Author: Erica Drayton Writes

EPISODE 7 of 12 – Sleight of Hand

A visit to Maranigan’s Shop yields unexpected results (and help) from Jan, the current owner, when they discover the king’s guardsmen are now looking for them in connection with the sighting of a deck of cards.

TOLD FROM THE POV OF CHARISMA

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The rest of the evening was a blur for Charisma. She remembers putting the deck back in her pocket and making some excuse to the others for some space. She needed to think about what she’d just been told. Performing at the colosseum was a long time dream of hers ever since she was old enough to accompany her father to work and watch him craft a wand special for a magician. She wanted a wand of her very own. A thing she could never own.

Being a magician was a man’s world and the only space that women were allowed to occupy in it was as assistants to the magic trick being performed. They wore scantily clad outfits on stage and waved their arms about to deflect the audiences attention from the truth behind the trick.

When Charisma was lucky enough to get a job at the colosseum she knew it would be the closest she’d ever get to fulfilling her dream and she made sure not to waste a moment of it. Whenever the annual performances happened she volunteered to work the floor. This gave her access backstage to all the acts and in many cases, she even figured out how they really worked though she would never reveal what she knows to anyone.

Upon leaving the pub she was met by a throng of young boys waving their very own magician wands in the air, laughing and joking with each other. She wondered where their parents were, letting them stay out this late at night. There was a chill in the air and she welcomed how it awakened her senses. Without much thought she pointed herself in a direction that led her closer to the colosseum and started to walk. 

She heard horse hooves in the distance pulling carriages and merchants shouting across the road to each other as they started to close their shops for the night. There was also the familiar smell of late night restaurants and pubs preparing for the evening crowds. Usually men after work looking for a quick bite to eat or ale to drink before headed home to the meal they could barely stomach.

Pretty soon Charisma found herself stopped in front of a magic shop. But not just any magic shop. This was her favorite place to visit as a child and it was still where she’d end up whenever she wanted to escape the shouting matches between her mother and father and eventually the shouting matches between her and her father. It felt safe and warm and welcoming. It also helped that the owner encouraged her love of magic, promising to never tell a soul about it.

Charisma pulled open the door and walked in, immediately shutting out the sounds from outside and setting her in silence. She wasn’t surprised the place was empty. It usually was slow in the evenings though Jan kept it open late just in case there was a magician emergency. 

Maranigan’s shop wasn’t the only magic shop in Wondermere. Truth be told, there were dozens of them but it was Maranigan’s that was open from the very beginning and it was the staple for any true magician to avail themselves of the very best. If they could afford it, that is. The other shops were more for tourists and magicians who were not as successful. 

“Well hello there, stranger. I haven’t seen you in…” Jan appeared as if out of nowhere, usually from the tucked away back room, with hands on hips, thinking. “What is it?” Jan could tell something was wrong. Anytime Charisma visited she was either bubbly and excited about something she’d just heard or discovered while working backstage at the colosseum, or she was looking for a place to hide from the outside world. Jan could tell it was the latter this time.

Without a word Charisma pulled out the deck of cards from her pocket and held it out to Jan who knew what it was and quickly locked the door so no one could come in.

“Jan, I’m in trouble,” Charisma said before exhaling deeply. She had been holding in so much emotion and she couldn’t any longer. The tears came before her words and Jan just listened, trying to make out the words that came blubbering out of Charisma’s shaky voice.

After a while Charisma stopped talking and they just remained together in silence for a bit until Jan left her to put the kettle on.

While Jan was gone, Charisma had a chance to realize all she had just said. But she wasn’t worried that Jan would turn her over to the king or his guardsmen. Jan was good at keeping secrets.

After Jan was born the Maranigan family had to become expert secret keepers. Starting with the baby that should’ve been born a boy. For hundreds of years Maranigan’s Magic Shop was owned and operated by the men in their family. It made sense. No magician would ever buy any magic if it were being sold by a woman. It’s common knowledge and tradition that magic is performed by men. To keep the business afloat and in good standing with the magician community a man had to run the business always.

Then Jan was born. A beautiful baby girl with a full head of dark curls and hazel eyes. The day she was put into her mother’s arms by a close family friend who helped with the pregnancy, there were tears in everyone’s eyes but they were not of joy. Jan’s mother didn’t make it but her dying wish was for her husband to do what needed to be done to keep the shop going for everyone’s sake.

Jan’s father knew what his wife mean. With her gone their entire livelihood rested on the shoulders of a baby. He also had to deal with his sister who ran away from home the first chance she got. Last known to have a family of her own in a far off land. Rumor has it, she had a son, who, by rights should be the owner of Maranigan’s Shop were it not for the recorded birth of a beautiful baby boy. Dark curly hair. Hazel eyes.

For the rest of her life, Jan was to dress as a boy. To everyone who came round and to all her close friends, she was a boy. And it didn’t bother her much to do so. Jan always felt the boys got to have more fun anyhow. The burden was on her father who kept it till the day he died. The shop left to Jan, she didn’t have to carry the weight of it all on her own. Eventually, she shared her secret with a childhood friend who agreed to live with her as husband and wife.

Jan also shared her secret with Charisma and Flossie. Her father told her why it needed to be kept a secret but she felt the more people in her life who knew the easier it would be not to lie.

When Jan came back with a tray of tea and biscuits, Charisma was feeling better. The shock having worn off.

“What should I do?” Charisma asked Jan. She felt it was a question Jan would surely have an answer to. She couldn’t ask Flossie. She knew what Flossie would say. That she had to go through with it, learn magic and show those men what a woman could do. And Felix, well, as a former magician he’d likely think this all was a bit too dangerous for her to undertake.

“I know what I would do,” Jan said. “I’d hide. But, hiding is what I do best,” she said, motioning to her store. “I have to hide or I risk losing everything. But you’re different, Charisma. You never had to spend your life under the mask of a lie. You have little to lose.”

“It sounds like you’re saying I should do it,” Charisma said, a chuckle in her throat that came up involuntarily. “You were the last person I’d think would tell me that.”

“You came to me for honesty. Not more lies. I envy you. Your whole life ahead of you. To do with whatever you want. I’m trapped under the weight of magic that was here long before I was born and will surely outlive me.”

Jan sipped the tea she made and looked towards the door of her shop. On the other side she could see Flossie waving frantically trying to get her attention. Beside her an older gentleman who she guessed to be the Felix that Charisma told her about.

“Your friends are here,” Jan said, motioning her to turn round.

Charisma was equally excited and exhausted to see the concerned faces of Flossie and Felix looking at her on the other side of the door.

Jan unlocked and opened the door, a jingle of bells as they rushed inside.

“Close it quickly. Do you have somewhere where we can not be seen from the street?” Felix asked, dispensing with introductions. Charisma thought they were just looking for her out of concern but realized it was for a more immediate reason and danger.

Without saying a word, Jan closed and locked the door. She pulled closed curtains that were on the door, meant to keep out the morning sun then prying eyes. Then she beckoned them to follow her through the maze of her store towards the back. It was an opening that led to where the excess stock was kept in crates and boxes. Not exactly as private as Felix would’ve liked but he supposed it would have to do for now. He started to speak when Jan pushed aside large crates that looked much heavier than they actually were. Under them was a handle that Jan grabbed and pulled up to reveal a trap door. She held it open while Felix, Flossie and Charisma walked down the stairs. Jan followed behind them letting the lid slam shut above her.

Left in pitch darkness, none of them moved, except Jan, who knew exactly where to go to produce light. She side stepped past Charisma and ran her hand along the stone wall till her hand touched the familiar bronze lantern. She found the turnkey and twisted it a quarter turn to produce just enough light to see everyone’s faces. Only Flossie looked fascinated by where they were and was antsy to see where the secret tunnel would lead.

Jan unhooked the lantern and used it to lead the way down a long tunnel that seemed to never end. Above them they could hear the familiar sounds of footfalls from people walking and the occasional trot of horses hooves. Charisma guessed by the sounds and length of time they spent walking that they were headed across the street but underground.

They reached the end of the tunnel and turned right to find a locked door. Jan pulled out a key she wore around her neck and used it to open the door for them to all enter. Once inside she no longer needed the lantern. There was an overhead light that was already on, as if they were expected.

“How’s this?” Jan asked, winking over at Felix who was impressed. He thought he knew of all the secret tunnels and places throughout Wondermere but clearly he was proven wrong.

“Why all the secrecy?” Charisma asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. They obviously needed to be careful what they said and who would be around when they said it, but she was hoping to have some time alone as she asked and was only given a few hours. Not nearly the amount of time she wanted.

“Someone reported seeing the deck in the area. Anyone who isn’t where they should be is being sought. That includes anyone missing from work…” Flossie said.

Charisma knew that meant them. They up and left work without letting even Ms. Pomroy know what was going on or that they needed to leave. Charisma kicked herself for not confiding in Ms. Pomroy whom she trusted to at least not report her to the king’s guardsmen if they came looking. She hated them as much as anyone else.

“Should we go to the colosseum or home?” Charisma asked.

No one answered straight away, then Jan said “neither.” All eyes turned to her for a reason. “If they are looking for you, the best thing you can do is remain hidden for as long as possible. I’m sure another emergency will come up that will take all their attentions off of you. Until then, you should hide.”

“And how do you suppose we do that? We don’t exactly stand out but we’re not the blending in kind either,” Flossie said, looking at herself then Charisma up and down. They were in their work clothes which consisted of their usual trousers and button up blouse with their hair pulled back in a ponytail.

“I didn’t lead you here for no reason. A dear friend of mine owns the shop upstairs,” Jan said.

“It’s a clothing shop,” Charisma said out loud to no one in particular.

“Yes, but you’ve probably only seen half of the store. There’s a secret place that only certain people even know exists. It’s where I shop for my clothes,” Jan said. “Hiding in plain sight is something I’m really good at.”

“That’s all well and good for you to dress them up to look like men. What do you propose to do to hide me?”

Flossie snorted holding back laughter. Charisma fought to hold back laughter as well.

“I’m sure we can find something suitable for your…magnetic personality…” Jan said, pushing open another door that led them into Anders Costume Shop.