Xander drops my hand and pulls out a deck of red cards, shuffling them quickly before the audience. “We’re going to need a volunteer.”

Hands shoot up and Xander gives me a little nod. I step forward and scan the faces in the front before choosing.

A young man darts up onto the stage, pulling his skinny jeans back up after he climbs the stairs. Xander hands him the deck. “Normal deck, right?”

The man shuffles through them so fast he can’t possibly see them and hands them back.

“Do you like magic…?”

“Andy.”

“Do you like magic, Andy?” Xander repeats. He captures names so easily.

“Sure.”

“You don’t sound sure.”

The audience chuckles.

Xander fans the cards in front of him. “Pick a card, Andy. You know what, pick two cards, Andy, just because I like you.”

A few more people laugh. Laughter is good. The applause will be more generous at the end.

“Show them to the crowd, but don’t show me. Don’t show her either.” He turns and tosses me a wink. “She likes to cheat.” Andy follows the directions. “Now put them back anywhere you’d like. That’s it, Andy. Perfect.”

Xander shuffles the cards, stepping back against a black board we painted and placed earlier. He fans the cards out face-first and holds them against the board. “Now, I’m not sure what cards you picked, Andy, but my lovely assistant knows. Would you pick his card out?” he asks me.

“Gladly.” I’m up. I reach down to my ankle and pull out one of three long, beautiful black knives. A gift from Xander. In my hand, the metal pulls the magic from my skin, the knives coming to life. The audience murmurs as I try to look confident.

“Stand behind me,” I say to Andy, just for show.

His nervous energy moves to my back, and I take a slow breath to shake it off. The audience believes I’m about to do something fantastic. My skin throbs with it.

I let fly, aiming for the cards spread out against the board.

Xander doesn’t flinch as the knife hits inches above his fingers.

I earn applause, and I have to fight the grin trying to spread across my face. Look cool, Ava. Look like you knew you would hit those cards.

Xander lets the cards drop to the floor, leaving the knifed card stuck to the board. “Two of diamonds?”

Andy nods, mouth popping open.

People clap.

Xander starts performing bow after bow.

“Forgetting something, aren’t you?” This is a line I’ve practiced.

Xander looks puzzled before he grins. “Right. You had two cards, didn’t you, Andy?”

Andy nods as Xander starts fishing through his pockets, coming up empty before he performs his signature move: erupting in a waterfall of cards. Finally he holds up two empty fingers. “Found it.” He grins, gesturing for me to go ahead.