“Like this: ‘Zelda, I have fire magic.’”
“It wasn’t that easy!”
“And throwing a cupcake fireball was?”
The discomfort on her face rapidly turned into annoyance. “Don’t be ridiculous. You were in danger. What else was I supposed to do?”
We weren’t supposed to be discussing any of this out in the open, but after your mother’s hurled a frosted fireball at a blue ghost, discretion really isn’t on the menu anymore. “You didn’t come here for a visit,” I said. “You came here because ofthis.” I gestured at the scorched walls.
Mom lifted her chin. “I did come for a visit,” she said. “I just had a little extra reason.”
“A little extra? A littleextra?” A laugh burst out and echoed off the stone walls. I laughed so hard it puffed out in vapor clouds in the moonlight. My mother, the witch. I should have known when she walked in the door. I should have known when she wouldn’t get close to Poppy. I should have known when shewouldn’t hug me.
We were all magical now, the line unbroken: my grandmother, my mother, my brother, me. My aunt, my cousin, her daughter. Embrace it or hide it, the magic would come for you in the end.
I closed my hands, extinguishing my own flames. My mother, watching me, did the same.
We learn fast when we learn from each other.
“Come on,” I said. “We have to get out of here before someone notices your attempt to burn down New York.”
“It wasn’t that bad, was it?” She looked genuinely concerned.
“No, Mom.” I put my arm around her and felt, for the first time, the sensation of my mother’s magic: a library stamp leaving fiery traces on my bones. An imprint that saidI love you, andI’ll protect you. I hugged her, and it didn’t matter that she’d spent my whole life acting like magic didn’t exist as long as we never talked about it.
She was one of us, now.
Patty Melt, deep in the fireplace of my mind, blinked in sleepy surprise, then twitched her whiskers with satisfaction.
“Let’s go get some more cupcakes,” I said.
6
Iwokeupstiffon the couch the next morning, unable to fend off Jester when he jumped on my head and began licking my face. “All right, you maniac. Get off.” I sat up. Groaned when I remembered the night before.
Ghosts. Magic. “Mothers,” I said, hurling a throw pillow.
Jester ran after it.
I dragged myself into the kitchen and found the replacement box of cupcakes. Pulled the liners off two of them and shoved them in my face. Chocolate, vanilla: the foundation of a healthy breakfast.
The sound of food should have brought Georgiana galloping to the kitchen. Where was she? Had Poppy gone out early?
I looked around and found a note in Poppy’s handwriting on a thick, cream-colored notecard:Have gone to visit the Princess. Took Georgiana with me. Your mum can use my room—I’ll stay over in the Fortress. Such fun!
I flipped it over. Gold engravings of leaves bordered a personalized invitation for Poppy to attend the upcoming Late Harvest Luncheon, hosted by the League of Women’s Welfare—also known as the Ladies Who Witch.
“Huh,” I said, fanning myself with the invitation before returning it to the counter. Poppy had been spending a lot of time in the Forest of Emeralds since our adventure there. I couldn’t blame her. It had to be a relief to not be reading everyone’s minds at all times.
Jester stared at me with begging eyes as rich brown as the chocolate cake.
“No chocolate for you, bud. Bad for the tummy. How about a liver treat?” His ears perked up like shag-carpeted satellite dishes. I retrieved a freeze-dried cube and tossed it to him in exchange for a sit and a shake. If only everything were so uncomplicated.
What had I actually seen in that dark alley?
I brushed cupcake and liver crumbs off my hands and snuck upstairs to get ready to go out, careful not to wake my mother, who wasn’t used to the late hours we’d kept the night before. Back downstairs, I set out a fresh bowl of water for Jester and filled up his food toys. Then I leashed him and slipped outside, closing the door quietly.
When we returned from the morning walk, I opened the door to the townhouse to the smell of eggs, sausage, and something savory of the baked goods variety. I unclipped Jester’s leash, and we made our way down the hallway past Poppy’s cheerful decorations. In the kitchen, my mom stood with her back to me, stirring something in a frying pan.
