Caroline walked back over to where all the Magiques students were brushing up on their spells and incantations and waved to get Aldrick’s attention. He looked up at her and smiled, but Caroline didn’t smile back. She pointed to Nadine, who had her head buried in a book and gestured that they follow her into a row of shelves.

She paced impatiently as she waited for her friends to join her, chewing absently on her fingernail while trying to think of the best way to tell ...