Free Rogelia's House of Magic by Jamie Martinez Wood

lip and glanced at Xochitl.
    “She stopped the voices in my head the other day,” Marina said. “But I heard them again the other morning. It’s so creepy.”
    “How did your nana do it?” Fern asked.
    Silence blanketed the room. For one dreadful moment Xochitl thought she should leave and seek refuge in Nana’s room. As much as she wanted the company of friends, she did not want to talk about her nana’s magic. She had completely lost faith in it and had no intention of delving back into the world of
curanderismo
anytime soon. Even though Nana had calmed down Marina, she had not been able to save Graciela.
    Fern got up and scrambled over on all fours to plead at Xochitl’s knees. “Today I met this really cute boy, Tristán. I thought he was gorgeous, but then this horrible gray light appeared all around him. I don’t understand it, but maybe your nana could help explain it.”
    Marina placed her hand over Xochitl’s slightly trembling hand. “We want to be your friend, regardless of whether you tell us or not.”
    Fern put her hand over Marina’s. “But we are dying to know.” She looked intently into Xochitl’s dark brown eyes.
    A dark suspicion rose in Xochitl’s mind.
Why are they so interested in magic and Nana’s secrets?
Xochitl wondered. She wasn’t sure if they truly wanted to be her friends or if they were using her to get to her nana. A bad feeling sat like a heavy rock in the bottom of Xochitl’s tummy.
    “Fern, don’t be so insensitive.” Marina pushed Fern’s shoulder so that she fell over.
    Fern got back up on her knees, glared momentarily at Marina, then turned softer eyes to Xochitl. “I need to get to the bottom of this. The magic doesn’t have to stop after one night. Why can’t it go on forever? The spell we did seemed to work.”
    “We asked for magical powers,” Marina explained to Xochitl.
    “Marina hears voices,” Fern said. “Though I’m not exactly sure how that qualifies as a power. It seems more like a problem to me.”
    Marina threw a pillow at Fern, then turned her attention to Xochitl. “I gotta tell you, hearing voices isn’t something that brings on a happy feeling. Makes me feel like I’m going to be locked up in a white padded cell.”
    Fern caught the pillow and put it under her knees. “Well, Xochitl?” Fern asked.
    The silence dragged on. Xochitl felt increasingly uncomfortable the more Fern and Marina pushed, but then she remembered how Graciela used to tease her for her skepticism and distrust. Graciela had always been the openhearted one, while Xochitl was afraid to let people get close to her. However, now that Graciela was gone, maybe it was time for Xochitl to live more like her sister had.
    “Nana is a
curandera,
” Xochitl began tentatively. “She heals people, working mostly with herbs. She does spiritual work, too, kind of like spells, but maybe not exactly what you might call magic. She’s like a shaman, but that term is mostly used for men. Back home, everyone called her Mamá. She taught me some things.” Xochitl pushed some stray strands of her long black hair behind her ear. “But I haven’t had any lessons since my sister, Graciela, died.”
    Xochitl knew she was leaving some information out. Nana had wanted to continue teaching her the ways of the
curandera,
but she had refused. It was just too painful without Graciela.
    “Do you miss it?” Fern asked. Marina shot her another warning look. “What?” Fern said to Marina.
    Of course, I do, but…
    “I miss Graciela more,” Xochitl answered plainly. “And magic can’t bring her back.” Xochitl’s eyes welled with tears. “Actually, Nana’s magic wasn’t even strong enough to prevent the accident.”
    “Do you think she would teach us?” Fern asked.
    Xochitl hesitated. “I don’t know….” The pressure was too much.
    “Just ask her,” Fern suggested.
    “She doesn’t take on strangers as students,” Xochitl said, hoping to stop this conversation.
    “Marina