“Notice how he’s not actually denying it,” said Hal.

“I would deny it if I knew what you were accusing me of.” Danny realized once again that it’s always a mistake to equivocate. If you’re going to lie then just lie. Don’t try to make it technically true or almost true or truish.

“I didn’t think we should call it an intervention,” said Hal. “I thought we should call it an ultimatum.” He seemed really angry.

“Admit to this crazy stuff you’re accusing me of, or else,” said Danny.

“That’s what an ultimatum is, all right,” said Hal.

“What’s the ‘else’?” asked Danny.

“Or else you’re not really our friend.”

Danny knew they were right, but also they were wrong. They couldn’t possibly understand what telling them would mean. It’s one thing to think your friend has some connection with mysterious stuff. But if they found out what he was, they either wouldn’t believe him or they’d pressure him to demonstrate it, and he wasn’t going to make any more damn gates at Parry McCluer.

“If you were really my friends,” said Danny, “you wouldn’t decide what the answer is and then threaten to ostracize me if I don’t tell you that you’re right.”

“Then what’s the answer?” asked Sin. “We’re not going to tell anybody.”

“Let’s say I admit I’m some kind of fairy. You promise not to tell. But since you already think you know it, and you also promise not to tell, then how would my telling you change anything?”

“You don’t trust us,” said Wheeler.

“What if I’m some kind of magical guy. Have I done anything evil with it? Hurt anybody?”

“I think Coach Bleeder landed on his ass a couple of times because of you,” said Hal.

“Did it ever occur to you that if I had these powers, maybe I was keeping secrets from you for your own good?”

“There are some things that humankind is not meant to know,” intoned Laurette.

“‘If I tell you, I have to kill you,’” quoted Xena.

“Let’s put the shoe on the other foot, where it belongs,” said Danny. “If we’re such good friends, why would you threaten to stop being my friends if I don’t tell you something that, if it’s true, I clearly want to keep to myself?”

Sin stuck out her feet. “How does that put my shoes on the other feet? These are the only feet I have.”

Nothing he did was going to help. Because Danny knew from the family history where this led. You tell drowthers what you are, then you have to show them. And once they see it, they get scared of you, and either they avoid you or they try to become your servant because it’s human nature to want to be close to power.