“That’s good to hear, Norrie,” Izzy said in a careful voice.

“You can let the spell go now,” Nora added with what I was guessing was supposed to sound like a good dose of reassuring charm but was really just terrifying. “I mean, it would be crazy for me to attack the entire police department.” Nora laughed, but it didn’t sound right either. “Besides, it’s not like they’re going to find anything. We don’t have anything incriminating to hide.”

“That’s true,” Izzy said. “I’m glad we agree.”

“And now that I am calm, I would simply like to speak with the officers.”

“Okay.”

“See for myself what it is they are doing.”

“Right. Of course.”

“Maybe ask a few questions.”

“I completely understand.”

“So, you’ll let me out of my room?”

“Absolutely not.”

“I will string you all up by your fingernails!”

And there it was.

Nora let out a shout that sounded more animal than human. “What good is magic if we can’t use it when we need it?”

Neither one of us answered.

“Fine. Fine! If you two won’t listen to reason.”

We waited for her to finish, but she had gone silent again.

“Nora?” Izzy called out weakly.

Nothing.

Suddenly I could feel energy roiling behind the door. Big, big energy. All the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

“Sister? What are you doing?”

At first, I thought she wouldn’t answer, but then I heard, “Do you think you’re the only one who can cast big spells?”

“Nora?”

“Ram the door. Blast, tear, and toss. Show my family once and for all who’s boss!”

“Nora! Think this through.” Izzy’s eyes slid side to side, searching desperately for something to stop what was about to happen. “You love this door! It’s an antique.”

“It’s like they say, nothing lasts forever.”

My aunt tightened her grip on my hand. “Hold the line, Brynn!”

“I would move if I were you two,” Nora called out sweetly.

“You can’t beat the both of us,” Izzy shouted back, but the look on her face said otherwise. We both knew there wasn’t any magic coming from my end.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

“Uh-oh.” Izzy shoved me hard on the shoulder.

I tumbled to the floor on one side of the door, my aunt to the other. We both threw our arms over our heads, waiting for the explosion.

We stayed like that a good long time.

Nothing happened.

I watched the look of confusion come together on Izzy’s face, as the doorknob above us finally turned.

Nora stepped into the hallway, smoothing down her dress.

“You two are ridiculous, you know that? I would never hurt this door.” She gave it a pat. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go have a word with Evenfall’s finest.”

Chapter 9

Nora. Nora? Nora!”

Izzy and I quickly recovered ourselves off the floor, but Nora had a pretty good head start down the stairs.

“We need to talk about this,” Izzy called after her sister.