Secrets of the Trade: A Shifty Magician Short Story

Warlock's Weekly's Top 10 division lists for the practitioners of the Trade is black magician Damien Rathschild's guilty pleasure. His apprentice, Shelton "Shifty" Sharpe, finds out the Top 10 lists encourages aggressive competition among the magicians who want to improve their standing in the lists.

Damien is outraged when inexperienced up-and-comer Calvin Whitby is given the top spot in his division. He's so dismissive of Calvin, he forces Shifty to jinx him instead of dealing with him himself.

Can Shifty defend himself when Calvin takes this insult personally?