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of insanely curious people in Witch Central this December, especially those who were the designated giftees of people under five feet tall.  “I predict glitter.”
    “Nope.”  Aervyn looked gleeful—and awfully secretive for a kid who still needed help tying his shoes.  “I only know one person who’s getting glittery stuff, and it’s not Auntie Lauren.  It’s really funny, though.”
    Two uncles waited expectantly.  Nada. 
    “Hmm.”  Dev handed the wrench to their tight-lipped helper.  “See a tire iron up there anywhere?  It’s the one with the silver handle and the bendy end.”
    “Duh.”  Aervyn ported the requested object before Dev was done speaking.  With an eye roll that was frighteningly similar to his older brother’s.  “I totally know what that is.”
    Jamie snorted.  Just what the world needed—an almost-seven-year-old teenager with enough magic to relocate a few major cities to another planet.
    That would be an awesome superpower.   Aervyn had located a cookie somewhere and was munching nonchalantly as he eavesdropped.  “We could go live on Saturn and slide on the big ring and stuff.”
    Dev raised an eyebrow, well used to hearing only half a conversation.  “It’s cold out there, dude.  All the water will be frozen.”
    Aervyn loosed another blast of heat into the drafty shed.  “No problem.  I can melt a lake for you.”  He grinned.  “I can even put mermaids in it if you want.  Lizard says it’s okay for boys to like mermaids because they’re really cool.  They even scared all the dumb guys who thought the earth was flat.  She’s gonna find me some stories about the real ones.”
    Jamie loved that he lived in a world where an ex-delinquent used dusty old literature to make young boys feel better.  And he was pissed that somebody had invaded that world and tried to mess with his nephew.  “Someone said boys shouldn’t like mermaids?”
    “Yeah.  A kid at school.”  Aervyn seemed unconcerned.  “Mrs. H asked about our favorite movie and I said Ariel, because I just watched it with Helga and Sierra and Kenna and we sang all the songs in fishie voices and it was fun.”
    An innocent answer from a kid who changed favorite things as easily as he changed his t-shirt.  Jamie cranked his feeble mindpowers into gear and scanned.  Whatever shadows there might have been on the subject, their kick-ass poet had clearly taken care of it.  He sent as much his brother’s direction.
    And got a clear reply.  One uncle, about to make darn sure the job was finished.
    “That kid,” said Devin, handing up the tire iron, “clearly doesn’t know any witches who swim around in the ocean and sing.”
    Aervyn giggled—and then his brain caught up.  “Oh.  We could do that.  I can teach you all the words.  Kenna made us listen to them an awful lot.”
    Jamie was familiar with his daughter’s persistence.  And with his brother’s dumber ideas.  We’re gonna freeze our asses off.  Or at least those of them who weren’t water witches would.  Who the hell goes swimming in the ocean in December? 
    You don’t have to come.
    Like hell he didn’t.  Nobody bashed the toy choices of anyone he loved.  Not on his watch.  You suck at illusion spells.  Someone needs to man the mermaid tails.
    Dev grinned.  I’m going to make monkeyboy here a happy man and take care of my Solstice gift, all with one genius idea.
    Jamie moaned.  Devin had Kenna’s name.
    That definitely meant he was coming.
    -o0o-
    She’d married a lunatic.
    One who looked very sexy in his swim trunks, but still.  Lauren stood on the beach, decked out in her Chicago-approved down parka, and looked at the gathered faces, shaking her head.  Her lunatic had lots of company.
    The under-ten crowd was ecstatic.  Lizzie, Aervyn, and Kenna danced around, decked out in swim gear and oversized plastic jewels—the latest in mermaid fashion.
    Moira stood behind them, still wearing her cloak, but her