Magic Mansion by Jordan Price (best fiction books to read .txt) 📕

an assistant in a bag, places them inside a trunk, ties the bag shut and climbs up top. A curtain is then raised to block magician and trunk from view. When the curtain falls—usually just a second or two later—the assistant, in an entirely different costume, has taken the place of the magician. The trunk is untied, and then the bag, so the magician can show off a costume change of his or her own.”

Iain said, “Both teams, step up to your cabinets. Open them, tap on them, check them out.”

As Ricardo approached his box, he heard Bev whisper, “That’s it. I’m finished. I don’t even know how it’s done.”

Muriel shushed her, and said, “We’ll work it out.”

Sue explained quietly, “This lid slides open while the magician straddles it, see? Right between the legs. The rope holding the top on isn’t really tied on tight. The slack is hidden in the box. By the time the magician is standing on top, the assistant’s changed costumes and ready to hop out and take his place. That’s why they spend so long securing the bag shut. It gives the assistant time to swap her wardrobe.”

Ricardo glanced at the Red Team while his teammates explained the trick to Bev. All five of the Red Team members poked and prodded their box as if they were on a car lot shopping for a new Ferrari, and though they looked like they’d probably done the trick a hundred times before, they probably wouldn’t mind taking their red and black box for a spin.

Once everyone had a good look at their prop, Monty said, “While Houdini performed Metamorphosis underwater, we wouldn’t dream of making you get wet two challenges in a row. Besides, the trick has as many variations as it has performers. One thing those variations do have in common: they’re done behind a curtain. But since you’re all magicians—and you all know the secret—that’s not going to be the way we do it today. You won’t be aiming to impress an audience. You’ll be trying to beat each others’ times.”

Ricardo felt a twinge of queasiness. Bev was adorable, no doubt. But he had a hard time picturing her doing a wardrobe change in a box. And Muriel said the funniest things…but she wasn’t exactly quick on her feet.

“Confer with your teammates, and pick two magicians to represent your team in the Metamorphosis Challenge.”

“Yes,” Ricardo hissed—and though he worried that maybe he’d offend his older teammates by doing so, when the Gold Team huddle formed, they looked just as relieved as he felt.

One of the Gold Team members, Amazing Faye, had been a magician’s assistant for an unspecified number of years before she got sick of playing second fiddle and decided she should be running the show. Ricardo assumed she was somewhere around his age, mid-thirties, though under all the concealer and glitter it was kind of hard to tell. She seemed like she was in great shape, and that’s what mattered. Plus she had a lot of experience. “I do Metamorphosis all the time,” she said. “I’m so fast I can even pop out with a different lipstick on.”

Things were looking better and better.

“I could do it,” Sue said. “Normally.” Her voice went a little wobbly, and she said, “But, guys? I’m so sore from that awful massage I can hardly even move my arms.”

“Hey.” Ricardo squeezed her hand. “I know the trick. It’s been a few years since I’ve done it, but even if they don’t let us practice it, I’m fast.”

“You don’t mind?” Sue said.

“Are you kidding? Lemme at it.”

“Thank God,” Bev said. “Because if Gold Team had to rely on me, we’d be up a creek.”

“Any day I don’t get stuffed into a pine box is a good day,” Muriel agreed.

“All right, Gold Team,” Monty said. “Who is the first player to represent you in the Metamorphosis challenge?”

Sue squared her shoulders, though it probably pained her to do so, and said, “Monty, the first team member who will represent Gold Team is…Amazing Faye.”

Monty said, “Faye, can you tell us a bit about your strategy?”

“Well, Monty, it may not look like it’s possible, but I’ve been performing Metamorphosis for over fifteen years. I can get in and out of that box in no time flat. It’s like this challenge was tailor-made for me.”

“Very good, Gold Team. Now, we’ll check in with your competition. Red Team, who is the first team member you have selected?”

Kevin Kazan puffed himself up, crossed his obnoxiously-muscled arms, and said, “Our first pick is Ken Barron. The man’s an expert at escape, and if anyone can change costumes in a bag, it’s him. Plus, it’ll give him a chance to prove himself after the major fail of his first challenge.”

Ricardo wondered if anyone on the Red Team wanted to slap Kevin Kazan as badly as he did. But then he realized he should probably formulate what he wanted to say for himself when Sue announced him as their second competitor. That he was eager to perform such a classic? That he was game to try to see what kind of score he could make? He didn’t want to sound like a braggart, so—

“And now,” Monty said, “here’s the twist.”

Oh God.

“You’ve each picked someone to be the second performer in your act…but your competitors might have someone else in mind. Teams, you will decide who the second person to perform for the opposing team will be, and you will have sixty seconds to do so. Your time starts…now.”

Gold Team re-formed their huddle, though Ricardo was so numb with panic he was practically on auto-pilot. With Sue injured, he was the only member of the team other than Faye who was capable of doing the stunt in a reasonable amount of time. The only one.

“That’s it,” Bev said. “We’re done.”

“Forget about that,” Muriel said. “We can’t worry about which one of us they pick. We can only try to pick someone worse from their team.”

“Not Kevin,” Sue said. “I get