Page 105 of The Blue Moon Café & 24-Hour Occult Emporium

“Your mother’s on her way, I’m sure of it,” Simon assured her.

“I hope so.”

“The magic-worker coming to enhance the ward line may have news about Sara.” Simon nudged Talula with his cold wet nose. “Don’t lose hope, fair pupil.”

A few minutes later, the lights on the Magic Box blazed on for the third time. Applause erupted, and Talula’s face relaxed enough to smile.

The curtains drew back on a lone figure, standing in profile. From what Talula could see of the performer’s face, they had the round-cheeked look of a kid but somehow seemed adult at the same time. They wore a bright red tuxedo and a top hat tipped stylishly over their face, hiding their eyes. Without facing the audience, their deep, playful voice rang out, “Good evening, mortals. Would you like to see some magic?”

The crowd cheered. The figure turned, showing off a tux that was color-blocked, split down the middle, red on one side, black on the other. The stage lights shined on the magician’s grinning brown-black cheeks as they took in the audience’s applause.

“Talula,” Simon whispered.

“Whatever you do, don’t trust your eyes.” The magician snapped their fingers and disappeared. The crowd, Talula included, gasped.

“Talula,” Simon said more firmly this time. But Talula was too rapt to hear him.

“Seeing isn’t believing—it’s just the beginning!” The magician was suddenly sitting on top of the Magic Box, their legs dangling between the stage lights.

The crowd screamed, jumping to their feet to applaud. With another snap, the magician appeared back onstage, bowing ostentatiously.

“Talula!” Simon screeched in her ear.

“What?” Talula whispered, ducking to the edge of the crowd. She set Simon down on the ground, kneeling so they were face-to-face.

“That’s not a magician.” Simon was breathless with worry. “That’s Elegba.”

Talula frowned, confused. “Wait, the Elegba?”

Elegba was an orisha, a spirit as mighty as a god. From her mother’s stories, Talula remembered that Elegba could present as both adult and child, alternating between genders and ages as it suited them. Whatever their form, one thing was certain—they were one of the most powerful and unpredictable beings in the divine pantheon.

And they were onstage, right now, holding a chainsaw.

“Who wants to see me cut somebody in half?”

“How did they wind up onstage? Why are they here?” Talula muttered, trying not to panic.

“Probably because they delight in sowing the seeds of mayhem,” Simon growled.

“Simon,” Talula pleaded. “Time to pull out your big magic; you’ve got to.”

But Simon shook his head. “Elegba is a member of the Council. They’re protected from any kind of harmful magic or open attack from fellow Council members.”

Elegba made a big show of scanning the crowd as hands shot up. “I’ll just need a volunteer…”

The beginnings of a horrible idea took shape in Talula’s mind. “Do those protections extend to me?”

“Absolutely. You’re the daughter of one of the Council’s founding members. But why?”

Without giving herself time to overthink, Talula reached for her reverse-conjuring skills and created a door. Only this time, it opened beneath her feet. She swallowed a shriek as she fell through her trapdoor and dropped onto the Magic Box stage in a graceless flop.

The crowd roared with excitement. Elegba set down the chainsaw, their smile as wide and shiny as a steel trap. “What luck! My volunteer has appeared, and so cleverly. Just. Like. Magic.”

A heady mix of stage fright and first-ever self-conjuring vertigo had Talula’s head spinning. “Ta-dah?”

The crowd cheered.

“Now, let’s get to know my talented assistant.” The orisha pulled her up from the floor and into an elegant dancer’s spin. “Name and pronouns, please?”