Page 61 of Upside Down Magic

Detect.

Powertrickled out of me and dispersed on the cool glass surface.Nomagical kickback whatsoever.Ishook my head. “Norecent magic.”

“Ifthey did magic with the book, then put it back in, would you be able to detect it?”

Ishook my head. “Probablynot through the glass.Butit seems like a lot of work to return it.Ifyou take the book out to do dark magic, wouldn’t you just keep it?”

“Theymight not have wanted to attract notice.Ifthey knew how to take it out once without being noticed, they can take it out again later.”

“Weneed to check the book itself.”Iinspected the wires again, then sentIana hopeful glance. “Canyou deactivate these?”

Hisanswering look was a masterpiece in deadpan. “I’ma bounty hunter,Hope, not a cat burglar.”

“Wecan’t all be perfect,Isuppose,”Isaid with an exaggerated sigh.

“Gottaleave some room for improvement.”

Straightening,Imulled the problem. “Weneed to check the rest of the pages.Maybethere are some inEnglish, or a big highlighted section with the spell that’s messing withShaneand the others.”

“Post-it arrows pointing at the crucial passages?”

Ibeamed, undeterred by the dryness in his voice. “Exactly.”Agenius idea popped into my head. “Iknow what we need.”

“Oh?”

Idouble finger-gunned him, wink included. “Weneed an air mage.”

Thirtyminutes, three new adult entry tickets, and one very crankyDorseylater, we were back in the secret room.

“Ican’t believe he made us pay for our tickets again,”Igrumbled.I’dnever do that to my customers.

“Ican’t believe you blackmailed me into coming,” snappedDorsey. “Aren’tyou supposed to be a good witch or whatever?”

“Ididn’t blackmail you,Ms.Dorsey,Imade a small suggestion.”

“Yousaid ifIwanted in theChristmaseventIhad to come.”

“Agood deed a day keeps the bad guys away,Ms.Dorsey.”

Sheblew a raspberry, which sounded slightly deranged coming from her lips. “Bah.Keepyour one-liners to yourself,Avery.Blackmailinga frail old woman is nothing to be proud of.”

Normally,I’dhave agreed, exceptDorseywasn’t frail and she’d probably live well into the hundreds purely fueled by pettiness, so she was probably still in her midlife years. “Ijust need your help for the good of the community.”

“Fine.Isthis the book?”

Sincewe were standing around the display with the spellbook, clearly.Butthe good mannersI’dbeen raised with came to the fore. “Itis, indeed.”

“Good.Iwant five hundred bucks.”

“What?”

Shecrossed her arms, an evil gleam bright in her mean beady eyes. “Youheard me.Youwant me to help you?Fivehundred.”

Myjaw fell open. “You…You…”

“Youseriously thinkIwant to be in your eventthatbadly?Nuh-uh.”Sheheld out her hand and made grabby motions with her wrinkled clawlike fingers. “Ponyup.”

Istraightened to my full, unimpressive height, which was still taller than hers. “Ms.Dorsey, since you’re a longstanding member of the community,Iwill let this attempt at extortion pass.MayIremind you there is a member of the bounty hunter guild present?”

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