From the Murder Museum

The crowd cheered. "On stage! On stage!"

Marcus, seething, his face a mottled red, was forced to walk to the stage.

He was now standing next to Hannah, vibrating with a rage that was, to her, absolutely delicious.

"Now, sir," Astra said, gaining confidence. "Check your trouser pocket!"

Marcus, his jaw tight, shoved his hand in his pocket... and pulled out another Nine of Hearts.

The crowd laughed.

"And... your wallet!" Astra trilled, high on her sudden success.

Marcus slapped his wallet on Astra's table. She opened it... and another Nine of Hearts fluttered out.

The audience was in hysterics. Marcus was drowning in humiliation.

His submission—his rage, his embarrassment, his total loss of control—was a massive psychic spike.

And Hannah fed on it.

While all eyes were on Astra holding up the third card, Hannah "accidentally" bumped into Marcus.

"Oh, so sorry," she murmured, her hand brushing against his jacket.

In that half-second of contact, her magic worked. It wasn't a "swipe." It was a transfer.

A simultaneous, complex, multi-ledger transaction.

ASSET: [Concord Dampener (Magical)] -> DESTINATION: [Jess's Handbag (Across the room)]

ASSET: [Zippo Lighter (Mundane, from Jess's handbag)] -> DESTINATION: [Marcus's Jacket Pocket]

ASSET: [Concord Ward-Disc (Magical)] -> DESTINATION: [Jess's Handbag]

ASSET: [Silver Compact Mirror (Mundane, from Jess's handbag)] -> DESTINATION: [Marcus's Jacket Pocket]

ASSET: [Silver-Nitrate Rounds (Magical)] -> DESTINATION: [Jess's Handbag]

ASSET: [Packet of Mints (Mundane, from Jess's handbag)] -> DESTINATION: [Marcus's Trousers]

It was done. His gun was untouched, a mundane item she wouldn't risk, but all his magical advantages were gone.

And he had no idea.

"Thank you, thank you, sir!" Astra was saying, "You've been a wonderful sport!"