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Someone knocked on the door

I looked up, my heart in my throat, sure it was Marco with a phone in his hand

And then Fred pushed open the door with a foot, because his hands were full of beer, one of them wrapped in a paper towel because we’re classy like that

"Oh, thank God," I said as he handed it to me

He looked a little surprised at the fervency of his welcoured you could use a drink," he said, and tossed my phone on a chair so he could sit down on the bed

I drained half the bottle in one go and then flopped ontosohtly more friendly now that I had beer But no ht?" I asked, after a minute

"He’s human," Fred said, with an odd lilt in his tone Like he still couldn’t quite believe it "He’s a little hysterical, sure, but otherwise, he’s fine I mean, maybe not if he stays like this, you know, but for nowSo there’s no need to go tearing yourself up over it, all right?"

Yeah Unless I couldn’t figure out how to reverse this

"Did everybody go home?" I asked hopefully

"Oh, hell no"

Of course not

"Jonas and the witches are having it out You know, I used to think it was just an old fairy tale, but witches really don’t like hed "I guess not"

"I tried to eavesdrop for you, but they’re in the kitchen under a silence spell And they closed the blinds" He looked aggrieved "All I got was that they think he’s "

I hoped that ar wasn’t of the spell variety "Is Marco with theirl"

"What girl?"

"Rhea soht her"

"She’s not another witch?"

"Yeah, but not a coven leader Best I could gather, she’s one of your court"

"My--" It took ot two?"

"I wasn’t sure I had one It’s not like they’ve bothered to couess the outfit should have clued hed "I don’t know But she keeps babbling so all her fault--"

"What is?"

"Jules Oh, not the getting-cursed thing; that’s all on hi one of your coven around increases your power or so way too fast "What coven?"

"Your coven"

"Fred," I said ih this I’ to her, you do That’s what the Pythian Court is--the Pythia’s coven And coven ive their leader a power boost It’s sort of the reason they exist," he added when I just looked at hiic workers to pool their power You know?"

Yeah, I just hadn’t known it applied to ht have been useful, oh, a few hundred times I frowned

"I don’t feel like I’ve had a boost"

"Maybe not now But I think she’s saying that you wouldn’t have, er, overshot the iven you a lift you didn’t expect"

I took a second to absorb that "And she didn’t bother to ht you knew And I think she aiting for the witches to leave before talking to you I got the ireat"

"Why was she with the

"Fred?"

"Maybe you want to wait and ask her--"

"I asked you"

He sighed again "She said she fled to the covens for protection Seems there’s some kind of problem with your court She wouldn’t say what, won’t talk to anybody but you, but she found out and went to the witches"

"And they decided to drop her on ot the idea they think she’s a nut, but they wanted to get a look at you anyway, and she was a good excuse And she’swell, maybe you’ll have more luck with her"

Great "Luck" in oing to have to deal with When it already felt like I had plenty onthe whole situation with Mircea had taughtstuff off rarely s over the side of the bed, because at least the rooo find out--"

So

I closedin front of the balcony, a double shot of whiskey in hand, exercising his newly human vocal cords But I didn’t think the transformation was to blame At least, not entirely