Page 96 of Upside Down Magic

“Jesus, even the statues are creepy,”Druwhispered with a shiver.

Rufusagreed with a low whine.

“Maybeone of these is the culprit?”Huttonasked, going to the closest creation—knots of metal mounted in a zig-zag shape.

“Goodidea,”Isaid with surprise.

Huttonarched an eyebrow. “I’mknown to have those from time to time.”

Thatwas such anIan-like thing to say, my chest constricted painfully.ImissedIanso much.Imissed his solid, warm presence by my side, the way he made me face reality with his unrelenting “oh?”s, and the way he made me want to hug him and stay in his arms forever.

Drunudged me. “Wegot this,” she whispered reassuringly because she was the bestest best friend ever and had known where my thoughts had gone.

Iswallowed the stone lodged in my throat. “Letme test.”Ibrought out my moon water spray bottle and began testing the different artworks, the others following me like a flock of grumpy sheep.

Detect.

Imade sure to keep my power as low as possible—just enough to make the moon water react and nothing more.

Allthe statues were magic-free.

“Wegotta get inside,”Itold the others.

Theyall nodded in unison.Huttoncaught himself mid-nod and began glowering at the rest of the group instead.

Susywent to the back door, which had been replaced by a more modern metal version of mine, and dug into her backpack for another lockpicking kit.

“Wait,”Isaid. “Doyou know how to deactivate alarms?”Innormal circumstances,I’dassume the shop, like almost every other shop inOlmeda, wouldn’t be alarmed.ButNormanwasn’t from here, so he probably had higher security standards.

“Noclue,”Susysaid.

“Doyou know anyone?”IaskedAlex.

Hisforehead scrunched as he thought about it. “Don’tthink so.”

“Wyatt?Anyof your regulars?”

“Whyare you asking me again?” he demanded.

“Shh.Bequiet.”

“Whyare you asking me again?” he repeated in an outraged whisper.

“Oh, stop it,”Dorseysaid. “Weall know the kind of person who goes to your bar.”

“No, you don’t.”

Ishushed him again. “Ifyou can’t speak in whispers, then you need to stand outside.”Ipointed toward the alleyway.

Iflooks could kill,I’dbe a new ghost addition to theCornerRose.

“Focus,”Huttonsaid in a harsh hiss. “Doesanyone know someone who can bypass the alarm system?”

Wefell into a thoughtful silence.

Anoise outside the gate had us all snap to attention.SusyandAlexfroze.Aprildove behind the closest statue.Dorseyhid behindWyatt.Huttonwent so straight he grew two inches, andDruslunk into the shadows covering the nearby corner.

Theweight of their gazes fell on me.

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