Stealing Magic by Marianne Malone Read Free Book Online

which made Ruthie aware of all the other scents around her; strong coffee, car exhaust, perfumes. The sun shone midday bright.
    “What month do you think it is?” Jack asked.
    “Early summer?” Ruthie saw that the leaves on the trees still looked light green and fresh. They walked down the street, getting a few stares but mostly being ignored. They noted the street signs so they would be sure not to get lost as they wandered.
    When Ruthie and Jack had met Sophie in Paris in the eighteenth century, the Eiffel Tower hadn’t been built yet. But now, turning a corner, they found themselves standing at the top of a long, open pedestrian space spreading outin front of them. The beautiful metalwork tower stood at the far end. What must have been thousands of people filled their view.
    “I can’t believe we’re really here!”
    “Me neither!” Jack agreed.
    Ruthie mentally compared the scene to the pictures in her mother’s books. She recognized this view of the city as the Jardins du Trocadéro. A long, rectangular fountain ran down the center of the gardens, its jets spraying water dramatically into the air. The ground sloped to the Seine River and a bridge that people walked across to the Eiffel Tower. That was all the same as in the books. However, the park was lined with small buildings of different styles, with flags of various countries waving near the doors or from the rooftops. Ruthie couldn’t be absolutely certain, but she didn’t remember any of these buildings from the books. Two of these structures at the end of the park stood out from the rest; they were larger and faced each other.
    “Let’s walk down there,” she suggested.
    Everyone seemed interested in this pair of unusual buildings on either side of the wide promenade. When Ruthie and Jack neared the end they stopped to look at them.
    “Whoa.” Ruthie gazed up at a tall, tower-like structure. It was all white stone and designed with straight vertical lines, which made it seem even taller. A huge sculpture of an eagle perched on the top, its lifelike eyes intense and focused on the park below. Flagpoles on the ground surrounded the structure. On each pole they saw the flag of Nazi Germany. Even though the sun was shining, Ruthie felt a chill.

    “What do you know about this time in history—1937?” Ruthie asked, once again glad that Jack was such a history buff.
    “It was before the start of World War Two, but just barely, I think. Germany was getting pretty powerful—that’s probably why this is the tallest of all these buildings.” He turned to look directly across at the other side of the promenade. “Look at that one.”
    Ruthie pivoted and saw the second-tallest structure. It was made of gray stone and had two huge statues—a man and a woman—on the top of it. The figures seemed to be striding forward with large steps and together held something above their heads.
    “Do you know what they’re holding?” Ruthie asked.
    “That’s the hammer and sickle from the Soviet flag. See, there’s the flag.” Jack pointed to two red flags on flagpoles next to the door of the structure. “From when Russia was called the Soviet Union.”
    “This one gives me the creeps too,” she responded. “These two buildings look like they’re competing with each other.”
    “That would make sense. Germany and the Soviet Union were enemies in World War Two.”
    She looked up at the two menacing towers; a wave of fear ran through her, and she unconsciously took a stepback. But as she did so, she felt her foot step on something before it hit the ground—something soft that gave a little yelp. Ruthie caught herself and turned fast, nearly tripping. The yelp had come from a little dachshund.
    “Frieda!” the girl at the other end of the leash said. “Sitz!” The obedient dog sat.
    “I’m so sorry,” Ruthie apologized.
    “No, I am sorry. She shouldn’t be underfoot!”
    “She’s really cute!” Ruthie reached down to stroke the little