Twain hesitated. He glanced at Felix. Sabelyn and Lilith have my friends and family as hostages. This won’t be that easy. “Actually…”

“A—a cavern? Right now? Already?” Felix asked, backing away. The blush grew deeper.

“What? I—my friends are being held hostage, I… what?”

Felix shook his head. “Huh? Nothing. I don’t know anything. Wait—hostage? Where?”

“I don’t know where. Somewhere with water. A dungeon. I… don’t have any more than that.” He ran a hand over his face. If it’s between the world and them… no, it’s an impossible choice. I can’t think that way.

“If I knew the general area of where they were and their name, I could talk to them—no, what am I saying? What would that do?” Felix muttered to himself, frowning.

“Wait, if you can message people—” No, okay, he didn’t know where I was or my real name. That wouldn’t have helped. And messaging one of the hostages is pointless, too, as much as I want to talk to Dayander or Cel or Moss and confirm they’re still alive. They won’t be in any shape to reply coherently. Besides, who knows how the spell works? Messaging them could very well alert the guards that we’re planning something, and sabotage it all from the start. Twain frowned, a hand to his chin.

A silent moment passed.

Felix shook his head. “Maybe… maybe we… tell Sabelyn that we’re surrendering? Maybe she’ll give up the hostages…”

“Kill them out of spite, more like,” Twain muttered.

Felix flinched. “Yeah.”

A second later, Twain’s eyes lit up. “You can message anyone? Multiple anyones?”

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Felix nodded.

“Then, listen…”

--

Reihann ducked her head toward them again. “Are you done?”

“We’re as ready as we can be, I think,” Twain said, sucking in a breath.

Felix nodded hesitantly. “I think so.”

He nodded at Felix. “Spar is outside. Mind if he comes along?”

“Outside? What’s he doing outside?” Felix asked, brows furrowing.

Reihann snorted lightly. “You didn’t invite him in.”

“I—no, of course, of course Spar can come in! He’s been out in the rain this whole time?” Felix asked, aghast.

“I was just giving the couple some room,” Spar replied, voice echoing into the cavern. Twain and Felix turned upward to find him leaning against the entrance in human form.

“Couple? What couple?” Twain replied, rolling his eyes.

“Y-yeah, what couple,” Felix muttered.

Spar rolled his eyes back at Twain. “Gods, Twain, you couldn’t be any more oblivious.”

Oblivious how? To what? He squinted at Spar.

Spar waved his unasked question away. “I’ll enlighten you later. For now, let’s go save the world.”

Felix twisted his hands. “Save the world. Can I really…”

“You’re the Mage-Emperor. If you can’t, who can?” Twain replied.

“No pressure,” Felix chuckled nervously.

Twain grabbed him by the shoulders and stared into Felix’s eyes. “You can do this, Felix. Everything we’ve talked about, you can do it all. You’re just as powerful as Xenozar—as the Dark King. There’s nothing that can stop you short of him.”

“I know, but…” He stared at his feet and shook his head.

“I’ll be there, too. Right beside you, the whole time.”

Felix glanced up, big puppy-dog eyes shimmering. “Really?”

“Really,” Twain agreed.

Felix paused for one more instant. “C… can I still call you Mouse?”

Twain furrowed his brows. “Why?”

“I… no reason. It’s not important. I’ll call you Twain.”

Twain shrugged. “You can still call me Mouse if you like. All the princesses do.”

Felix’s eye widened. “Then—then I’ll call you Twain!”

What on earth is he going on about? Twain shook his head and mussed Felix’s hair. “Alright, alright. Whatever makes you happy.”

Felix grinned back up at him, hair slightly askew. Twain smiled back. Too cute.

Wait, wait, what am I thinking? That’s the Mage-Emperor! He shook his head and started toward the cave entrance. “Let’s get out of here.”

Wind rushed. Leathery wings snapped against the sky. Reihann lifted off the ground and plopped down in front of them, blocking the way out. “Not so fast.”

Twain stumbled back, an arm out in front of Felix. “Reihann, we have to—”

She ducked down, baring her back to them. “Climb on. You aren’t going anywhere without me.”