Page 68 of No Charm Done

“Last week someone tried to convince us that pigeons were being enchanted to steal souls,” Hector added. “Another time, it was cursed hot dogs in Times Square.”

“This is different—” Luna started.

“They all say that.” An elderly man in the middle of the car spoke up. His voice was matter-of-fact rather than dismissive. “But it always turns out to be either a misunderstanding or an outright scam.”

“Ashton Vex is not running a scam,” Luna said firmly. “He’s a true believer. That’s what makes him dangerous.”

“Maybe.” Diego didn’t sound convinced. “Or maybe he’s just another con man like you. Another shyster who⁠—”

Elias’s eyes widened. “I’ll endeavor not to take offense to that, sir.”

But Hector just finished the thought “—who claims he’s discovered something revolutionary when really he’s just repackaged old parlor tricks.”

“We’ve seen his demonstration,” Elias said, and Luna heard the frustration creeping into his voice. “We were there. The spells worked.”

“Stage magic,” someone muttered from the back.

“Elaborate special effects,” another voice agreed.

Luna wanted to scream. “What would it take to convince you?”

“Honestly?” Hector said. “We’d need to see real proof. Not hearsay about demonstrations. Actual evidence that this app can do what you claim it can do.”

Diego’s tone was gentle but firm. “With all respect to you, Luna, we can’t hand over the tokens based on the hunch of a few small-town witches from Connecticut. These are sacred objects. Too dangerous, too powerful. We need certainty, not panic.”

The vintage subway car fell into an uncomfortable silence. I can’t believe it’s going to end this way. After everything, after the planning and the preparation and the desperate portal to New York, they were going to walk out of here empty-handed.

“Well,” Adrienne said, her voice cutting through the gloom with determined cheerfulness. “There’s an easy way to settle this, isn’t there?”

Luna looked up. “What do you mean?”

“I mean the app. CastR.” Adrienne pulled out her phone with a flourish. “Vex has been all over social media promising early access to ‘select users.’ Let’s just see what all the fuss is about.”

“Adrienne—” Diego’s voice held a warning note.

“Oh, come on. If it’s a scam, we’ll know in seconds. And if it’s not . . .” She trailed off, her expression turning mischievous. “Well, then we’ll know that too.”

Her fingers moved across the screen with practiced efficiency. Luna watched, heart sinking, as Adrienne navigated to the beta testing site. The older witch muttered under her breath—a minor incantation, barely more than a whisper—and the air around her phone shimmered briefly. “Okay, I’m in. Now let’s see.” Adrienne’s tone was pure Manhattan skepticism. “Oh look, there’s drop-down menus, very convenient. ‘Persuasion & Passion.’ ‘Revenge & Retribution.’ So dramatic. This is like a twenty-first-century version of The Craft. Anybody remember that movie?”

A voice from the back called out, “Fairuza Balk doesn’t get nearly enough credit for that movie.”

A ripple of laughter went through the car. Luna felt Elias tense beside her, but she couldn’t blame Adrienne. Seen through a skeptical lens, CastR did seem ridiculous.

Adrienne tapped through to the Persuasion category. “Oh, this is excellent. Look at these names. ‘Irresistible Argument Hex.’ ‘Make Them Say Yes—Guaranteed Results.’ Wasting Curse (Fast-Acting).” She scrolled, grinning. “They are really committing to the bit, I have to say. And reviews! There are ratings here too.”

Adrienne kept scrolling, clearly enjoying herself. “You know how many apps promise you’ll lose weight, get rich, find true love, all with one simple trick? This is the same, but with a witchy vibe.”

“Adrienne, please,” Luna said, hearing the desperation in her own voice. “Just look at the interface. The design. Someone put serious work into this.”

“Scammers always do.” Adrienne was clearly warming to her theme now. “That’s how you know it’s a scam—when something looks too professional. Real magic is messy. It’s complicated. You can’t just . . .” she made a swiping gesture with her free hand “. . . point and click your way to ultimate power.”

“But what if you can?” asked Elias. “What if Vex figured it out?”

Adrienne looked up from her phone, her expression kind but firm. “Kids, I know you want to believe you’ve uncovered some big conspiracy. I get it. It’s exciting. But in my experience, the simple explanation is usually correct. This is a cash grab. I’ll bet you anything Vex is planning to harvest user data and sell it. Tale as old as time.”

“We saw the demonstration,” Luna insisted. “We were there⁠—”

Adrienne went back to scrolling. “Stage magic usually is. Wait, here’s another category. ‘Romance & Relationships.’ Oh, this is my favorite kind of scam. Prey on the lonely and desperate.” She tapped through, and Luna could see her trying not to laugh. “‘Charming Glamour (1920s Edition). Make yourself irresistible with authentic Jazz Age appeal.’ Who writes this copy?”