Page 66 of Tricks for Free

“I know,” I said. “But I need to get back to Lowryland.”

Eighteen

“Never gamble with anything you’re not willing to lose. The house doesn’t always win, but there are some chances not worth taking.”

–Mary Dunlavy

Lakeland, Florida, at the warehouse home of the Lakeland Ladies

“NO,” SAID CYLIA CALMLY, taking another swig of her lemonade. She swallowed, sighed, and added, “I wish like hell I could risk something stronger, but you know what they say about day drinking. Once you start, it’s a hop, skip, and a jump to waking up one day as a bartender in some crappy coastal tourist resort, shaking your denim-clad rear for tips. I like bartenders. I like denim miniskirts. But wow, do I hate tourists.”

Sam and I both stared at her blankly. Finally, in a hesitant tone, Sam said, “I don’t think anyone says that. Like, ever. I don’t even believe that you’ve said that before just now.”

Cylia shrugged. “Yet here we are.”

My temper was beginning to boil. I narrowed my eyes, looking down the length of my nose at her, and pictured how nice she would look on fire. “What do you mean, ‘no’?”

“I mean ‘no.’” Cylia looked back at me. “I will not drive you back to Lowryland. I will not tell you which bus to take to get to Lowryland. I will not let you run out of here and ditch me with your fuzzy boyfriend while you go and get yourself killed. This is not a good idea. This is a bad idea.”

“What makes you so sure I’m going to go and get myself killed?”

Cylia rolled her eyes so hard that for a moment, they looked like they were going to pop out of her head and roll away across the floor. “Please. First, I’ve met you. Second, you’re currently a weird energy sink, and third, you have some of the most bizarre luck I’ve ever seen. You could get yourself killed walking to the 7-11 for chocolate milk. If you run out of here without a plan, you’re going to end up dead, and how am I supposed to explain that to Fern?”

“I’d be more worried about how you were going to explain it to me,” said Sam dourly. “Annie, why do you want to go back to Lowryland? It sounds like whatever’s going on started there and . . . crap. I just answered my own question, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, you did.” I looked at Cylia. “How much do you know about human magic-users?”

“Enough to know that I don’t know jack,” she said. “They make magic, they use magic, sometimes a lot of things wind up on fire because of their magic, and there’s never been a jink who could do what they do.”

“Makes sense,” I said. “Humans can’t see luck the way jinks can.”

“Everyone can move luck, but only we can see it.”

I paused. “Uh, Cylia?”

“Yes?”

“Are you cool with dead people?”

Cylia blinked. “There are about a hundred different ways I can interpret that question, and none of them actually make any sense,” she said. “What do you mean, exactly?”

“Annie has dead aunts,” said Sam.

“Somehow, not helping,” said Cylia.

“I need to ask someone a question, and it probably isn’t you,” I said. “Are you cool with dead people?”

“You mean ghosts?” Cylia shrugged. “I guess. One of my second cousins stuck around being a ghost for a few years before he went off to do whatever comes after ghosting. He was a pretty chill guy. Used to help me sneak into the movies.”

“Great.” I clapped my hands, chanting, “Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse.”

“How many times do I need to tell you, that’s borderline offensive and not a good way to summon a ghooooo . . .” Mary trailed-off mid-word, suddenly realizing that she was in an unfamiliar kitchen, standing in front of a total stranger. “Uh.”

“It’s okay, Aunt Mary,” I said. “Cylia’s from my roller derby league.”

“Technically, no, but what’s a little intrastate rivalry between friends?” Cylia offered Mary a bright smile that was only slightly strained around the edges. “I didn’t know I was going to be hosting a party today. I would have done some cleaning up if I had.”

“I don’t care if she’s from your roller derby league, pumpkin. Being a derby girl doesn’t make somebody cool with the dead.” Mary glanced at Sam, only now seeming to see his furry condition. She frowned. “Okay, what the hell is going on?”