Free A Stroke Of Magic by Tracy Madison Page A

manifest it in different ways, but it’s about wishes.”
    “Wishes? Like three wishes from a genie, only there’s no limit?” I asked.
    “Well, close. While there isn’t a limit, not all wishes come true.” Grandma’s forehead wrinkled in thought. “Miranda had far more power than any of us, so maybe she had more luck with that than we have. Her magic also extended beyond wishes. But for us, for everyone that’s followed…our magic has been solely about wishes. Mine was in my writing. Elizabeth’s was in her baking. I’m assuming yours will be through your artwork, like my grandmother’s was.”
    I thought about it, then shook my head. “I don’t think so. The wishes that have worked? All I did was think them. No art involved. And they were completely accidental.” I filled them in on my wish experience thus far.
    Elizabeth frowned. “That’s strange. It’s never worked like that before.”
    “It worked that way for Miranda,” I pointed out.
    “Well, yeah, but she’s the source. The beginning. My magic is only there if I put it into something I bake and then someone eats it. That’s how I gave you the magic, Alice. I wished to pass it on to you when I baked that lemon meringue pie for you last month.”
    “Wait. You’re telling me you gave me magic via a pie?”
    “And like any gift you give someone else, ownership changes hands, so to speak, and it becomes uniquely connected to the receiver,” Grandma Verda interjected. “So neither I nor Elizabeth has it any longer. Only you.”
    Elizabeth cleared her throat. “Er. Well. That’s changing.”
    Grandma’s razor-sharp gaze turned to her. “What do you mean? You still have it?”
    “I do. I was going to tell you, but I didn’t want to hurt your feelings. Miranda said I was the first in the family who was strong enough to keep it and pass it on, and that it would continue that way from now on.”
    “Well, I think that’s delightful news. How wonderful, the magic is growing and changing!” Excitement tinged Grandma’s cheeks pink.
    “I’m more confused now than I was before. What the heck is happening with the gift now that I have it? Can you answer that?” I said.
    Grandma gripped my hand. “I don’t know, sweetie. I wouldn’t worry about that just yet, as time will tell. But there is something you should be aware of with wishes.”
    I braced myself. “What now?”
    “Just that magic is unpredictable. Crazy things can happen, so use caution.”
    “Trust her on this. I almost ended a few friendships and ruined a life or two because I screwed up some of my wishes,” Elizabeth said.
    “Trust me. I plan on striking the word ‘wish’ from my vocabulary. At least until I understand this more.”
    Elizabeth chuckled. “Well, I made a wish before I even knew about the magic—and it came true. In fact, you were the one who told me it came true, Alice.”
    “Really? What was it?”
    She blushed. I rarely see my sister change colors, so it amused me immensely, and that amusement helped ease my tension. “Remember the day you overheard that girl in the gym talking about Marc’s honeymoon?”
    “Oh.” It took a second, but when it hit, I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “When Marc couldn’t get it up?” I loved that my practical-to-the-core sister had wished that for her ex on his wedding night. Priceless. “That’s awesome. I didn’t know you had it in you.”
    “But that’s why you need to be careful. The thing with Marc worked out okay, but really, I was lucky. Magic can be fun and empowering, but dangerous too.”
    Something else came to mind. “Did you cast a spell on Troy, like he thought? When he got so ill?”
    Her lips twitched. “That was me. He’d hurt you. It made me mad, so I tried to fix it.”
    “God, Elizabeth. He was in a lot of pain. I mean, thank you for wanting to protect me, but that’s a little scary.”
    “Not as scary as he is. He came to the bakery one day, trying to get back the money he paid