The theft victim went after another guy, who pulled something that looked like a keychain out of his pocket and waved it in the air. Everyone—including the theft victim—lost the glassy look and most quit trying to kill each other, though the fight had taken on a life of its own and some people were still throwing punches even without the magical trigger. The would-be thieving fairy rolled her eyes and sighed, then slipped out of the train when it stopped at Canal Street.

The guy who’d stopped the fight must have noticed me staring. “This is coming in handy,” he said, holding up the keychain-like thing. “I got it at Spellworks, and it helps counter these influence spells people have been using lately. You should get one.” Spellworks was the rival to MSI, and their spokesman, Phelan Idris, had been Public Enemy No. 1 for MSI until he surrendered the week before. Obviously, losing their spokesman hadn’t slowed them down, but I was surprised that they’d actually sold something that used magic to help or protect people. That wasn’t their usual style, so I smelled a rat. They had to be up to something.

“I’ll look into that,” I said, edging my way toward a door so I could escape at the City Hall stop. Couldn’t he have used his gizmo before someone tried to strangle me?

Once I was safely aboveground, I took a moment to collect my breath. I wasn’t even back at work yet, and I was right in the middle of the magical war. It was a good thing I had a history with the company, I thought as I inventoried the damage to my appearance. I’d have been sunk if this had been a real job interview. My hair had been neatly pinned up, but pieces had come loose around my face and neck. I had a run all the way up one leg of my pantyhose, the sleeve of my blouse was ripped, and I could feel bruises forming on my neck.

Yes, this was exactly the way I wanted to present myself to my former employer and ask for my job back.

With a sigh, I limped across the park and headed toward the castle-like building that was the headquarters of Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc. Each step I took toward the building made my heart beat faster, and I wasn’t sure if I was more excited or nervous. I’d been dreaming about coming back for months, and while I’d been told there’d always be a place for me, I wasn’t sure where that place would be. Would I be starting all over again in the company’s depressing verification department, or would I be able to pick up where I’d left off?

Sam, the gargoyle sitting on the building’s awning, leaned forward when he saw me coming. “What happened to you, doll?” he asked.

“Commuting was even more brutal than I remembered,” I said, giving him what I hoped was a wry smile. Then, more seriously, I added, “I didn’t realize things were so bad here. They’re openly using those dark spells now.”

“Yeah, there’s quite the crime wave going on.”

“And I thought it would get easier once we caught Idris. But is Spellworks selling protective charms to fight their own dark spells?”

“That’s their new thing. They’re stirring things up and playin’ both sides.”

“So they’re spreading the virus, and then selling antivirus software to fight it? I guess it’s a good business model, if you have no conscience.”

“And it’s givin’ us fits. Looks like you picked a good time to come back.”

“Or maybe I picked a really, really bad time.” I pushed open the heavy wooden door and went inside.

The security guard in the lobby let me pass without challenge even though I wasn’t officially an employee, which was encouraging. I headed up the stairs to the executive suite where my office was—well, had been. “Oh, there you are, Katie,” said Trix, the executive receptionist, as I approached her desk to ask if the boss was in. “You’re late for the meeting.”

“What meeting?” I asked. “I don’t work here. That’s why I came today, to talk to the boss about getting my job back. Or, well, getting a job at all.”

“And you think he didn’t know you’d be here? He wants you in the main conference room downstairs. You remember how to get there?”

I thought I did. That was where I’d had my job interview at this company, more than half a year ago. It was also where I’d first learned that magic was real and that I was immune to it, which turned out to be a pretty valuable power. I couldn’t zap things into existence or make trains come when I wanted them, but I could see past any illusion, and no one could use magic on me. I headed down the stairs and hoped something would look familiar to me along the way.