“I help teach the little-kid classes, so I get my classes for free,” she continues. “That’s where I go after rehearsals.”

I’m sorry, what? She leaves our rehearsals and goes to dance more? Has she replaced her body with magitech parts?

“That’s . . . a lot of dancing,” I say.

She glances down at her feet, and her face rearranges itself back into the sardonic expression I’m used to. “Yeah.”

We hang in an awkward silence for a few seconds. After it becomes clear that the conversation is finally over, I turn my attention to my magic practice tools. I might as well get a head start on practicing drills so I’ll be warmed up for class.

I activate my magic sight, focusing on the magic flows in my practice cube. Okay. Density drill two. Let’s start there. I shove the threads of magic together, making sure to preserve their general shape, and the cube shrinks down to half its original size.

“My offer to help you with the Bronxtown Brooms choreography still stands,” Ana says. She turns and heads back to her seat, smirking at me over her shoulder as she goes. “If I can teach three-year-olds ballet, I can definitely help you with the stuff Brittany is teaching.”

“Are you comparing my dancing ability to a toddler’s?” I say, frowning at my practice cube.

“You’re right—I shouldn’t do that. It’s insulting to toddlers.”

“Yeah, I’m good,” I say, tugging on the magic in the cube to bring it back to its original size. “I prefer teachers that don’t insult me.”

“You might have to stop learning from Brittany, then.”

I frown, because unfortunately Ana’s right about that. She leans over and riffles through her backpack, apparently finished torturing me with her conversation. I inspect my practice cube, making sure that I haven’t accidentally destroyed its structural integrity, then reach for the magic to repeat the drill again.

Chapter 16

Answer all parts of the question that follows.

Explain ONE similarity and ONE difference between magical developments in Europe and the United States in the first half of the eighteenth century.

Explain ONE political or social response to the discovery of magic in Europe in 1788.

—AP World History exam sample question

I pull an all-nighter on Sunday night to study for my precalc test, so my sanity is wearing thin before school even starts on Monday. Peer tutoring turns into a real struggle. The sophomore who shows up wants me to help her outline an AP World History essay, and I can’t remember any relevant information about the topic. I also can’t stop yawning, which doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in me as a tutor.