Page 95 of Upside Down Magic

Huttonglared at her. “Besilent, crone.”

Dorseypursed her lips but didn’t say another word.

Forsome reasonIfelt the need to defend her.Thiswas truly an upside-down world. “Leaveher alone,Hutton.Justbecause you can’t detect magic doesn’t meanRufuscan’t.”

“Whatever.”

Decisionto bringRufusalong made, we huddled into a group outside theCornerRose’sback gate, looking not at all like a band of criminals about to conduct an art heist.

Luckily, the back alley was seldomly used.

“Wecould jump over,”Huttonsaid.Hehefted himself up onto the waist-level brick part of the fence with the help of the iron spikes.

“Speakfor yourself,Hutton,”Dorseybarked.

Heeyed her, as if measuring how hard it’d be to toss her over.

“Nothrowing old ladies around,”Iwarned.

“Now, now, depends on the kind of throwing,” she said with a raspy giggle.

Huttonshuddered and jumped back down.

Asingle weak headlight illuminated the alleyway, and a bicycle came to a screeching halt next to us.

“Yo,” a young woman said. “Alexhere?”

“Hey, dude,”Alexsaid, stepping forward and doing a handshake-shoulder-bump greeting with her. “Thanksfor coming.”

“Yes, thanks,”Iadded.

“Noproblem, no problem,” she chirped with clear excitement. “Whatdo you need me to open?”

“Canyou do the back gate?”Ipointed at the lock.TheCornerRose’sbackyard was twice the size of mine, but the back gate had a similar iron lock.

“Surething, sweetgums.”Shetwisted a small backpack to her front and dug inside.Nota minute later, she and her set of picklocks had gotten the gate open.

Aprilclapped softly. “Amazing.”

Susybeamed. “Thanks, dude.Iusually can do it faster, butI’ma little rusty.”Sheblinked, then glanced at the rest of us. “Justa hobby, of course.”

Huttonsnorted. “Ofcourse.”

Susy’seyes widened, as if she’d only now taken a good look atHutton.Thealleyway was drenched in semi-darkness, so it was definitely possible. “Oh, man.You’rethe alpha.”

Hutton’saura swarmed us, andIelbowed his side. “Shegets it.”

Hesent me a disgruntled glower, but the aura abated. “Iam.”

“Don’tworry,”Alexsaid cheerfully. “We’regood.”

Susyshrugged and opened the gate fully.

“Remember,”Itold everyone in a low voice. “Keepyour voices down.Whispersonly.”

Isaw a few eye-rolls.Aprilnodded enthusiastically, andAlexgave me a thumbs up.

“Canyou open the back door too?”IaskedSusy, pointing across the backyard.Normanhad turned the space into an extension of his gallery, with neat tiled paths snaking around empty plots reserved for statues and other outside art.Inthe low light, the few works on display created strange, unsettling shapes.

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