Page 18 of Jingle Spells

“Do you actually float?”

“Only after a really big lunch.”

Delilah rounded on her sister. “Don’t play games with these people.”

“What difference does it make?” Scarlett shrugged. “It doesn’t matter what we say.”

“Well, it should!”

“She’s right,” Jasper heard himself say. And not just because she’s the most remarkable creature I’ve ever seen. “You can’t just make up history. Facts are facts.”

“Ehhh, reckon we may as well enjoy ourselves,” Twelve said with a grin. “None of them will remember it anyway. On the upside, Jasper, you won’t remember how much this bothered you.”

Jasper’s attention drifted back to Delilah, and he realized with a start that he wouldn’t remember her tomorrow, either.

“Barely a dozen tourists in that big bus of yours?” Delilah took a step forward, and her challenging voice carried across the porch. “Wow. Business is really booming, huh?”

The tour guide’s smile turned sharp. “Just warming up, honey. Not all of us can coast on inherited family magic forever. Some of us actually have to earn our power.”

“Is that what you call it? Stealing a few cheap tricks and pretending it makes you special?”

“At least we’re honest about what we do.” The guide adjusted her top hat with deliberate precision. “We don’t hide behind some fake New England facade. Face it—your kind’s time is over. These days, people want magic they can understand. Magic they can buy tickets to.”

“Are they fighting?” The young boy whispered to his mother. “Is this part of the show?”

“Shh, of course it is,” his mother replied. But she instinctively pulled her son closer, just in case.

“You wouldn’t recognize real magic if I turned you into a toad.” Delilah stomped down from the porch to confront the magician face to face. “Which, by the way, I could do. Without smoke or mirrors or whatever sad little mechanism you’ve got hidden up your sleeve.”

“Ohh, could you?” The guide’s expression was pure venom now. “Go ahead then, let’s see what you’ve got. All that power, and what do you do with it? Run a shitty bed-and-breakfast that barely breaks even. At least we’re building something.”

Scarlett nudged Jasper. “Sorry about my sister,” she told him quietly. “She’s not great with . . . well, people in general. But especially people in top hats who insult our family business.”

“A B&B?” Jasper tried to sound interested, but he was preoccupied memorizing every detail of Delilah’s profile. The fierce tilt of her chin. The crackle in the air around her, like static electricity with a grudge.

“The Stargazer Inn.” Scarlett nodded. “Been in our family for generations. Speaking of family . . .” She turned to the Earls with a grin. “How are my future fathers-in-law, grandfathers-in-law, and such like?”

“We’re all very well,” Nine replied. “Though we wish Nate would hurry up and make an honest woman of you.”

“You know him,” Scarlett laughed. “Everything in his own sweet time. Hey, Del,” she called to her sister. “Maybe let’s chill out a bit, okay?”

All the while, Jasper kept his gaze locked on Delilah. As she stalked down to the bus, it was apparent she wouldn’t be chilling out anytime soon. “You’re not building anything except bullshit,” she lectured the guide. “You’re selling lies to tourists who don’t know any better. Of course, none of them are able to post about their ‘authentic witch-town experience’ online. Having some technical difficulties with those Instagram influencers?”

“Technical difficulties are temporary. Unlike, say, an entire town trapped in the past because they’re too scared to join the modern world. Tell me, does it bother you, knowing you’ll end up like Salem? Just another sad little footnote in someone else’s story?” The tour guide turned away from Delilah’s withering stare to her charges. “Don’t forget, folks—after the tour, join us back at the Houdini Hotel and Casino for our spectacular ‘Burn the Witch’ revue, featuring death-defying illusions that will have you believing in actual magic!”

“I’ll show you some actual magic—” Delilah removed her wand from her coat and pointed it toward the sky.

“Del!” Scarlett shouted. “Not now!”

Jasper looked worriedly from one sister to the other. What the hell is going on?!

“They want to see some magic, right?” Delilah said. “Let’s show them.”

“Del, dammit! Not now! Come on!”

Delilah glanced up at the porch, and Jasper could feel her rage even at a distance. He made a mental note to never, ever be the cause of an expression like that. But after a moment, Delilah seemed to take in her sister’s panicked expression, and she slowly lowered her arm. “Fine. But this isn’t over.”

“Whatever you say, darling.” The tour guide plastered her smile back on. “Let’s get back on the bus, everybody. And when we return, be sure to visit our gift shop for authentic replicas of witch-hunter weaponry!” She stared meaningfully at Del. “You never know when you might need some.”