Gustave’s thing.” He looked between the owl and Gertrude.
“It is, Lord Brave,” the owl pressed on. “But their teachings lie in the practical approach to the creatures. I’ll teach you all I know about how the different creatures have interwoven throughout the history of magic.”
“All in one day?” Angelica asked.
“Oh goodness, no, it’ll take weeks at least. But it’s a good place to start. Lady Isadora needs to get some ideas about how to interact with her pup there.”
As if my hellhound pup realized Sir Lancelot was discussing her, she wagged her tail and rubbed against my legs. I bent to scoop her up. Lily licked my face at once, leaving a trail of slobber across my cheek that I barely minded.
When Wizard Meedles first entrusted me with Lily’s upkeep, saying that I’d need to know how to care for the creatures and connect to them if I planned to apprentice with him, I was entirely reluctant to take on the duty. But Lily was adorable, and not at all terrifying when she was this size. She and I’d formed a bond right away, and I did very much want to learn more about the creatures that Wizard Meedles doted on, and I was beginning to understand why.
I nodded my agreement with Sir Lancelot. “I have to get Lily back to Holly anyway. She still can’t be away from her for too long.” Even Holly had learned to accept me after seeing my blossoming relationship with her daughter.
“Good,” Sir Lancelot said. “Maybe the rest of the pupils will follow your lead.” He gave everyone but me the yellow-eyed stare, making me smile.
A natural rapport had developed between all of us students. I quickly discovered that I liked all of them, even Nicholas. Our strengths and weaknesses varied, and our temperaments sometimes clashed, but no day was ever boring.
When not even I jumped to follow Sir Lancelot’s orders, he said, “You do want to be better prepared than your peers, correct? And you are aware that the Magical Arts Academy has opened up for recruiting again, and that pupils will likely begin pouring in from all over the world? After all, we boast the finest and most experienced staff there is.” He puffed his feathery chest.
There was truth to what he said, as Grand Witch Giselle Tillsdale had joined the teaching staff, while also taking over the role of head of Magical Council, which Gustave had recently joined, and Albacus had returned to after Giselle said there was no reason she knew of that he couldn’t continue to participate. He’d died, not lost his faculties, was how she’d put it, and it was all it took to convince the excited wizard to resume his part in the magical world alongside his brother.
Malachai had also joined the staff, and it turned out that he was a wizard (and ghost) especially accomplished in the creation of magical objects. He’d teased us with the promise that, by the time we graduated from his classes, we’d be able to imbue magic in most common objects, so we could call on it at a moment’s notice.
But despite my enthusiasm for the possibilities of magical objects and hellhounds and our growing numbers, along with a respite from the constant threat of the SMS, my greatest enthusiasm was for the power that brewed inside me. Now that I realized it was there, and I was aware of all it was capable of, I was eager to discover all I could do with it.
I already knew the surprises weren’t over, and that not only I, but Nando too, along with the others, had only just begun to tap into our magical skills.
The senior instructors who’d founded the academy had hoped to train the next generation of magicians capable of fighting for all that was important in the world. They hoped to school students in discipline and knowledge and... magic. Nothing had gone as they’d expected it, but in the end, everything had gone exactly as it had to.
We were about to exceed their expectations. Of that, I didn’t have a single doubt.
I’d entered the academy a girl frightened of her own ordinariness. I’d become a woman strengthened by the power of her own belief—in herself, in magic, and in love for family, life, and Walt.
Along the way of this twisted journey of my magical education, I’d died only to be reborn. I’d lost my fear only to replace it with pure trust. I’d discovered that there was nothing at all ordinary about me.
Bonded with a firedrake and a hellhound, I was a witch with sparkling potential. With an academy of teachers eager to work with my unique form of magic, and to help me discover the full range of my capabilities, there was nothing to stop me from becoming all I could be.
After all, I was a witch, through and through. It’d just taken me a while to realize it.
Now that I knew who I was, no one would ever take that from me.
I was home, both within myself and at the academy.
“Come on, Walt,” I said, leaning over to kiss his cheek while holding the squirming happy pup away from him so she wouldn’t lick him. “Let’s go inside. We have lots of days in the sunshine to enjoy together.”
I smiled my joy, and Walt smiled back. Everywhere I looked, I saw the bright potential of our future.
Sir Lancelot fussed and got the others moving toward the classroom.
I eased
into Walt’s slow pace, enjoying the sunshine on my face and the swelling joy in my heart.
Who knew magic would feel this good?
Magic Awakens - Book 1
Isadora’s adventures have come to a close, but Clara has her own complete series of full-length novels. Join Clara, Marcelo, Sir Lancelot, and many of your other favorite characters before they established the Magical Arts Academy.
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Acknowledgments
I’d write no matter what, because telling stories is my passion, but the following people make creating worlds (and life) a joy. I’m eternally grateful for the support of my beloved, James, my mother, Elsa, and my three daughters, Catia, Sonia, and Nadia. They’ve always believed in me, even before I published a single word. They help me see the magic in the world around me, and more importantly, within.
I’m grateful for every single one of you who’ve reached out to tell me that one of my stories touched you in one way or another, made you smile or cry, or kept you up long past your bedtime. You’ve given me reason to keep writing.