A few minutes later, Mouse emerged from his room, fully dressed and graceful. Felix stood against the wall opposite, eyes half-shut. He stood upright and brushed himself off as the door creaked shut behind Mouse.

“Er… sorry. I really… I’ll knock next time.”

“Thank you. Please do,” Mouse replied. If he’d gotten an eyeful of male-me, that wouldn’t have ended so happily.

Felix glanced at Mouse again. Surreptitiously, Mouse checked his shape. They tied them down pretty well. I don’t think I look much different from Moss, now.

“Back when everyone swapped, you… started to giggle too, right?” Felix asked, tipping his head.

Mouse stiffened. Shit! “Ah, yes. What a coincidence! Your purification has never felt ticklish before.” He tipped his head and put a hand on his chin. “I wonder if it was starting to affect me during the purification, but the purification staved it off?”

Felix gave him a long look, his brows furrowed.

Sweat broke out on Mouse’s back. He smiled to hide his nervous swallow. C’mon. Believe me, please. If you figure it out now…

“Mmm. See, that’s… I was thinking about that,” Felix said, nodding.

Thank goodness. He fell for it. Mouse let out a breath of relief.

“That can’t be how it works. Purification only works on blight, it’s useless against wild magic. The purification should have done nothing.”

Mouse’s stomach flipped over. Adrenaline shot through his veins. “Ah, haha, sometimes magic works in mysterious ways! Especially wild magic. You can never tell exactly how it’s going to do what it does!”

Felix shook his head. “No… it can’t have been purification. Instead, you…”

Licking his lips, Mouse backed toward the door. Extending his hand behind him, he gripped the doorknob. I have plenty of knock-out agents in my room. Grab one of those, KO him, brew something up to modify his memories, and—

“…you must have been considered part of me,” Felix finished.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Huh?” Mouse froze, mid-twist. The door creaked slightly behind him.

“I think it was my magic. Er, I don’t know how to say this without sounding egoistic, but… er, my magic is quite strong.”

“You are the Mage-Emperor,” Mouse allowed, smiling gently. Relief flooded through him. Whatever works. If he decided it didn’t work on us because he’s the Moon Goddess herself, I’d agree with him right now, blasphemy though it might be.

Felix frowned. “But, ah, all that aside. I did figure out a clue earlier, something that might help you in your brewing—that’s what I originally came here for.”

“Yes?” Mouse tipped his head. Anything, as long as it isn’t that previous topic of conversation. That wasn’t good for my heart.

“Wild magic does poorly around silver. Earlier, I was playing with your moonlight element, and I made a silver flame. A silver flame… that seems to nullify wild magic.” He gestured. Silver flame materialized in his hand and danced there, translucent but brilliant. It gave off a gentle, pale light, not unlike moonlight.

Felix reached out and snagged a passing servant. The servant looked at him, confused, dress torn at the back between their broader shoulders, long dark hair still tucked into a prim bun. He touched the flame to the servant.

In an instant, the servant was consumed by the flames. Mouse and the servant both screamed. Mouse charged forward and knocked the servant out of Felix’s grip, drawing them into his arms to stifle the flames. At the same moment, he pushed outward. Moonlight burst from him in a wave of silver light, nullifying the moonlight-element magic. He narrowed his eyes at Felix. Has he gone mad?

Wait. It doesn’t hurt to breathe?

He looked down at the servant. A pretty, dark-haired girl stared back up at him, brows furrowed. I’m back? she mouthed. She reached out and touched Mouse’s flat chest.

Mouse’s eyes went wide. He looked at the servant girl, then down at himself. What the fuck—

The servant in his arms ballooned back up in size again, her tortured dress ripping anew. His own body twisted as well, chest suddenly shoving back into the bandages. Mouse let out a faint oof as the servant girl broke out into tears.

He glanced over his shoulders. Felix didn’t notice, did he?

Felix rushed over, panicked, and hovered, hands desperately reaching out but never quite touching. “I—I’m so sorry! I didn’t think, I was, I was so caught up, I forgot you didn’t know… the flames, they’re harmless! All they do is dispel wild magic… temporarily.”

Nope. Doesn’t look like he did. Mouse let out a relieved breath.

The servant shot him a dirty look. She shoved out of Mouse’s arms and hurried away, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“S… sorry,” Felix mumbled, staring guiltily after her.

Mouse shook his head, feeling for the servant girl. Poor thing. “Warn us, next time.”

“Of course, of course,” Felix replied.

Taking a deep breath, and feeling the bandages pull against his chest as he did, Mouse nodded at Felix. “That silver flame is intriguing. Could you show me the steps to cast it?”

“Certainly! I came here to do that… I should have… yes. Sorry, again.” He nodded, then held out his hands. “Er, can I touch? It’s easiest if you…”

Mouse offered his hands.