Page 27 of The Blue Moon Café & 24-Hour Occult Emporium

Once Dahlia had disappeared around the corner, Talula sat down on the café’s front steps. She was exhausted and elated. Thrilled and depleted. She’d summoned witchfire, thrown a tea party for a jinn, made Dahlia laugh, cooked up a smorgasbord of grilled cheese, and given Dahlia her number.

“Not a bad day, huh, Simon?” Talula asked as her furry companion waddled over to her.

Simon let out a growl.

“That,” Simon said in a frigid English accent, “was an utter disaster.”

7

“Whoa!” Talula sputtered, shock scrambling her words. “Who—what—excuse me?”

“You’re far from excused,” Simon said, his black eyes sharp on Talula’s face. “If what I just saw was any indication of your abilities, you have much to learn before you’re a fit guardian of the Volta.”

Realization dawned brutally on Talula. Sara had failed to mention that her new magic teacher would not be human-shaped. For the entire day, she’d hosted, fed, and baby-talked to a fully cognizant magical talking dog.

And Dahlia, Dahlia. He’d seen everything with Dahlia.

Fear and embarrassment made Talula defensive, angry. She snapped, “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I wanted to observe you first, see what I was getting myself into. Besides, why would you think I wasn’t your new mentor?”

In answer, Talula gestured at Simon’s short, stubby, and fluffy body.

“Yes, well.” His ears flicked with irritation. “I haven’t been corporeal in ages. Usually I exist as a loose collection of sentient magical particles. But times are dire, and your mother asked for the best.”

“Why did you choose this form?”

“That doesn’t matter,” Simon barked. “What matters is that you nearly allowed a human to be ensnared by a jinn. Which could’ve had disastrous consequences!”

Memory echoed in Talula’s mind.

“Did Kiki know?”

“Of course I did.” The jinn had opened the front door of the shop and was leaning smugly against the frame.

Talula whirled. “Why didn’t you tell me Simon wasn’t just a dog?”

“Talula, Talula, Talula.” Kiki sighed dramatically. “You have to understand something. Something very important.”

Talula braced herself for mystical knowledge.

“Telling you would have been much less fun than not telling you.” Kiki cackled. “Besides, I liked worrying the cute little doggy.”

Simon scowled. “I’m a wizard who contains the wisdom of a thousand ages!”

“Of course you are.” Kiki made a kissy face at Simon. The jinn turned to Talula. “Now, would you mind taking me to my next life?”

Talula looked down at Simon. “Can we do that?”

“That’s what I’m here for, aren’t I?” Simon waddled back through the café entryway and toward the Employees Only door. “Come, you insufferable jinn.”

But as soon as Simon had passed through the Employees Only door, Kiki uttered a word in an ancient language—the language of the jinn. A wall of light filled the doorway. Judging by the indignant yips from the other side, Simon couldn’t pass through it.

Suddenly, Kiki was inches away from Talula’s face.

“You’ve been wonderful to me today.” Kiki’s mischievous face was soft. “And played so delightfully with my little wish prank. In return, I’d like to give you three things: a promise, some wisdom, and a hug. Do you accept?”

Talula searched Kiki’s eyes. She found no trace of treachery. “I do.”