The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker Read Free Book Online

cheekbones from the same catalog.
    â€œEveryone here is beautiful,” she said to a man with a lock of dark hair falling into his eyes. “Not just pretty or handsome, but beautiful. Are you all models? Movie stars?”
    The dark-haired man thought that was tremendously funny. “No, but I was wondering if you were,” he said.
    She lost track of Moscelle, but others took her in hand and kept her circulating. She picked up a lot of gossip about people that she hadn’t met yet and some that she already had. Rapid coupling and uncoupling seemed to be the norm. In spite of all the kir royales she’d downed by now, she was deliciously clearheaded, just more buoyant than usual. After a while, the people she met started to say things like, “So you’re Nora! I’ve been hearing so much about you all evening!” She felt as though she were moving through the party like the silver ball in a pinball machine, hitting every corner just right, setting off noise and lights, racking up points.
    Nora was on the dance floor, doing the twist with one of Boodle’s friends, when she saw Ilissa again, talking to a blond girl who had a boa constrictor wrapped around her shoulders. Her eyes kept a steady bead on Nora’s gyrations. When the music stopped, Nora went over.
    â€œNora! You’re the hit of my party,” Ilissa said, giving her a peck on the cheek.
    â€œI’m having a wonderful time! I’m not tired at all, and it must be almost midnight,” Nora said. Something struck her, and she laughed. “Oh, will the magic wear off at midnight? Will I turn back into a pumpkin when the clock strikes?”
    Ilissa smiled and reached out to tuck a stray wisp of blond hair behind Nora’s ear. “No, the magic doesn’t wear off at midnight. It’s much more powerful than that. It comes from you. You wanted something, and so it came to be.”
    Nora was puzzled by the seriousness in Ilissa’s voice. “It’s that easy?”
    â€œYes, of course! Look at yourself. You’re already a lovelier, happier, more confident woman than the miserable little girl who turned up in my garden this afternoon. It’s because you dared to laugh and be beautiful.”
    â€œI think you had something to do with it. I can’t thank you en—”
    Ilissa made a dismissive gesture. “A dress, a little chitchat, a party—it’s nothing. I love it when I can help someone. And this is just the beginning, my dear.” She looked appraisingly at Nora again. “Pearls, I think, next time. Your skin has such a lovely golden tone. We ought to do more to set it off. I should have thought of pearls tonight. What a scatterbrain I am!”
    I
would
look nice in pearls, Nora thought happily, then realized with some regret that she wouldn’t be here for the next party. Ilissa seized her arm.
    â€œI am even more scatterbrained than I thought,” Ilissa announced. “Did I not introduce you to my son?” She called out a long name that seemed to include some vowels and consonants that didn’t occur in English, and out of the crowd Nora saw a dark head set on a pair of broad shoulders turn and move toward them.
    â€œLike me, he has a terribly long and confusing name,” Ilissa said. “Raclin is what we call him for short. Darling,” she said to him, “this is Nora. You remember I mentioned her earlier.”
    â€œBut we’ve met already,” Raclin said, holding out his hand to Nora, a lock of hair falling into his eye. “Nora asked me if I was a movie star.” His hand felt very strong as it closed around hers.
    â€œAnd you said no, but I’m sure I’ve seen some of your films,” Nora said, smiling. James Bond, the Sean Connery years.
    â€œWell, if I were in a movie, it would have to be one with some very beautiful woman in it,” he said. “Perhaps we could read through a few scenes