Elder Thornberry floated past, somehow drinking tea while upside down in the magical vortex. "When magic breaks, it always puts itself back together—just not in the same shape!"
Delilah caught a glimpse of Sam, human again and gloriously naked, tumbling through the air nearby. Their eyes met across the chaos, and despite everything, she couldn't help but laugh.
"If we survive this," she called, "we're going on a proper date!"
"Deal!" he shouted back, somehow managing to look dignified while spinning through magical backlash without clothes.
The energy wave peaked, then collapsed inward with the sound of a thousand wind chimes. Delilah felt herself falling, then landing on something surprisingly soft.
She blinked, looking around in confusion. Where the cursed hollow had been—with its twisted trees and blighted ground—now spread a meadow of wildflowers in every color imaginable. Tiny magical sprites darted between the blooms, leaving trails of sparkling light.
"My hair!" Mayor Grimble's horrified voice cut through the sudden quiet. "It's... it's..."
"Neon green," Mac finished, touching his own equally bright locks with disbelief. "All of us."
Delilah raised a hand to her head, feeling her now electric-green waves. She looked around to see everyone—Zelda, Fabio, Vic, the shifters, even Elder Thornberry—sporting the same shocking color.
"I don't know," Fabio said, examining his reflection in a compact mirror. "It's rather avant-garde. I could start a trend."
Near the center of the new meadow, Morgana Blackthorn lay bound in chains made from her own spell components, her silver hair now a lurid green that clashed horribly with her complexion.
"It's over," Sam said, accepting Mac's offered jacket to cover himself as he approached Delilah. His hair stood up in green spikes, making him look like a punk rocker from the 80s.
Delilah opened her mouth to agree when she felt it—a distant flare of magic so powerful it made her gasp. It pulsed once, impossibly strong, then vanished before she could identify its source.
"Did you feel that?" she whispered.
Sam nodded, his expression grim despite their victory. "Something much bigger than her."
"The Collector," Delilah murmured, looking at the bound witch. "This was just one piece of a larger plan."
Mayor Grimble approached, straightening his tiny hat over his green hair. "By the power vested in me, I hereby declare this location the official Wolfe-Hart Victory Garden, complete with commemorative plaque!"
Delilah and Sam exchanged looks, both fighting smiles despite the ominous magical signature they'd felt.
"Wolfe-Hart," Sam repeated quietly. "Has a nice ring to it."
17
Sam winced as Zelda pressed another cooling poultice against the magical burn stretching across his shoulder. The injury pulsed with unnatural green light, matching his ridiculous hair.
"How much longer?" he growled, trying to push himself up on his elbows.
Zelda shoved him back down with surprising strength. "Lie down or I'll have Fat Bastard sit on you until you heal. He's been eating magical enhancing treats and weighs about forty pounds now."
The massive gray cat perched on a nearby shelf, tail swishing with what Sam swore was anticipation. Fat Bastard's eyes narrowed as if to say, Try's it, wolf boy. We's ready.
"I've got cases to solve," Sam muttered, but remained horizontal. The healing room buzzed with activity as Zelda moved between patients—Vic with a shadow-inflicted gash across his face, two shifters nursing broken bones, and Mayor Grimble being treated for what appeared to be emotional trauma over his hair color.
"My constituents expect dignity in municipal leadership," the Mayor moaned, staring at his reflection. "How can I maintain authority with hair like an anarchist punk rocker?"
Delilah sat on the edge of Sam's healing bed, her own burns bandaged but less severe. Her neon green hair had been pulled into a messy bun that somehow made her look even more appealing.
"You should see yourself," she said, lips quirking. "Very rebellious. I might have to start calling you Spike."
Sam rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "Don't you dare."
Boba Fett appeared suddenly, dropping something shiny onto Sam's chest—his watch, which had been lost during the battle. The cat gave him an appraising look before hopping down and joining his brothers.
