“Ha! Prospero. I was surprised she wasn’t breaking more rules in their damnable courtship, but the both of them are fools. Ellie ought to have talked to her instead of running off.” Lord Scylla made a noise likehmphand gave one nod as if to underline her point.
“Fair. It had to have been hard to have to try to date when she could look into everyone’s mind, though.” The doctor hopped up and sat on the counter, surrounded by potions and bandages.
“That’s what we’re calling her swath of heart-breaking the last century? Dating?” Lord Scylla rolled her eyes. “I’m grateful I don’t find women attractive. Watching her roll through all of you like a bear knocking down beehives was—”
“Ahem.” The doctor shot him a look. “On the matter of the siphon-battery dilemma…”
“Buzzzz,” Lord Scylla said quietly.
The doctor sighed. He watched as she visibly pondered. He glanced at Lord Scylla, who was steadfastly staring at him.
“We need to get Sondre, probably Walt,” the doctor announced. “I suspect we ought to have Prospero here.” She tapped her foot in the empty air. “Brandeau, too.”
Lord Scylla sighed. “Do I want to ask?”
“And can we address my lack of trousers, please? I’ll do your experiment, but… I’m not doing anything without trousers.” He gestured at his bare legs. They might be hidden under a robe, but it simply felt wrong to be here without his pants on.
“Lemon!” Lord Scylla called out.
The yellow-overalled hob appeared. “You bellowed, sir.”
“Be careful, Lemon, or I’ll take you home with me.” Lord Scylla smiled fondly at the hob. “Take this one to his room. He needs—”
The hob flung themselves across the room like a flying squirrel and landed on Dan’s head. In the next moment, he was alone in his room.Notthe room where his boots were. Those were in Axell’s room, along with the trousers he’d intended to wear.
Lemon, however, was long gone. So Dan grabbed his only other pair of shoes, a tattered pair of secondhand slipper things, and a pair of sweatpants he had been using for pajamas before he started sharing a bed with Axell, and hurriedly got dressed. This whole business of popping him in and out of places with no warning was getting tedious.
He left his room in search of Axell.
If the witches were planning on experimenting on him, he wanted someone there who cared abouthisbest interests. Dan scanned the hallways, and for the first time he tensed every time he heard the telltale pop of a hob appearing. By the time he found Axell, who appeared to be composing a song in the middle of an unusually empty library, he felt like all his nerves were frazzled.
“I need you to hold on to my hand at all times today unless one of us needs the toilet,” Dan blurted as he marched hurriedly toward Axell.
“Yes.” Axell took his hand, pulled Dan into his lap, and said, “Now, you tell me why.”
The anxiety that had been twisting through Dan lessened as Axell stroked his other hand over Dan’s spine. He felt safe here, protected, even though that was foolish if he had to deal with Prosperoandthe headmasterandLord ScyllaandEllie.
“I can siphon magic.” Dan looked around. He hadn’t seen the library this empty since they’d told others about it. “That’s the theory. It’s why I can boost it. I’m taking it from places and then putting it other places.”
“Makes sense.”
“Where is everyone?” Dan asked.
Axell shrugged. “The door did not open. I was locked in. Everyone locked out. Until you.”
Dan hopped up. He started to let go of Axell’s hand to pace, but Axell stood with him. “I am to hold your hand.”
“Right. Right. I know that.” Dan stood still until Axell tugged him back, and together they paced the roomslowerwhile Dan filled him in on everything.
When he finally stopped, Axell looked at him. “You tell them that you will not do the experiment without me there. I go where you go.”
“What if they send me back, siphon me, and—”
“I go where you go,” Axell repeated. “We would travel and be together there, too.”
“Even when you’re famous and I’m just… me.” Dan stared at him, hating his insecurity but unable to stop the words.
“I likejust you.” Axell squeezed his hand. “Together we will be. Here. There. I know what I want.”
