“Smash a window?” She blinked. “That glass is original. See the way the light swirls in the panes?”

I didn’t look where Nixie was pointing. I was kind of afraid to take my eyes off of her.

“You are not smashing a window.”

I planted my hands on my hips. “Then I don’t know what I’m going to do. Hypothetically speaking. I guess I’ll break a door, or—”

Nixie held something up in the air. “You could just use this,” she said with a shrug.

“Is that a key?”

“It is. And I’ll give it to you.” She folded her arms across her chest, burying the key underneath her arm. “On one condition.”

“Okay.” I gave her a sidelong look. “What condition?”

“You do magic for me. Right here. Right now.”

Chapter 38

What?”

I had said the word too sharply. I tried to diffuse the situation with a laugh, but I was convincing no one. “What is this magic you keep going on about?” Again, I was such a terrible liar. “And why? Why do you have a key to Constance Graves’s house?”

“I am, or was, Constance Graves’s neighbor. Why does any neighbor have a key? In case of emergency. I’m assuming this is an emergency?” She held out the key again.

I nodded. This was most definitely an emergency. I reached out to grab the key, but she yanked her hand away. “I said it was going to cost you.”

“How much?” I patted my coat. “I don’t have any money on me, but I could get some.”

“I don’t want money. I already told you what I want. It doesn’t have to be anything big like turning yourself into a bat.”

She had me confused with a vampire again.

“Or making a poison apple.”

That was the evil queen.

“Or flying on a broomstick.”

I didn’t have anything for that one, but I did prefer my bicycle.

“It could just be something small,” she pleaded, clutching her hands to her chest, “like levitating off the ground or something.”

I rubbed my forehead. That had been last night’s trick. “Look, Nixie, there’s been some sort of misunderstanding here.”

“No! Stop it. Don’t do that.”

I dropped my hand to look at her.

“Both you and Nora act like I’m crazy. But I’m not. You know I’m not. I know what I know. My grandfather told me stories when I was little, and I saw something once. Something I definitely can’t explain.” She shook her head. “I just need proof. For my own sake.”

I felt for the girl. I really did. We both knew the truth. And she was not crazy.

“Please. I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

There was so much desperate longing in the girl’s eyes, it nearly broke my heart. “I hear what you’re saying. I really do.”

“But you won’t do it.” She threw her hands in the air. “Great. That’s just great.”

I frowned. “That’s not exactly what I was going to say.”