"You're kidding," Meg said instantly.
Ryan lifted his hands to his face as if trying to ward off a blow. "No, I swear I – "
"Why are you demanding this of us in particular?" Meg's glare could freeze fires. "You don't like us, we don't like you. Even if you don't want to involve your parents, surely you have other wizard friends. No need to drag us into your mess."
"No, that, that...." Ryan dragged his hands up and down his face. "They'd rat me out to my parents. But you guys wouldn't. Right?"
He dropped his hands, turning from face to face with beseeching eyes. A grotesque sight to say the least, but it made the sickening pity inside Theo curl up and tighten.
"I'm touched," Meg said dryly.
"Please!" Ryan burst out, now turning the full force of his pleading upon Theo. "I don't like saying this, but you're one of the few people who's ever defeated me. I know you're strong enough to do this. I wouldn't ask you if I didn't think so."
"Okay...." Theo pinched the bridge of his nose. "Thanks for the flattery, I guess, but come on...you really want us to jailbreak Avia? I didn't even know about these Ensons until just now."
"I can help you with that." Ryan leaned forward eagerly. "I've got an idea where the Enson prison is. It's got to be somewhere around the nearest natural portal."
"Natural portal? What's that?" Sam asked.
"There are areas where the barrier between the worlds is thinner and crossing is easier." Darian spoke, to Theo's surprise. "I'm assuming the nearest natural portal is the same one Sir Zenith and I came through, which means it would be the one at Silver Beach. Am I correct?"
She looked sharply at Ryan, and he nodded.
"Silver Beach? That's only an hour from here," Theo said, amazed.
Meg nodded. "Why else do you think so many wizards congregate in this city? It's because we're close to a natural portal, so it's easier to find familiars. The same story's true in various locations throughout the world."
Theo wouldn't lie; he was relieved to see Meg back in teaching mode. At least he was more used to this than her jibes and insults toward Ryan, no matter how well-deserved they might be.
"They've gotta have their base there, since they'll want to be near a source of familiars. I don't know where exactly, but we can find it." Ryan spoke faster, his voice rising in excitement.
An excitement nobody else shared. "You're talking like we've already agreed to help you," Meg said frostily.
"Come on!" Ryan slapped his thighs loud enough to make Theo wince. "I swear once I get Avia back, I'll use all the Crowley resources at my disposal to reward you guys."
"You're going to pay us?" Suddenly Darian looked interested.
"Um." Coughing, Ryan blushed. "Well, uh, we're kinda getting ahead of ourselves here...."
"I don't want your money," Theo said hotly. "Then it'd feel even more like you're just hiring us commoners to do your dirty work."
Meg whipped toward him. "Surely you're not saying you're considering it, Theo?"
Theo shook his head, trying to ward off a rising headache. "I haven't decided anything yet."
"It'll be fine. Like I said, I can guide you." Ryan waved his arms frantically.
"You want us to drop all our plans and go gallivanting off to Silver Beach to hunt around for some prison that may or may not exist and bust out your familiar, who got captured because of what you admitted was your own carelessness." With each word, Meg's tone grew sterner. "Have I got that all correct? You really don't know the meaning of inconveniencing others, do you."
"Come on, it's summer break," Ryan whined.
"I can't imagine accomplishing all of that in one day, so we would need to arrange lodging as well. Thought of that, brat?"
"What's the problem?" Ryan shot back. "Don't you Wetherills have a beach house there?"
Theo's heart jumped when Meg drove her fist into the arm of the couch. "Have you not heard a word I've said?" she hissed. "I'm no longer a Wetherill, and all the better for it. I am not going to drop everything I've built these past five years and pick up that name again for your convenience."
Her entire body was quivering, every line taut with fury. Theo wouldn't lie, he found her passion almost terrifying – yet he admired it, too. It reminded him of Victor, and while thinking about Victor always hurt, he'd never stopped admiring that part of his brother, the part that refused to be defined by others' expectations of him. Including Theo's.
He suddenly wondered what it would be like if Meg and Victor had a proper conversation. Maybe she'd be able to reach him where Theo couldn't.
What kind of random crap was he thinking about? He had to focus on the situation at hand.
Ryan was sputtering, yanking at his hair again. "I just – I – please, I just don't know what to do. You guys are seriously my last resort. If, if my parents find out, they're gonna kill me. They trusted me with Avia and then I go and let this happen...and Avia, what's she gonna think...."
Theo jerked his head up, heart slamming. He hadn't misheard, had he?
Since when did Ryan care what Avia thought? To him she was just a fighting machine. Yet Theo couldn't deny the words that had just come out of Ryan's mouth.
He breathed in, but couldn't get in much air through the curious tightness gripping his chest.
He stood up. The others turned toward him, and Zenith took a step closer, but Theo offered him a slight smile and waved him off. Step by step, Theo crossed the carpet until he stood directly in front of Ryan.
Ryan blinked, looking so young and lost Theo couldn't remember how he'd ever been intimidated by the other wizard. "Ryan, look...I understand you're desperate. But this isn't something we can just agree to on the spot. Okay? We have to talk this over among ourselves. Then we'll let you know."
"Oh, come on." Ryan groaned. "How long are you gonna take? I can't wait forever."
Dislike stirred inside Theo, so familiar he almost welcomed it. "Beggars can't be choosers," he snapped. Then, softening his voice, he said, "I know we can't take too long. How about...by this evening? We'll contact you and let you know what we've decided."
For a moment, Ryan looked poised to argue some more, but then he let out a noisy sigh and lowered his head. "Fine. Okay."
"Okay. Um, guess I need your contact information? Could I have your number?"
"Ugh." Ryan's mouth twitched. "No offense, but I don't know about putting your number in my address book. Just saying."
"You jerk!" Sam yelled, rounding on him. "You already realize this is way more than you deserve, don't you? The least you could do is be less of an asshole! Jerk!"
"She's right." Theo held out his phone and gestured with his free hand. "Let's exchange contacts. If you don't like it, then just leave and forget about ever getting our help."
"Fine." Wearing a long-suffering expression, Ryan slowly pulled out his own phone.
After they exchanged contacts, Ryan got up and glanced around awkwardly before clearing his throat and rubbing the back of his head. "Uh, then...guess I'll get going. And, uh...thanks."
"We haven't agreed to help you," Theo warned.
"I know." Ryan blew out a breath that stirred his messy bangs. "Just – thanks for hearing me out in the first place, y'know? That's...that's all."
He turned to the side, looking embarrassed. Theo's chest tightened further. It was easy to hate on Ryan when he was being his usual smug self, but seeing him so openly vulnerable made Theo unsure how he should react.
Thankfully, Meg swooped in for the rescue. "Not like we had much of a choice. You would've broken down my front door otherwise."