“She doesn’t like Wheeler,” said Sin.

“None of us like Wheeler,” said Xena, “but we all came.”

“She’s coming,” said Danny. “When she finishes her chores.”

“Her parents treat her like a child,” said Xena.

“Her parents treat her like an adult who has to do her share of the work,” said Danny. “It’s the whining that turns it into something only children do.”

“That means you’ve got the money for Pat’s ticket,” said Wheeler. “Pay for me to get in, and then you and Pat can go get more money from your aunt.”

“You’re so clever when you’re spending other people’s money,” said Laurette.

“No he’s not,” said Hal.

“Come on,” said Wheeler.

Danny counted out the cash.

“Why didn’t your aunt just give you a credit card?” asked Wheeler.

Danny handed the money to Hal. “Spend it all in one place,” he said.

“Hal gets to carry the cash because, like, he’s our daddy now?” said Sin.

Hal handed the money to Laurette.

“What does this make me, the mommy?” asked Laurette.

“How can you stand being with these repulsive drowthers?”

Danny had felt Hermia arrive, but the others were visibly startled.

“Oh, the traitor bitch expects to come with us now?” said Sin.

“Why aren’t you dead?” asked Laurette.

Hermia ignored them. “Danny, we need to talk.”

“Talk,” said Danny.

“Without the children,” said Hermia.

Danny wasn’t going to play along. It was dangerous to be alone with Hermia.

“I could send them away,” said Hermia.

“No, you could only take them away and come back without them,” said Danny, “and they’d have to hold your hands, which I doubt they’d do.”

“How do you know I haven’t learned to send people without touching them?” asked Hermia.

“Have you?” asked Danny.

“No,” said Hermia. “But it’s stupid of you to underestimate me the way you always do.”

“I never underestimated you,” said Danny. “I trusted you.”

“See?” said Wheeler. “I’m not the only stupid one.”

“I always acted in your best interests,” said Hermia, “even if you were too ignorant to know what your best interest actually was.”

“Which is more dangerous,” Danny asked his friends, “the man who swears to kill me, or the friend who knows better than me?”

“The most dangerous is Set, the one who made your own hands kill your lady love,” said Hermia.

In the moment, Pat appeared. But she said nothing.

“Of course your lady love knew the moment I showed up,” said Hermia. “What took you so long, O thou omniscient lover?”

“I knew you’d have to talk for a while before you did anything,” said Pat mildly. “So I had time to wash my hands before I came.”

“Outnumbering a gatemage is pointless,” said Hermia.