“I kind of thought you guys were my family,” said Danny. “You didn’t spend my whole childhood despising me and threatening to kill me if I couldn’t raise a clant.”

“The question isn’t whether you want to fight in a war,” said Wheeler. “It’s going to happen, and it’s going to involve you.”

“Why?” asked Xena. “Why does he have to get involved? Why can’t he just study for the SAT like everybody else?”

“First,” said Hal, “Danny doesn’t study for anything, ever.”

They all nodded their agreement.

“I study,” said Danny.

“Like, never,” said Laurette.

“I studied. When I was home schooled,” said Danny. “High school just hasn’t caught up to what I already learned.”

“Second,” said Hal.

“Thus proving that Hal can count all the way to two without losing his place,” said Sin.

“Second, and this is the actual point: When people start getting hurt, Danny’s going to get involved. Because he’s the only combat medical officer in the whole war.”

Danny remembered how carefully the family always avoided discussing why casualties had been so much higher in the wars since 632 A.D. Everyone’s powers were reduced, but there were no gatemages to heal people. Now there was Danny. And the North Family undoubtedly expected that Danny would use his healing gates only for the good-guy team.

“That’s why I don’t want to talk to my family about anything,” said Danny. “Because sooner or later they’re going to catch on that I intend to use gates to heal everybody.”

“On both sides,” said Pat, as if to make sure he really meant it.

“On all three sides,” said Danny. “Because whenever there’s a war among the gods, they end up using drowthers as surrogates. Mage-to-mage combat is rare and potentially destructive. So they’re going to get the Danae to come attack the Trojans.”

“‘Danae’ is what the Greeks in the Iliad called each other,” Wheeler explained to Xena.

“And where did you learn that?” asked Xena.

“From a role-playing game in fourth grade,” said Wheeler.

“I’m so tired I could die,” said Danny. “That’s one thing that passing through a gate doesn’t fix. I’m fit, I could run for miles right now and hardly feel it, but my brain needs to sleep. I think if I did run I’d fall asleep doing it.”

“What do you think these guys will do now that they’re, like, really powerful?” asked Wheeler.

“Is this going to be like NASCAR, Wheels?” asked Hal. “Are you going to pick your favorite Family and root for them in the wizard war finals?”