Count Me In

"Okay...." Sighing like he was letting out all the air in his body, Ryan slumped in his chair. Maybe as close to genuine gratitude as they'd get out of him. "So what am I supposed to do?"

Meg and Darian exchanged glances. "Excuse me?" Meg said.

"You heard me, old lady. How'm I gonna get in there?"

"Uh...." More furtive glances and eyebrow waggling between Meg and Darian. Turning back to Ryan, Meg said, "You're not? Just stay here and watch the house, and if all goes well we'll bring you back your familiar."

"You're fucking kidding me!" Ryan leaped to his feet so fast the chair slid out from under him, almost crashing into the wall. "So you want me to sit around twiddling my thumbs all week? That's your genius plan?"

"What else can you do?" Meg stood as well, hands on her hips. "You can't come with us, you'll give the jig up. Oliver Enson personally went out of his way to kidnap your familiar. There's no way he won't recognize you."

"Then why'd you even make me come here in the first place?"

Meg held her hands out and rolled her eyes to the ceiling, as if praying to the heavens to give her strength. "So we can return Avia to you as quickly as possible. If you're at home, your parents are going to suspect she's missing much sooner."

This did not mollify Ryan. Clenching his hands into fists, sweat beading his forehead, he glared at Meg as if hoping to set her on fire. "No way. I'm coming with you."

"How can you possibly believe you're such a great wizard when you have nothing in the way of common sense?" Meg snapped, her voice so harsh it hurt Theo's ears. "What is wrong with you?"

"Seriously, beggars can't be choosers," Sam said.

They were right, Theo thought. He knew how much they had all risked – especially Meg – to come up with the only plan that might have some semblance of working. For Ryan to reject it meant he was throwing all their hard work back into their faces.

But...but looking at Ryan, breathing hard, refusing to back down, Theo couldn't help but think he had never seen the smug jerk of a wizard so fervent before. Like it or not, he couldn't dismiss it so easily.

"Wait." When Darian stood up as well, all heads whipped in her direction. Like always, she commanded attention as easily as breathing.

"Oh, no." Meg breathed out, shaking her head. "I don't think I'm going to like this...."

"You won't," Darian said, straightforward as ever. "Still, is it such a bad idea to let him come with us? Avia is his familiar, after all. Even without a contract, he should know how her Levia feels. With him around, we'll have an easier time searching for her."

"Yeah!" Ryan nodded vigorously. "You tell her!"

"But the Ensons will recognize him," Meg said, frustrated.

"Not if he's disguised. I brought my kit with me. Thought I might have to use it for myself, but I can spare some for him too. How about it?" Darian nodded at Ryan, who started. "We can pass him off as a relative of mine or something, who's also looking for a familiar."

"Eh?" Ryan wrinkled his nose. "No offense, shrimp, but you really think anyone's gonna buy that?"

Theo groaned and slapped his forehead, but he didn't react half as dramatically as Sam, who jumped to her feet and shook her fists. "Oh my God! Would it kill you to stop complaining for once? We're trying to help you here!"

On the other hand, Darian remained unruffled. "If you don't think it's possible, then sit this one out. I'm just offering a way for you to get involved, since you wanted it so badly."

"I don't know...." Meg shifted from side to side, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. "I'm not sure they'll be happy if I add an extra person in at the last minute. It was already hard enough to get them to accept such a large group in the first place. If I hadn't used the Wetherill name, I don't know if they would have."

"Well, it can't hurt to give it a try," Darian said with a careless shrug. "That's if Ryan actually wants it, of course."

"I do!" Ryan burst out. "Okay? I don't care what kind of disguise I have to wear, I'm busting Avia out with my own hands."

He glared at the others as if daring them to challenge him, but Theo already knew that he wouldn't. Call him an idiot, but he really couldn't help being impressed by Ryan's fervor. Maybe it didn't stem from a place of genuine concern for Avia; maybe it was just his injured pride acting up. Still, if there was even the slightest chance....

"Meg, I think it's a good idea," he said, turning to his mentor. "Besides, if we have Ryan with us, he and Avia will be able to fight together when we free her. We'll need all the firepower we can get if we're going to free the other prisoners, right?"

Sighing, Meg pressed her fingertips to her forehead. "I suppose you have a point."

"Wait, wait, wait wait wait." Ryan waved his hands in front of his face. "Hold up. Did you just say 'freeing the other prisoners?'"

"That's right." Theo fixed Ryan with a steely smirk. "What, did you think we were just going to get your familiar out and leave all the rest? Not a chance."

"We're freeing everyone from those evil Ensons!" Sam declared, slamming her fist into her palm.

"Holy fuck." Ryan tangled his hands in his hair. "Holy fucking fuck. You guys are fucking insane."

Theo stepped toward him. "So? You wanna back out now?"

Ryan shook his head a couple of times, then drew in a deep breath and looked Theo right in the eye. To Theo's shock, a savage grin twisted his face.

"You kidding? Count me in."