“I feel like I’m always asking you this, but… can you please just explain to me what’s going on?”
Maxwell winced. “I knew the potion wouldn’t work.”
Amanda took a deep breath. “Then why did you ask me to make it?”
“It was… a sort of a last ditch attempt to convince myself that there’s only one option.”
“And what is that option?”
Maxwell closed his eyes. “Amanda, I need you to say my name.”
“Maxwell. Are we done?”
“No, I need you to say my true name.”
“What would that do to you?”
“If you said it? It would remove all of the previous bonds of fealty I owe to the Court.”
“But that’s not all, is it?”
“No. It would also strip me of all my power. It would make me… human.”
“Then I refuse.”
“Why? Amanda, this would solve all of your problems. Using my name would give you the sort of power that means the king wouldn’t want to take you - he doesn’t want his pets to be able to threaten him. And it would get me out of his sphere of influence forever. It would remove this curse on me.”
“Wait, what curse?”
“It’s a very long story. Basically, it’s the reason I can’t show myself to other humans. But if you used my name, all of that would be over.”
Amanda just shook her head. “Maxwell, I can’t. I don’t think you understand.”
“I definitely don’t understand. Why not use my name and solve all of our problems at once? There’s no way this plan could cost you anything!”
“This isn’t about me, it’s about you! I don’t know what you feel about me, but I care about you. You’ve been around my entire life, and this whole time I’ve known that you would be around long after I was gone. I can’t take that away from you! If I make you mortal, I’m ensuring that you die!”
He stared at her. “Do you really care about me that much?”
“Maxwell, I don’t know why you always assume that I’m not capable of selflessness. Believe it or not, I’d do it for anyone.” But yes, she silently answered, I do care that much.
He shook his head. “Amanda, please. Believe me. I want to do this.”
“I can’t. Not when I don’t think you really understand the consequences.”
“I can’t. Not when I don’t think you really understand the consequences.”
--------
“Are you ready for this?”
Willow grinned. “I think I should be asking you that question. I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you.”
“Hey, I’m relying on natural talent to carry me through.”
“And I think between the two of us, I’ve got a lot more pent-up anger.”
He smiled sweetly at her. “Well, I’m a pretty safe target. So bring it on.”
Willow took a deep breath to center herself and moved into her ready position.
Then she went on the attack. Conor met her strike for strike, but she had been right in saying that she had more bottled aggression than he did. She won their spar handily.
He congratulated her as they stepping out of the sparring area. “Great job. We should do this more often.”
“Sure. But now that you’ve taken up Sim Fu, you know what this means…”
He turned to her. “As soon as we graduate, I’ll take you everywhere.”
“Everywhere?”
“I promise.”
“Sure. But now that you’ve taken up Sim Fu, you know what this means…”
He turned to her. “As soon as we graduate, I’ll take you everywhere.”
“Everywhere?”
“I promise.”
--------
“So, what did you want to talk to me about? More song ideas? Because Moon Mad was inspired, I have to say.”
“No, it’s… there’s this girl.”
Jasmin stiffened, visibly shocked. “A girl? Why did you want to talk to me about it?”
Jasmin stiffened, visibly shocked. “A girl? Why did you want to talk to me about it?”
Felix gave her a funny look. “Because you’re my best friend! And my only friend who’s a girl.”
“Yeah, but you have three sisters.”
“But none of them know her.”
“And I do?”
He paused, blushing a little. “It’s Marissa.”
“Marissa? Marissa Carter?”
“Yeah.”
“You and Marissa?”
“What’s wrong with that?”
Jasmin sighed. “Felix, I don’t think Marissa’s ever had a boyfriend for longer than a week.”
“And?”
“And you are firmly in the commitment camp.”
“Maybe I could be the one to change her mind about relationships. Maybe she’s just picky.”
Jasmin frowned. “I still don’t like it, but I’ll give you this: if anyone can do it, it’s you.”
“Thanks for the support, Jas.”
Jasmin watched him leave, feeling… disappointed. By now, she knew perfectly well that Felix wasn’t interested in her. But did it have to be Marissa?
“Thanks for the support, Jas.”
Jasmin watched him leave, feeling… disappointed. By now, she knew perfectly well that Felix wasn’t interested in her. But did it have to be Marissa?
--------
Serena stood in front of the house, feeling uncharacteristically nervous. But to be fair, she was so far out of her comfort zone that she might as well be on another planet.
Somehow she managed to dredge up the courage to knock on the door.
“I’m so glad you came.”
Author's Note: I just realized that I have a disproportionate number of pictures of Odessa walking through doors. I have at least three or four, and I think I have maybe two other pictures of anyone else walking through a door. It's weird. Anyway, no birthday pictures this chapter! I think this is the first since... chapter 8? That's ten chapters in a row with at least one birthday, but we're all done for this generation, at least. Next chapter: there is actual interaction between siblings!
