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fly!"
    "I have a secret, too, Nigel," Selena said. "Superman doesn't impress me." She spoke in measured tones. "I have the Power . Get—that—through—your—fat—head! Selena doesn't worry. Let the rest of the world worry. The shoe is on the other hand." She glared at him. "Don't you dare say a word! I know what I said! I said what I said because I wanted to say it, and when I'm in charge of the world, everyone will say, The shoe is on the other hand! All of them, all the ones who mocked me when my chips were down."
    "Selena, I'm telling you, you need me." He pulled out his platinum cigarette case and stuck a cigarette in the corner of his mouth.
    "Don't count on it." Selena touched the tip of his cigarette with her finger, lighting it.
    Nigel smiled briefly. "In my time, I have seen a great many things more impressive than a human cigarette lighter, dear Selena. To wit." He flashed his cigarette case in front of her.
    Selena stared at her reflection. Yes, it was she, beautiful as always, but . . . but what . . . ? What was that shape, that shadow, behind her reflection? Something . . . dark . . . and swange . . . repulsive . . . even hideous . . .
    She laughed uncertainly. "Nigel? What is that?"
    "Overreaching ambition, dear Selena. Take heed."
    Furious, she knocked the cigarette case out of his hand.
    "Oooh, touched a tiny nerve, didn't I?" Delighted to have gained the upper hand for once, Nigel wandered off. He took two wineglasses off a tray and sat down next to a pretty young girl who was casting tarot cards.
    "The red toad, Virginia," he said, raising his eyebrows lustfully, "which lives in briars and brambles, is full of sorceries and capable of won-derful things." He handed her one of the wineglasses. "There is a little bone in its left side—"
    "A little bone?" she said in a little voice.
    To Nigel's intense pleasure, Selena had followed him. She hovered nearby, casting evil glances at Virginia. "A little bone which, if bound to a man, stirs up the greatest—"
    "I want to be rich and famous," she said in her little voice.
    "Stick with me, baby." Nigel leaned closer. "Shall we go somewhere else and, ah, dance?"
    Smoke trailed out of Selena's nostrils. Her eyes widened, then narrowed, focusing on the drink in Virginia's hand. A scorpion edged out of the foamy drink, scuttled up Virginia's arm and disappeared into her mouth. She clutched her throat and began spinning wildly around the room.
    "That's disgusting, Selena," Nigel said. "Fifth-grade show-off stuff."
    Smoke flared out of Selena's nostrils.
    Virginia did a triple backward flip, then spun on her head like a top. The guests gathered round, applauding. "I hear she was a smash in Des Moines," someone said.
    "I like it," Bianca said approvingly, studying the spinning girl from several angles. "Very different. It's got possibilities."
    "Release her," Nigel ordered.
    "Make me," Selena hissed.
    They stared at each other. Nigel's eyes burned into Selena's . . . burned . . . burned . . . He broke into a sweat. For once, just this once, Selena . . . not, not your way . . . no . . . no . . . NOOOoooooo . . .
    Virginia went crashing through the canvas backdrop of the fat lady in the pink tutu, her head displacing the fat lady's head.
    Now Selena had had it! Nigel's tampering with her witchcraft was too much. She pointed. "Out. Out of my house, viper. And don't come slithering back, or I'll have you vaporized."
    "I'm the only one who can save you from yourself, Selena," Nigel said. "You need me, baby"
    "Like Ann Landers needs advice, like Jabar needs high heels, like Matt Dillon needs eyelashes" Selena pointed. " OUT! "
    "I'm warning you, Selena" Nigel backed toward the door. "You're being shortsighted." As a parting shot, definitely not great. Still . . . one did what one could under the circumstances. He stalked out, holding his shoulders stiff.
    A big silence had taken hold of the room. The party-goers were disappointed that the fight was over. Like the audience at