Luc tossed her bag into the floorboard of Tobias’ truck and climbed into the front seat. Judging by everything going up online, from clips of Marie fighting to posts from locals about the magical appearances throughout the day, the day was rife with magic. And since Luc couldn’t join her, she had to deal with it all by herself, and they couldn’t spend the day together like they’d planned.

  She slammed the door shut, lumping into the rough fabric seat, arms crossed over her chest. She couldn’t get to this summer camp soon enough. She couldn’t sit by and watch while someone else did all the work to keep her town safe. Being unable to do magical girl work was like being forced to watch as the world around her burned, a bucket of water full in her hands, but unable to be thrown.

  “I’m sorry you got stood up,” Tobias said, easing the car away from the front of the store.

  “She didn’t stand me up,” Luc snapped, the words coming out hot and fast. It didn’t matter that he was joking. He didn’t need to be joking about Marie when she was doing the job Luc should be doing now. “She’s working.”

  “I know,” Tobias said. “Sorry. I don’t know how you can stand to just sit here.”

  “I have to,” Luc ground out. Tomorrow, they’d all go to the commission building, all aside from Marie, and get their licenses reinstated under the condition of them working all summer at the mage camp. Beverly had said once they were at the camp, they’d be told just what they could use their magic for and earn back full rights to use their powers. So long as none of them got into trouble, and that included using their powers without permission.

  “It’s okay,” Tobias said. He reached out, patting her on the leg. “Just another day and you’ll be a magical girl again.”

  Luc nodded, going silent as they drove. She couldn’t explain to him how wrong he was. Getting her license back didn’t make her a magical girl. She wouldn’t be a magical girl again until she was out on patrol, killing magical monsters and keeping the world safe. After summer she’d have it back, but then she was going to Mage Academy. Once she became a mage… she had no idea what she’d do, only that this was her only chance at returning to what she loved.

  Tobias broke the silence as they turned into the parking lot of the farmer’s market. “Maisey wants to know what the plan is for tomorrow,” he said slowly. “Are we all heading up together, or…?”

  He trailed off, leaving Luc with the rest of the question. She glanced away, staring out the window at the pavilion they’d soon be working under. Was Maisey going to be here today, or was she still keeping her distance?

  It wasn’t by choice. Marie had stopped talking to her, and so had Luc, and the guilt ate at her. The idea to cause the magical incursion had been Maisey’s, but Luc had gone along with it. The fact that Maisey didn’t understand the severity of what they’d done, and kept on using her magic despite the risks, was what Luc couldn’t stand. She kept making her little origami figures, animating them without a care in the world, as if the commission didn’t have the ability to track them down and persecute them for breaking the law. She insisted she’d done it before and it was fine, that using magic itself wasn’t illegal, which would be true if the three of them hadn’t specifically been banned from it for their stunt.

  “I’ll talk to Marie about it,” Luc said with a sigh.

  “She really misses you two.”

  Luc squeezed her eyes shut. She missed Maisey too, and not talking to her or ignoring her when she was around hurt, but she just didn’t understand how serious this was.

  “Can you talk to her again about how serious this is?” Luc asked, not looking at him. “And like I said, I’ll talk to Marie.”

  “I can do that. Now, are you ready to farmer’s market it up?”

  Luc rolled her eyes as Tobias parked the truck and climbed out onto rough gravel. The truck bed was full of crates to restock the Barnes’ set up at the farmer’s market, fresh bread, packs of cookies, and tiny cakes in little aluminum tins. Fresh jams and jellies, all warm to the touch from the sun. Luc grabbed a crate, hauling it out and trekking across the parking lot to the small stand.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  It was pretty empty, a testament to the necessity of their restock. Mr. Barnes smiled at them as they approached.

  “Glad to see my reinforcements finally made it,” he said. “Something hold you up?”

  Tobias came up from behind before Luc could answer. “Marie couldn’t drop Luc off so I had to go get her,” he said, lowering a heavy crate onto the long folding table.

  “Must be a busy day for Marie,” Mr. Barnes said. “I’ve seen her fly by a few times now.”

  Luc glanced around, hoping to get a glimpse of Marie but with no luck. There also wasn’t a sign of any magical damage nearby, or even a presence in the air, which meant Marie was doing her job well. She really didn’t need Luc’s help.

  Pulling her eyes away from the horizon, Luc began unloading the crates, restocking their little stand while Tobias took another trip to his car for the jugs of cider and lemonade the Barnes were truly known for.

  A small line began to form as Tobias brought up the cider and lemonade, forcing Luc to jump in behind the table before she could finish laying everything out to help Mr. Barnes make drinks. It was routine at this point. Luc hadn’t been able to sit down and do nothing after being banned from magical girl work, so the Barnes had offered her a job working for them at the outdoor market that ran everyday throughout the spring and summer. It wasn’t difficult work. There was no challenge, no stress, and absolutely nothing interesting to do.

  The line finally came to an end and Mr. Barnes dusted off his hands. “Looks like you two have it handled. I’m gonna miss the help over the summer.” He stretched, popping his back before giving his head a slight shake. “Are you two ready to go off to that camp?”

  Luc nodded. “I picked up the last of what we needed today. We just have to head to the commission tomorrow, and we’re all set.”

  Mr. Barnes nodded, then shot Tobias a meaningful look. “Try not to get into too much trouble,” he said, then laughed. “With that many mages around, I can’t imagine there will be no trouble.”

  “Well, I think the goal is to rehabilitate us,” Tobias said, throwing up finger quotes. “But it’s a summer camp. I can’t imagine a summer camp for magical kids is that different from a summer camp for normal kids, right, Luc?”

  She shrugged. “I’ve never been to a summer camp before.”

  “Right. Well… It should be fun.” Mr. Barnes patted Tobias on the shoulder and gave Luc a nod before making his way over to his own truck and heading out.

  Luc settled in, beginning to clean and organize their stand, when the air rippled. The hair rose on the back of her neck as she turned, eyes wide as she searched for the source of the distortion.

  “Is that magic?” Tobias asked, eyebrows drawing together. He ran one hand over the back of his neck, as though trying to brush away something crawling there.

  Luc nodded, silent.

  A woman ran up to the table, pointing off into the distance. In the field beyond the outdoor market, a magical monster pulled itself from the earth. An entire tree had transformed and ripped its roots free of the ground as it began to walk in great, lumbering steps. It didn’t look like much of a threat, not at first, until it picked up in speed.

  “Aren’t you going to do something?” the woman demanded.

  Luc took half a step before stopping herself, hands curling around the edge of the table. It was the only thing keeping herself from running toward that monster and taking it out. There was a flamethrower in her pocket space she hadn’t touched since being grounded from her power. It could make short work of the tree.

  “I’m not a magical girl,” she forced herself to say, the words like lead on her tongue. “But I’m sure one will be here soon.”

  The woman scoffed, giving Luc a look of disgust before walking away.

  It didn’t take long for Marie to appear, flying overhead on her wings and swooping down toward the tree, wand in hand. Luc turned away then, hating the seething seed of jealousy in her stomach at the sight of her girlfriend as a magical girl.

  Just one more day, Luc thought, clenching her fist. That’s all I have to get through.

  A flutter of wings brought her back to herself as Marie landed in front of her, a bashful smile on her lips.

  “Sorry about all that,” she said, breathing hard. “It’s been a busy day.”

  “Seems like it,” Luc said darkly.

  Marie let out a sigh. “I’m sorry for abandoning you. Do you think I can make it up to you now?”

  “I have work,” Luc said.

  “Nah, go, I’ve got this,” Tobias said, nudging her forward. “Besides, you have to work out the details for tomorrow anyway.”

  “Excellent,” Marie said, cracking a smile.

  Luc let out a yelp as Marie scooped her off her feet and took off to the skies before she even had a chance to protest.