by Elena Paige
He had nothing in comparison. He was ordinary. No special talent. No special skill. But he didn’t want to be a magician. Did he? No , he told himself, I definitely don’t. But as the memory of how quickly he had taken the gold coin from Penelope and wished it would give him powers floated into his mind, he started to cough uncontrollably.
“I’m sorry, Jack. I didn’t mean to upset you,” said his father, patting him on the back.
“Here, have a piece of candy,” said a soft female voice.
Jack looked at the long slender hand thrust across his face. He focused his vision on the small yellow candy, still coughing so hard he felt his breakfast coming back up.
“Go on, take it. I have to get back to my dad,” said the unfamiliar voice. Noticing her British accent, he looked to see who had said it.
His eyes grew wide as they took in the girl before him. Grabbing the candy from her hand, he started coughing twice as hard. She looked more like a beggar than a magician. Her black skirt was frayed at the bottom to match her torn stockings. Her green top was dirty in several places. But the purple top hat she wore on her long, tangled black hair looked pristine. He felt a hand slap him gently on the back. He looked up to see his dad smiling at him.
“Why, thank you, young lady. That’s very kind of you. How are you liking France?” said his dad, while Jack stopped coughing abruptly and started instead to choke.
He felt another sharp hit to the back from his dad, giving him a lungful of air. He drank it in greedily, accidentally swallowing the candy at the same time.
Jack spotted the girl looking at him strangely as she replied. “It’s absolutely charming. Although I do prefer the city to this tiny village we’re in.” She smiled widely to Jack and turned her back on them, about to disappear into the line of people behind them.
“Wait,” Jack managed to say. “You’re a magician.”
The girl turned back and looked at him strangely again. She looked around at the other people in the line. “Sure. Yes. Of course I am.”
Jack wondered why she had hesitated. Something didn’t add up. He thought he’d test her.
“So what’s your mage power?”
“What’s yours?” she replied quickly.
Jack didn’t expect her to say that. He panicked. “I . . . can . . . change the weather.” Change the weather? Was he mad? Was that the best he could come up with?
“Sure you can,” said the girl. She looked at him as though she didn’t believe a word he had said.
Which was technically true given he was lying. “And you?”
“I can . . .” The girl looked around as though grasping for ideas. “Make beetles fly.” She smiled.
“Um, I think beetles can already fly,” said Jack, feeling amused. Was she an illusionist pretending to be a mage too?
Jack looked up at his dad, who was laughing to himself, pretending not to listen. Looking back at the strange girl, he noticed her slip her hand ever so quickly into the pocket of a neighboring white-haired man. He noticed a gold coin in her hand as it exited his pocket. The man was oblivious as to what had just happened to him. She was a thief!
“Are you able to conjure gold from someone’s pocket?” said Jack. He waited for her to confess she had been stealing.
She smiled, not giving in, and replied, “No, but I can disappear and reappear wherever I like.” She flicked not one but two gold coins she had stolen into the air, not seeming to care who was watching her.
“Show me, then,” said Jack.
She closed her eyes tight and threw out her arms. But she never got to display any magic, for at that very moment, a man caught both the coins she had thrown into the air and her arm at the same time.
“Agatha, you brat. Get back ’ere now.”
Jack stepped back, shaken by the vision of this man who had grabbed her. He was wearing an oversized black suit, and his shoes looked clownish on his feet. He pulled Agatha backward. The shocked look on her face spread through her body like a ripple, toppling her over into the people around her.
“Get up! You’re embarrassin’ me. You’re good for nothin’, you are,” said the man through missing teeth.
Jack watched in shock, unable to move. He wanted to help the girl, Agatha, but felt frozen from fear of this horrid and scary man. Agatha looked up at the man, her face bright red. But she didn’t move.
“I said now!” But he didn’t bother to help her up. He looked over at Jack and then at his dad. “Stay away from me daughter. We’re not ’ere on a holiday! ”
“Excuse me, mate, but . . .” Jack’s dad began, but Agatha’s father had turned his back on them and disappeared into the crowd.
“Well, how rude!” said his dad. He helped Agatha up. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” said Agatha. She shook out her long black hair and avoided all eye contact.
Jack felt sorry for her if that was really her dad. “A pity you can’t make him disappear,” he said, happy to bring a smile back to her face. But it didn’t last long. Red-faced, she looked around at all the people in the crowd who were now staring and pointing at her.
“I have to go.”
Jack watched in disbelief as she pickpocketed a few more coins on her way back to her spot in the line.
As he watched her vanish into the crowd, he called out after her. “I’m Jack. Nice to meet you.”
She didn’t reply. Should he tell his dad about her stealing from the magicians? But what if meeting her was no mere luck? She could steal coins. Perhaps, just perhaps, she might be able to help him steal more coins like the one Penelope had given him. If Penelope’s friend Jessica had one magical coin, it made sense to him she would have more. Maybe there was something wrong with that coin and that was why it hadn’t worked. Maybe there was still a way for him to have real magic. He felt hope returning to him and stood up a little taller, straightening his purple top hat.
“You’re a real charmer,” said Penelope, poking Jack in the arm.
“Be quiet,” he said. He felt equally annoyed with her as she was with him .
“Say it, don’t spray it!” said Penelope, as she wiped spit from her face. She stomped on his foot again and turned back around.
“It’s all right, Jack. I know you’re worried about your new friend. But she’ll be fine. She was very nice,” said his dad, winking at him.
“Sure. She was all right,” he said. He wondered how he would find her again once inside, and whether he could get anywhere near her if her horrid father would be watching her like a hawk.
As he entered the empty cottage built on a slant, surrounded by lush countryside, he began to feel nervous again. He was about to enter the convention for the first time.
“This is it. Are you even a little bit excited?” said his dad, rubbing his hands together.
“A little,” said Jack as he was plunged into darkness. But it was only dark for a moment. His eyes squinted, trying to adjust to the sudden light now all around him. He was in a long corridor crowded with such diverse people chattering in excitement as they poured out of the doors lining the space. He watched in awe as magicians young and old plunged through the black, shimmering wall before him. The convention must be on the other side.
“I’ll see you guys later, all right, Dad? I’m going to find Mum,” said Penelope. She completely ignored Jack.
“Take care, sweetheart. I’ll meet you by the stage at twelve o’clock for our performance.” He kissed Penelope on the cheek and waved goodbye to her giggling friend.
“Ready, Jack? Now promise me you won’t love it and want to come every year,” said his dad, elbowing him in the ribs playfully.
“That’s definitely not going to happen,” said Jack as he felt tingles all over his body. This is what swimming in bubbly water must feel like , he thought as he moved through the black wall. He kept his eyes scrunched tight, nervous of what he would see on the other side. He kept them shut even after the energy moving through his body dissipated.
“Yes?”
“Can non-magicians enter the convention?” said Jack.
“No, of course not.”
“So there’s no way anyone who’s not an illusionist or mage can enter the convention?” He was thinking of Agatha again. How she was dressed. Why she was wearing a purple hat. He had a hunch.
“Well, technically, there is a way. But it’s near impossible.”
“Please tell me. How can someone who’s not a magician enter the convention?” He felt his face grow hot as he realized he too was a break-in of sorts.
“It’s the hat that lets you in. So I suppose if someone stole a hat they could. But who would do that?” said his father, always the optimist.
“Yes, who would do that?” whispered Jack to himself, thinking of Agatha and her father. He was sure he was right and determined to find out. She was a thief. And possibly not even a magician. Perhaps she could steal more magical coins for him. Perhaps. It was worth trying to convince her.
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A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
ELENA PAIGE
I want to begin by thanking you for reading this book—all the way to the end! That means the world to me.
As a child I loved escaping into books, and I found as I got older that, when my friends started reading romances, I continued reading middle-grade fantasy books. You can imagine how happy I was in my late twenties when Harry Potter was released.
The idea for The Magicians’ Convention came to me one day as I walked past a quaint wooden house, painted a vivid yellow color with a bright red door. Across the very same street was a dilapidated old house, and I suddenly thought, Imagine if a boy looked out of his window one day and saw magicians lined up outside that old house across the street. And the people were all waiting to go to a Magicians’ Convention. That’s all I had as a starting point. But it was enough. It took two more years, and some help along the way from my children, and my editor (who’s amazing), for that idea to become the book you just finished reading.
But the story isn’t done here! There are two more books in the series: The Magicians’ Academy and The Magicians’ Battle . And I was having so much fun I also wrote a prequel: The Greatest Magician . It’s all about Jack, Agatha, and Alexander. How they met when they were twelve years old and became the characters we love and hate. While you wait for me to finish writing book 2 and 3, you can download it for FREE on my website, or find it at all good bookshops both online and in store.
My aim in writing this series, was to produce a fast-paced, exciting adventure, with children as the main characters. And I’m smiling happily at having fulfilled that goal. The books are exciting from the get go, and I hope the twists surprised you.
If you enjoyed the book, please leave a rating or review for it. This feedback is so encouraging for me, and helps me write the next book a little faster.
I want to take this opportunity to thank the people that helped make this book a reality:
My children, Christos and Angelina, for reading the book with me countless times and making the best suggestions ever. This book wouldn’t be as exciting without their incredible advice.
My husband Fonda, for indulging my crazy dream to write fiction instead of having a “real” job and supporting me all the way.
My editor Nicole Ayers for asking all the tough questions that made this story better. And for cleaning up my bad grammar so beautifully!
My proofreader Keith Robinson for being the icing on my cake and making the book gleam that little bit more.
Andrew Gaia for his incredible front cover illustration. I am speechless at how vibrant and detailed it is. And the wonderful staff at Deranged Doctor Design for completing the cover, with the perfect typography.
To my indie author friends for being trail blazers and supporting me along the way when I wanted to give up.
And finally once again, thank YOU, the reader. You are the real reason I wrote this book! There is no greater joy in life than escaping into fantastical worlds, and coming out the other side a little wiser, and a great deal happier.
You can find out about my other books, and stay in touch at www.ElenaPaige.com .
With gratitude
Elena Paige
EXPLORE OTHER BOOKS BY ELENA PAIGE
TEEN BOOKS For children aged 9+ and for adults who love reading exciting fast-paced edge-of-your-seat fiction…
THE MAGICIANS SERIES:
The Magicians Convention (Book 1)
The Greatest Magician (Prequel)
The Magicians Academy (Book 2 )
The Magicians Battle (Book 3)
THE FAREN CHRONICLES:
The Splendid Secrets of 66 Lilly Pilly Lane
The Magical Marvels of 88 Enchanted Way (Book 2)
CHAPTER BOOK SERIES for kids ages 7-11…
EVIE EVERYDAY WITCH:
Secret Magic (Book 1)
Spooky Magic (Book 2)
Special Magic (Book 3)
For children aged 4-9…
TAKI & TOULA TIME TRAVELERS (early reader books):
Hercules Finds His Courage
Athena Finds Her Confidence
Zeus Tames His Temper
Hades Learns To Be Fair
Aphrodite Finds Her Inner Beauty
MEDITATION ADVENTURES FOR KIDS:
Lolli and the Lollipop
Lolli and the Thank You Tree
Lolli and the Talking Books
Lolli and the Meditating Snail
Lolli and the Bunyip
Lolli and the Magical Kitchen
Lolli and the Superfood Quest
Get the Entire Lolli collection in one book at a great price: Meditation Adventures for Kids - The Entire Collection
HAPPY HEART RHYMES (picture books):
I Love Being Free
I Love Being Different
I Love Trying New Things