Read A Criminal Magic for Free Online

the awkwardness has a chance to settle in and stay, a redheaded dame comes barreling toward us from the back door, saving us from each other. She sidesteps through the back of the line, which prompts a chorus of, “Come on! Wait your turn!”
    â€œSorry, gents,” the ginger announces, “but my fella’s holding my spot for me.”
    As evidence, she sidles up to Warren’s other side and plants the airiest of kisses onto his cheek.
    â€œI wasn’t sure if you’d make it,” Warren says breathlessly, no residue at all of “big man on campus” left in his tone.
    â€œAnd miss the party of the year? No thank you.” The redhead straightens her skirt. She’s cute—cherry mouth, cherry hair,little upturned nose. And rich, that much is obvious from her pearls and the embroidered LM on her purse. Perhaps equally as obvious, Warren is definitely not her “fella.” Not in the way he wants to be, at least: I can tell from the way she’s already moved on, is scanning the crowd for someone else she might know who’s closer to the front. I hate this habit of mine—reading into the slightest gesture, the meaning of a smile, a pause. But since my father’s indictment, I can’t seem to stop. It’s like I’m watching everyone, waiting for the other shoe to drop, scouting whether anyone’s on the hunt for the full truth, and whether they’re starting to circle in on me.
    â€œSam’s roommate told Sasha who told Laura that Sam’s having three DC sorcerers here tonight,” the ginger prattles as she keeps surveying the crowd ahead. She still hasn’t seen or acknowledged me. “And they’re going to actually brew some sorcerer’s shine! Can you believe it? Sam’s auctioning off ten shots of it to raise money for the Christmas Ball.”
    â€œAre you serious?” Warren matches her enthusiasm.
    â€œThat’s what I heard.” She sighs loudly and dramatically. “God, it’s so hot, all of it. I’ve been wanting to try shine so bad I’ve been dreaming about it. I better win one.”
    For a second, I’m tempted to show her a magic that will send her into a dream so thick and hot she’ll never want to climb out.
    â€œYou’re really a sorcerer’s shine virgin?” I say instead, wedging myself right into their conversation.
    The ginger turns her head, annoyed, in my direction. But then she stops, sizes me up, faintly blushes. I know she must like what she sees, they almost all do before they really get to know me. Sure enough, her cherry mouth starts to turn up like little stems.
    â€œLana Morgan, Alex. Alex, Lana Morgan,” Warren introduces us quickly. I notice he leaves my last name out of the introduction.
    â€œPleasure.”
    Lana leans closer. “So are you a freshman too? I haven’t seen you around—I’d remember.” She lets her eyes linger on me. The line starts moving again, and we all take a few steps forward together. Warren uses the chance to reinsert himself between us.
    â€œNo, Alex is a friend from the old days, just along for the ride,” Warren says quickly. “He works for the government.”
    I watch Lana’s interest deflate. “The government,” she says blandly. “How interesting.”
    â€œI’m actually a sorcery expert,” I’m quick to add. “I’m training with the Prohibition Unit, the Domestic Magic division.”
    â€œYou don’t say?” Lana’s smile brightens a few watts, as Warren rolls his eyes next to me. “I bet you’re just chock-full of all sorts of fascinating information.” Then she shoots Warren a confused, fearful glance. “Wait, if he’s a Fed, what’s he doing here?”
    Warren laughs out something like, “My thoughts exactly,” but I talk over him: “Let’s just say I value fieldwork.” I shoot her my