“Stark is going to take me shooting. You and Eugène should come with us.”
“That sounds like fun.”
Candy frowns.
“Father Traven isn’t Sub Rosa, is he?”
“No.”
“Then how can he do the Dolorosa?”
I shrug and take a bite of teriyaki chicken.
“Allegra isn’t Sub Rosa and I taught her to make fire with her hands.”
Allegra waves her chopsticks like shaking her head.
“You didn’t teach me that magic. You gave it to me.”
“Fair enough. But there are some kinds of old hoodoo that even civilians can do if they learn the right spells and make the right sacrifices. Which is the problem. They didn’t grow up around real magic and they don’t understand the power they’re playing with.”
Vidocq says, “Plus, much of the most common old magic is Baleful. That’s what Father Traven used.”
“What’s Baleful magic?” says Candy.
“It’s what Sub Rosas call black magic,” I say.
Vidocq says, “The Sub Rosa believe in four systems of magic. The Aethereal, which describes psychic abilities, scrying, telekinesis, and the like.”
“In other words, standing-there magic,” I say.
“There’s Corporeal magic. Physical magic.”
“Touchy-feely magic.”
“Magic with the hands,” says Vidocq. “Potions. Healing. Charm making. The reading of objects. And there’s Baleful.”
“Which is the most popular. Especially with kids. That’s why even owning most of the old Baleful books is illegal and Traven has piles of them.”
“What’s the fourth kind of magic?” asks Candy.
Vidocq says, “Theoretical magic.”
“What’s theoretical?”
“God,” I say. “The angels. The stuff that holds the universe together and makes it run. It might not even be magic the way we understand it. That’s why it’s theoretical.”
Candy punches me lightly on the arm.
“Why don’t you tell me these things?”
“I don’t think about them. Why should I bug you? If you want to know more, talk to the Frenchman or borrow one of his books.”
Vidocq makes a small bow, his mouth full of chicken. He swallows and says, “I’d be honored to loan you one or two.”
“Just history. Nothing practical,” I say.
Allegra laughs like she just got something over on her little sister.