Prince of Air Read Free Page B

wishing Great-Uncle Thorne would leave him alone.
    â€œAnd what are those four suits?”
    â€œGreat-Uncle Thorne—”
    â€œWHAT ARE THOSE FOUR SUITS?” he shouted.
    Felix took a deep breath. “Spades. Hearts. Diamonds. And clubs.”
    â€œClubs?”
    â€œYeah. You know, the little shamrock-shaped things?”
    â€œPuppy toes!” Great-Uncle Thorne said. “Those are puppy toes!”
    â€œFine. Puppy toes.”
    Satisfied, Great-Uncle Thorne told him to choose any two of the four suits. “Announce your two choices in a nice loud voice so we can all hear you.”
    Felix glanced around. “All?” he said.
    Great-Uncle Thorne glared at him.
    â€œHearts,” Felix said. “And diamonds.”
    â€œHearts and diamonds, ladies and gentlemen.”
    â€œRight,” Felix said.
    â€œChoose one,” Great-Uncle Thorne continued. “Hearts or diamonds.”
    â€œDiamonds,” Felix said quickly, hoping to hurry this along.
    â€œHe has chosen diamonds, ladies and gentlemen. Which leaves hearts. Every suit moves from a two all the way to a nine. I call these the low cards of the suit. Agreed? And then it moves from a ten all the way to an ace. I call these the high cards. Agreed?”
    â€œSure,” Felix said.
    â€œPlease choose: High? Or low?”
    â€œLow.”
    â€œLadies and gentlemen, this young man has chosen low. Or the two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine of hearts. Of these low cards, please tell all of us which three you choose.”
    Felix shivered in the silk robe.
    â€œTwo, three, and four,” he said.
    â€œTwo, three, and four of hearts? Wonderful. Now choose two of those.”
    â€œTwo and three,” Felix said, growing more and more miserable.
    â€œPlease choose one now, Felix. Of the two and three of hearts.”
    â€œThe two,” Felix said.
    â€œFantastic, dear boy! That leaves us the three of hearts. You have chosen the three of hearts! And voilà! If you remove the cards from my pocket, I believe
your
card, the three of hearts, is on the bottom of the deck.”
    Sighing, and certain that there was no way Great-Uncle Thorne could know this, Felix removed the deck from his pocket, turned it over, and saw . . . the three of hearts!
    â€œHow did you—”
    â€œAha! Now I have your attention!”

    Cook made steak frites for dinner that night, which was just a fancy name for sliced steak with french fries. For once, Felix thought dinner tasted delicious. Maisie was dressed in the chocolate-brown skirt she’d worn for the VIP Christmas party, so she looked more like herself than last night when she’d worn that ridiculous flapper outfit. Their mother didn’t have to work late for a change, and she seemed more calm and relaxed than usual because she didn’t have to race back to the office.
    Felix looked around the table. In the flickering candlelight, his family’s faces glowed. Even Great-Aunt Maisie and Great-Uncle Thorne, seated at opposite ends and still not speaking to each other, looked younger and kinder. Best of all, Great-Uncle Thorne had shown him what he’d found in that rolltop desk: all of Samuel Santiago’s magic tricks. Silk handkerchiefs, a top hat with a false bottom, a fake thumb, a magic wand, several decks of cards, and handwritten notes on dozens of tricks. Before they’d come downstairs for dinner, Great-Uncle Thorne had taught him the card trick he’d shown him in the bathroom.
    â€œThat’s so easy!” Felix had said.
    â€œYoung man, all magic is easy. It requires practice, sleight of hand, and a willing audience.”
    Felix waited until the dinner dishes had been cleared away and everyone had finished their chocolate mousse before he stood and produced the cards Great-Uncle Thorne had given him.
    â€œLadies and gentlemen,” Felix said, imitating Thorne’s authoritative tone of voice,