I told him. He wasn’t happy about a few of them, but since I was in charge, he couldn’t do anything about it. Once the team understood, they moved to their positions to wait for the signal. I pulled Flea aside before he joined the monkeys.

He shook off my hand and stared at the ground.

“Flea, we need to talk.”

No response, but he didn’t turn away.

“You’re going to need my energy to break the stasis trapping Estrid and the others.”

His gaze snapped to mine. “What if I don’t want to free them? No one asked me.”

“Didn’t Ryne discuss—”

“No, he just assumed I’d do it.”

“Then why didn’t you say something sooner?”

“’Cause I’m gonna do it. It’s important. It’s just... I don’t want to use my powers. Look at what you did to Yuri with yours. It’s horrible. I hate magic.”

Flea had rotten timing. “I understand. I’m hating it, too, right now. But let’s just get through this mission, and we’ll talk it through, okay?”

“There won’t be anything to discuss. Once this mission is complete, I’m done using magic.”

“It is your choice, Flea. Let’s hope Sepp lied when he claimed he’d put Belen into a magical stasis.”

“I’d wake Belen.”

“Why?”

“He’s my friend.”

“Oh, so you’ll help your friends but not the strangers who also need you?”

“Yes,” Flea said with a belligerent tone.

“Hmm. Maybe I should do the same thing. I’d have more energy and not as many scars. Except...”

Flea refused to take the bait. He kept his sullen expression.

“Except, Poppa Bear would be disappointed in me, and I’d have a hard time sleeping at night, so I guess I’m stuck helping everyone.” I shrugged. “Anyway, for this mission, you’ll need me to share my energy with you. Will you be able to?”

“Yes. Is that all?”

I studied Flea, hoping this new attitude was just his way of dealing with his magic. Eventually, he’d accept it. Unless my mistake with Yuri had scared him away from using his magic for good. Yet another consequence of my actions.

“Yeah, we’re done. For now,” I said.

* * *

Perched on a low limb of a maple tree, I peered at the dark manor house. No lanterns glowed in any of the rooms facing our direction. A good sign. Bursts of laughter from the soldiers’ camp floated on the chilly air. Other noises reached us as well, but none indicated distress. The moonlight cast shadows on the ground. At three-quarters full, it provided almost too much illumination for my comfort.