The moment of truth arose on their way home.
Salem dropped them off at the house, with Maria’s girly bicycle in the trunk, and Agnes in the front seat.
They approached the house cautiously, like cops during a drug raid.
“It came from the back door,” Maria said.
Agnes, Gramps, and Salem went around to the back, leaving Maria in the front under the cover of darkness until it was safe.
Sherlock sniffed around in the grass nearby.
“Smell him?” she asked.
No, but I smell something.
“What?”
I think someone dropped a piece of candy in our front yard while walking down the street. Life Savers. Maybe a hot dog, too. He continued sniffing, going over the yard like an old man going over the beach with his metal detector.
“You’d really eat one of your own kind?” Maria teased.
Sherlock stopped sniffing and perked up. Eat one of my own kind? What do you mean?
“Hot dog. What the heck did you think it was made of?”
Meat?
“Dog meat,” she said with a straight face.
No! She could almost hear Sherlock gasp in her mind.
“Yes. Sorry to disappoint you,” Maria said. “Now come back over here and wait until we’re in the clear. I could probably take this Malakai bastard by myself, but I don’t want to upset Gramps.”
Dog? Really? How cruel you humans are!
It was a lie, of course, but Maria didn’t think she was far off. Who really knew what they put in hot dogs?
“Safe,” Salem’s voice called.
“All right, let’s go,” Maria said. “And stay away from the food scraps. I’ll feed you when we get inside.”
Sherlock perked up. Purina again, I suppose?
“Hey, if you’re lucky I might let you have some of the leftover birthday cake from Claire.”
Sherlock whipped his tail around. The mention of birthday cake made him seem five years younger.
“Oh, shit, it’s chocolate. Dogs can’t have chocolate.”
Sherlock lowered his head. Just my luck, he said.
“Kidding!”
Oh, you punk! He let out a playful bark.
“Come on, let’s go.
They went around the back. Salem and Agnes were studying the door while Gramps sat in one of the wicker chairs on the back porch, rubbing his knee.
“Whoa!” Maria said.
There was a mark on the metal that looked like a giant had punched it.
“He did not look that big in Duke’s movie thing,” Maria frowned.
“Yes, the Arachnids are quite big in comparison to humans, witches, and wizards. The comparison to Gnomes is even more breathtaking,” Agnes said.
“Gnomes? Like the little garden gnomes you see on people’s lawns?”
“No, much different. And should you ever see one, don’t mention garden gnomes. It really pisses them off. There’s a legal battle that has been going on for centuries about those little ceramic bastards,” Salem said, shrugging.
“Good, I hate those creepy things. Every time I see one, I just want to throw it off the roof and watch it shatter,” Maria said.
Agnes grinned as if she agreed.
Salem studied the door closely.
“He really did a number on it,” he confirmed. “But I don’t think he got inside. He must have sensed you and been scared away.”
Sherlock sniffed around the threshold. He’s right, I don’t smell anything beyond.
“Sherlock says we’re in the clear,” Maria said.
The porch creaked as Gramps got up. “Can never be too safe,” he said. He began to sing. It was in the strange language that came from the music box, which was tucked under Maria’s right arm. When Gramps hit the last note, the house disappeared, revealing everything inside of it: their refrigerator, couch, television, and toilet.
There was no giant spider.
“Wow,” Maria breathed.
The others looked at her with confusion.
“Oh,” Agnes realized. “Magic, right. It’s all new to you.”
“This is hands-down the craziest day I’ve ever had. I’ve been up way too long. I think I’m hallucinating. Did the house just turn invisible?”
Gramps laughed. “Something like that. But it’s nothing compared to what we can do.”
“Especially after we recharge with some ice cream,” Salem said, slyly, elbowing Agnes.
“Ice cream? I’ve never heard that one before. Maybe Gatorade or Wheaties. But ice cream? I think I’m going to like this whole magic gig,” Maria decided.
“Not just the ice cream,” Gramps said. He put his arm around Maria. “Ah, there’s so much for you to learn, my dear Maria. So much.”
“Well, teach me,” Maria said.
“In due time. You have made it quite clear that you have had a rough day. You need rest. Tomorrow, you and I shall look at all this with a fresh perspective.”
Maria nodded. “Just tell me why it’s ice cream, then I’ll go.”
Damn you, Maria, I’m tired.
“Can it, Sherlock,” she said.
“Salem’s Ice Cream Shop is built over a kemana—a place where magic flows like water from a river. We go there to recharge our abilities because magic is scarce on Earth, unlike on Oriceran. There’s a reason that whatever business takes that particular spot does so well. It’s because us magic folk—and there are a lot more of us than you think, Maria—always come in and buy whatever they’re selling,” Gramps said.
“A disguise, of sorts,” Maria said, catching on.
Salem nodded. “Exactly. I’m thankful it’s ice cream this time and not a spa, like it was back in the eighties. Oh boy, how weird did us men look going to get our feet massaged and our toenails trimmed?” He laughed.
“Well,” Gramps said, “thank you all so much for the help. I had a wonderful time with you guys.”
Agnes leaned down and kissed Gramps on the cheek, and Maria saw him blush.
“If you need us, call. We’ll keep a close eye on the place,” Agnes promised.
“Yeah, we will,” Salem agreed.
They turned to leave, and for the second time that day, Maria felt like her family had grown bigger.
Chapter Nine
She awoke to the sound of her alarm clock braying.
“Aw, come on, you bastard. Just five more minutes,” she grumbled. Then she remembered she was magic, and tried to will herself to blow the clock to smithereens with her mind.
