Ed ran up and was the first to come into the house from the outside. He was grinning in a way that made the whole, “ear to ear” phrase make sense. He kind of ignored Sylvia for a moment, and just grabbed my arm and shook my hand.

“That,” he said.

I knew what he meant.

He struggled for a moment. “That was the most… I mean, I don’t… I have… What just…” He nodded a few moments. “That,” he said again. I squeezed his hand and we let go.

“What happened?” Sylvie asked again.

He turned towards her. “It was… Do you…? I am…”

“This wordy fellow is Ed,” I said. “He’s a friend of mine. A good friend,” I emphasized.

“Brevity is the soul of wit,” she said. “Or so I’ve heard.”

“I thought you liked me because I was funny,” I mock-complained.

She pointed at me. “Funny and witty aren’t the same thing. Right now I’m not laughing. I’m confused. Drop the code and tell me what’s gone horribly wrong?”

“It was amazing,” Ed said.

“You’re in danger,” Maggie said, coming in then. “All of us are,” she amended.

Matana, followed, smiling. “Not all of us,” she corrected.

I looked confused. “Who is in danger and does that group of not in danger include me?” I asked. “Not to sound self-serving, except totally.”

Maggie rolled her eyes. “What’s my first principle, E?”

“What, you have principles now?” I asked.

She punched me lightly in the shoulder. I deserved it, but I made a noise anyway. And then a yawn.

It had been a long night, and adrenaline can only pump you up so many times before it gets kind of soft, I guess. Um. The innuendo was fading, but I had had a decent dose of it.

“Oh,” I said aloud. “Don’t get involved.”

Mags rolled her eyes. “Close enough,” she explained. “I don’t take sides. I don’t do politics. I don’t join clubs or secret societies.”

“You had a membership to Blockbuster,” I countered.

“That was back when it was practical,” she sighed.

“So, someone inducting you into some hall of infamy?” I asked.

“Wait, wait, I can play!” Ed said. “She has to start a girl band to defeat the evil queen of hair metal.”

“She and her uncanny team of superheroes have to protect humanity from a threat from beyond the stars,” I offered.

“Ooh, good one,” Ed said, nodding. Sylvia just kind of stared, her mouth slightly open in dismay. “Okaay,” he let the word drag out for a moment, and then offered, “She and her pack of alpha witches have to bring down the hunt of a lifetime.”

Maggie cleared her throat. “Are you calling me a–”

I broke into, “Her cohort of companions have to protect a cabal of the occult. She has to cozen a dozen men of coveting her coven?”

“That’s word play. I don’t know if it counts. She has to flock to a cluster of fatuous poppycock at the bait of a master clock?”

“Clever,” I gave him the point. “Her posse of…”

“Not funny,” the Magster interrupted. “Now that you’ve had your fun, can we be serious for a moment?”

“I was still having my fun. I’ve had too much serious. Something about a witch war, I presume?”

“You and your fondness for alliteration,” she sighed.

“Aptitude. Aptitude for alliteration.”

I deserved the slap, I guess. I was a little surprised, but it woke me up a little. It was interesting watching Ed and Sylvie bristle, choosing sides, and Matana just watch us, cool and neutral like Switzerland.

“Oh, E, I’m so…” Maggie actually looked away as if there were tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, well, I’m probably incapable of seeing what boundaries I’m pushing right now. Call us both tired. What’s going on?” I sounded, I don’t know, kind of gentle, really. I was tired, true.

“You didn’t hear the challenge?”

“I…” I tried to remember. “No, I guess not. Can’t you just ignore it? You’re not some kind of honour society type.”

“This is why you’re not a wizard, dear.” She still wouldn’t look at me.

“Why do people keep bringing that up? It’s the last thing any sane man would want. Too many secrets, too many favours,” I said. That patronizing, “dear” at the end kind of got me riled, too.

“There is a balance owed,” Matana explained. “A witch is apprenticed, and owes her teachers.”

“What, the magic has some kind of self-destruct sequence built into it?” I asked. Ed was trying to keep up with us, but he was looking a lot more tired than I had been. He had a job – I started thinking I needed to get him home.

Matana nodded after a moment, like it needed to be translated and she was sure of the answer. “You are correct that it is no gift,” she said, simply. I felt a faint hint of cold over the hairs of my arm.

“Does it have anything to do with whatever deal Lady Light and King Dark struck?” Ed asked, yawning.

“You think they struck a deal?” Maggie rounded on him.

“Yeah, or why wouldn’t they still be duking it out or something in the yard?” he asked. I kept my opinions to myself, but he had come to the same conclusion I had.

“That’s…not good,” Maggie said. She gnashed her teeth for a moment.

“Which one gave the challenge?” I asked, trying to sound supportive. “And was it just against you or?”

“The coven as a whole. Sylvie, you were named. Matana’s not invested so she’s free and clear.” Maggie gave Sylvia a very clear, “We’re talking later when E’s not around,” look. I ignored it.

“I bound myself by word of oath to obey appropriately,” Matana shook her head. “I could claim exemption for many reasons, but I believe the spirit is more appropriate than the letter of the law in this case.”

“I’m still confused about what happened. Lady Light? King Dark? Challenges?” Sylvia shook her head. “And Mrs. Nurmbie shouldn’t be up so late. She’ll never get any sleep. I need to look after my roommates,” she said. “The other world can wait.” She got up and went to speak with her neighbors.

“You still have a choice,” I said to Maggie. “You could give up the magic.”

I don’t think I deserved that.