Page 62 of Upside Down Magic

Shesnorted. “Cavalierain’t gonna bother dragging me in.He’sgot bigger fish to fry.”

Ipointed atIan. “He’sright here.”

Ianleaned forward, planting both hands on the pedestal. “I’mright here, andIdon’t mind catching smaller fish from time to time.”

Dorseytapped her nails on the glass. “Twohundred.”

This…horrid old crone! “Free!”

“Everyact of magic deserves compensation.BilltheCouncilor something.”

Isnapped my mouth closed on my retort because when she put it like that, she had a point. “Freetea and muffins for a week,and…”Idug deep into my well of graciousness, and added, “Andyou can join in theSecretSanta.”

Dorseytook her sweet time thinking about it. “Eh, deal.”

“Great, now flip the pages.”IheardGrandma’secho of a tut-tut in my mind, and dug in deep again. “Please.”

“That’sbetter.”Dorseylicked her thin, wrinkled lips and rubbed her claws. “Let’smake this darlin’ dance.”

Sheput both hands on the glass, tipped her head back, and closed her eyes.Anymoment now she was going to start channeling a spirit.

“It’snot a seance,Ms.Dorsey.”

Sheshushed me. “Letthe expert work, little girl.”

“Okay, grandma.”

Ashudder racked her curved frame, and she sent me a mean look.Iarched an eyebrow in awhat?motion, which only intensified her glare.

“Weshould move this along,”Iansaid, clearly amused.

Weboth scowled at him then concentrated back on the book.Thepages moved in a flurry, smashed against the top glass, and got stuck bent at an odd angle.

Dorseycursed, narrowing her eyes.Thepages moved again, and a few turned the whole way.Anotherflurry followed, and then we were left staring at the blank end page of the book.

“Delicacyisn’t your forte, huh?”Iasked.Iknow,Iknow, dire situation, being nice and all that, but one had to find the spots of joy in the dark moments inside a museum with an archenemy.

Shehuffed. “Iwould like to see you try.”

Sinceshe made an excellent point,Idecided to fall back onto my better manners. “You’reright,I’msorry.”

Mollified,Dorsey’sface scrunched again as she called on her magic.Thepages moved slowly this time, but there was obviously no way to flip them one by one easily.Asthe pagesrushed over,Icaught more illustrations of plants and circles, moreFrench, maybe someGerman?Abit ofEnglish.

Dorseyblinked and her hands on the glass began to tremble.Shewasn’t a powerful mage, andIfelt suddenly guilty for putting all this pressure on her, evil crone or not.

“Let’scheck the beginning of the book,”Isaid.Thatwas where witchy families usually wrote down the family tree.

Dorseydidn’t bother to answer as the pages flew in clumps until we were left staring at the first one.Nofamily tree.Instead, a list of eight family names.

TWENTY

“Arethose the members of the coven?”Iasked excitedly, taking a photo with my phone.

“You’rethe witch, you tell us,”Dorseysaid.Then, after a pause, “Whatcoven?”

“Theold dark coven that used to operate here.Thisis supposedly their spellbook.”

Dorseyeyed the spellbook with new interest. “Isit?”

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