Page 50 of No Charm Done

“No way it’s that simple,” he said to her quietly. And then louder: “Don’t bullshit a bullshitter.”

“Uh, sorry?” Ashton tilted his head like a curious puppy. “Comment from the peanut gallery?”

“What happens when that single mother you’ve imagined accidentally summons a monster?” Elias asked. “What happens when that student’s enchantment backfires and drains the budget of the whole school?”

“Edge cases.” Ashton waved this off. “Any new technology has growing pains. We’ll iterate, improve, release updates⁠—”

“You can’t update magic!” Delilah’s voice was sharp. “You can’t patch a curse that’s already cast!”

“Not with that attitude.”

Kelly stepped forward. “Mr. Vex, I am ordering you to cease all work on this project immediately. Furthermore, I’m asking you to leave the Stargazer Inn. Today.”

Ashton laughed, but there was no humor in it. “You’re evicting me?”

“I’ll return any payments.” Her voice was flat. “You and your equipment must be gone by sunset.”

“Throwing him out won’t solve the problem,” Elias pointed out. “His company is well outside the influence of your forgetting spell, and they’re already involved.”

Luna groaned internally, knowing Elias was right. Vex’s minions had to be well versed in magic by now. “He was already making phone calls the last time we saw him.”

“The last time . . .” Kelly turned slowly, terrifyingly, to gaze at her youngest daughter. “You mean, when you exposed our entire culture to this profligate outsider?”

“Uh.” She gazed down at her shoes. “Yeah.”

“Excuse us, everyone. Mister, you’re saying that with your technology, anyone can do magic?”

The three magicians were lurking in the doorway. The bespectacled one had spoken, staring at Vex with desperate hope.

Vex’s smile returned, broader than ever. “Anyone. Everyone. That’s exactly what I’m saying. No more gatekeeping based on bloodlines. Magic should be a human right.”

It was suddenly as if Vex were magnetized and the three magicians made of iron. No, she thought. No, no, no.

“It isn’t that simple—” Kelly started.

“Isn’t it?” The square-shouldered magician’s voice was sharp with years of resentment. “How many times have witches told us our magic doesn’t count? That magicians are nothing but entertainment for children’s birthday parties? And now you’re saying we can’t make it accessible to others suffering the same discrimination?”

“We’re saying it’s dangerous!” Scarlett’s voice rose. “We’re not gatekeeping because we’re snobs, we’re gatekeeping because magic can kill!”

“Then we’ll build in safeguards,” Ashton said smoothly. “AI oversight. Tutorials. Rating systems. This is just a UX problem.”

“You think you can AI-moderate magic?” Delilah sounded incredulous.

“Why not?”

“Because magic is alive!” Luna surprised herself with her own vehemence. “It’s not content. It’s a relationship with forces that have their own intelligence.”

“That’s correct,” Kelly said. “And you three need to get out of here.”

“I don’t think so,” the square-shouldered magician said. “You don’t get to tell us what to do. We’re not your prisoners.”

“You attacked us—” Scarlett started.

“And you trapped us here!” The smirking magician suddenly found his voice. “You know, you people are always the same. Blah blah blah magical community, but the second someone threatens your power, you lock them up.”

Luna saw Kelly’s hand move, saw the beginning of a containment spell, and knew they were seconds from violence.

But Scarlett struck first.