“Because friends help each other without obligation,” Julius explained ruefully. “And, all debts aside, I could really use some help right now.”
“You need a lot more than help,” Amelia said with a snort, but her expression was thoughtful. “So even after hearing about the whole planning to kill you and steal your mortal thing, youstillwant to be my friend?”
This was the first Julius had heard of killing, but he nodded anyway. “I’ve gotten over worse, and Marci’s not my mortal, anyway. Though I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t try that again.”
“Nah,” Amelia said. “If she wouldn’t dump you for a library, I’ve got nothing. Though, as your friend, Iwouldget to stick around her.” That must have been the deciding factor, because Amelia’s face brightened immediately. “Okay, you’ve got a deal.” She stuck out her hand again, without magic this time. “Let’s be friends.”
“Deal,” Julius said happily, shaking on it. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”
“Speak for yourself,” Amelia grumbled. “I just gave up any chance of ever getting your mage. Not that I’m an expert on this stuff, but I’m given to understand that friends don’t steal friends’ girls.”
Something about the way she said that struck Julius as odd, and since they were friends now, he went ahead and asked. “What’s so special about Marci?”
Amelia looked at him in appalled horror, and Julius scrambled to backtrack. “Don’t get me wrong! I think she’s amazing!” Understatement of the year. “But I don’t understand why you’re so determined to have her as your human.”
“What’s to understand?” Amelia said with a shrug. “I like humans. I particularly like the females, and Marci’s pretty freaking cute. She’s also talented, ambitious, smart, has a lead on a Kosmolabe,andshe has the guts to turn my own ultimatums around on me. How could I not want her all to myself?”
That wasn’t what Julius had expected her to say, but he couldn’t argue with his sister’s logic. “So what about Ghost? You seemed really excited about him this morning.”
“He’s the icing on the cake,” Amelia said, folding her arms behind her head with an unsettling grin. “Suffice it to say we’re on the cusp of great things. Assuming we don’t all die tonight, your human might just be the world’s first Merlin.”
Julius frowned. “The world’s first what?”
Amelia opened her mouth to explain, but before she could begin, her eyes went wide. A few seconds later, Julius understood why. A wonderful scent was drifting on the air, followed by the even better sound of Marci unlocking the front door. When she came into the room a moment later, she was carrying four of the most delicious smelling bags on the planet and a pair of condensation-soaked plastic milk jugs filled with bright green frozen slush.
“Oh good,” she said, beaming at the two of them. “You’re up.”
Amelia nodded, but her eyes were locked on the milk jugs. “Are those…?”
Marci held them up with a grin. “Margaritas.”
And that was when Julius learned frozen drinks really could raise people from the dead.
Chapter 14
Amelia finished the first jug of margaritas in under a minute, chugging the entire gallon container without even pausing for breath. Marci had the second jug ready by the time she finished, along with a bag of tacos, earning herself a look of pure, unabashed love from the Planeswalker.
“You are the Best. Human.Ever.”
“I try,” Marci said with a smirk, handing a bag to Julius, who also dug in. “But shouldn’t you take it easy? Your stomach might still have extra holes in it.”
“I’ll be fine,” Amelia said, shoving a taco into her mouth and washing it down with another glug of alcoholic frozen slush. “Have you seen a dragon eat?”
“Fair point,” Marci said, walking down the hall to the kitchen to grab a chair. “So what did I miss?”
Julius started to answer, but his sister beat him to it. “Bethesda tried to blackmail Julius into selling me out, so he rage quit the clan.”
Marci ran back into the room. “Really?”
Julius made a face. “It didn’t go quite like—”
“It was awesome,” Amelia interrupted. “He pretty much told her to take her clan and shove it. I’ve never been so proud!” She stuck another taco into her mouth, eating it in one bite. “I tried to give him a life debt for it, but he apparently hates getting the best debt on the planet, so now we’re just BFFFLs.”
“BFFFLs?” Marci repeated, bewildered.
Amelia shrugged. “I don’t know the modern slang, but basically it means I’m joining Team Nice Dragon. Looks like we’ll be working together after all!”
Marci crossed her arms over her chest. “I thought you said you didn’t share?”
