Page 46 of Practically Magic

“We’re doomed,” Laney says. “Doomed—is that a mermaid?”

The girl smiling at Laney is definitely half fish, but her teeth are sharpened like a shark’s. “Sort of. Keep walking.” I lead her down an offshoot path, taking us the long way to the green. Plus, I can see those three vampires congregating around the monument to the first Mayor Croft in the center, and ever since Eleanor mentioned it might be tied to some witchy stuff, I don’t love the idea that they’re poking around it. “And we aren’t doomed. You’re forgetting the good news.”

Colton texted me three times last night to say how he couldn’t wait to see me. Just the thought makes my heart race. I’m a mix of nerves and excitement.

Laney rolls her eyes, one of which is covered in red and blue face paint shaped like a lightning bolt that goes from her forehead to her chin. The colors compliment her orange mullet wig and her wild striped pantsuit. “For once can we not talk about boys? I mean, I’m glad you’re having your main character moment, but there are more important things. Like the entire town.”

“I need a boy to save the town,” I say. “All my life, I’ve been made to feel like I’m missing my better half.”

Laney looks at me, her face softening so much that the painted-on lightning bolt even looks less threatening. “You aren’t a half, Kat.”

“Tell that to the rituals,” I grumble. But still, it makes my chest feel tight to hear that. I’ve never had anyone tell me that. I’ve always been the lesser of the two Hadley sisters, the one person standing alone at Halloween with no one to hold my hand. I’m tired of feeling like the smaller half of everything.

“I bet it is sort of nice, huh,” Laney muses, grabbing my hand. “Having all these boys noticing you.”

I laugh despite myself. “For the first time in my life, I feel . . .”

“Enchanting?” she supplies. “Utterly charming?”

“Practically . . . magic.”

Laney snorts a laugh, but then she sobers. “Oh, you’re being serious. Yeah, great, Kat. You feel practically magic and there are vampires on the green.”

I pull my jacket closed around me. “Yeah, that actually isn’t great. Can you text your mom to maybe close up early?”

“Why—do you think they’re going to eat my mom?”

I shake my head. “They aren’t here because they’re hungry. They’re looking for the Headless Horseman’s grave.”

Once again, Laney bursts out laughing, then stops when she sees my face.

“There’s no such thing, right?” Laney says worriedly. “I mean, I know the football team is named for him and all, but it’s a town myth, isn’t it? There’s not really a Headless Horseman.”

I’m not sure how much to tell Laney. I don’t want her to freak out. I don’t even know for certain myself. The Horseman is the one person my parents and aunts do not discuss. But with everything going on, I think there is reason to worry. I’ll have to ask Eleanor, but I’m pretty sure the story goes that Beatrice Hadley is the one who made him headless. And if she did it with magic, well, with the rate at which spells are reversing, he might just be riding again soon.

“Myths come from somewhere,” I say as we cross the street to Colton’s.

“Okay, I texted my mom. What does yours think about the whole ‘broken magic’ thing?”

“Um, nothing, because I haven’t really told her.” I bite my lip and see Laney is about to protest. “My parents are so stressed with Grams and Grampa and being away, and my aunts are on the cruise, and they know Harry and I are fighting. I don’t want to add to their worries and make them think I don’t have Samhain under control. The protection spells are going to be fine,” I say, trying to reassure both of us. “After tomorrow, I’m sure everything in town will return to normal.”

Laney goes very pale under her Ziggy makeup. “Okay,” she says slowly. “I trust you, Kat.”

More kids run by and a runaway Milky Way hits my left combat boot. I pick it up and hand it to Laney, since they’re her favorite. “I promise it’s going to be okay. Try not to worry.”

“I am worrying. I know you’re mad at Harry, but I think you need to talk to her,” Laney says as we reach Colton’s house. Inside, the lights are bright and I can hear music. There are a bunch of kids hanging out on the porch. All looks normal here, at least. In the distance, a wolf howls. “If you two fighting is what broke the magic, maybe you two need to work it out to fix it.”

I shiver. Laney might not be wrong. “You’re right. I’ll talk to her tonight. After the party.” After Colton has agreed to be my ritual partner. After I know that I’m the one fixing this, not her. I’m done with being her lesser half.

“Okay, thank you,” Laney says, and opens the garden gate. We head for the front door through a tangle of bodies. Half the school must be here. Laney and I squeeze through the door where kids are holding red cups and talking. I don’t see Colton, but I can hear the conversations around us, and they are not putting my mind at ease.

“I cannot get over these costumes. I swear, I thought I could put my hand through that guy’s stomach!”

“And those gnomes on the counter? Have you ever seen more realistic animatronics? Those must have cost the mayor a fortune!”

“I bet the mayor doesn’t know. Colton said his dad and mom have been staying at Mystic Hollow Inn for days.”

“Why?”