really was, and it was glorious.
Slowly, I commanded the cranes all back into the bins, and then pulled their magic back into me. I took in the rush of it, allowed the magic to resettle in me, and then looked around at the group.
"I know it's a lot to absorb," I said, "and I want you to know that what I'm about to ask you, you don't have to say yes. It's a big deal."
"Get to the good stuff, babe," Stacy said, leaning back with one arm resting on the arm of the easy chair.
And so ... I got to the good stuff. I explained, as simply as I could, what was going on with Davina, what had been happening in the town, and what we were up against. I included a brief explanation of what happened with Millie, and about the mind-control effect. Nick lowered his eyes as I went through that part, and Peach glanced at him, then away. I didn't have time to try to convince either of them now, but at least, if something happened to me later, I had planted the seed.
"So, this Davina," Grace said. "She really wants to kill you?"
"Yeah," I said. "She really does. But I think, with your help, we can do this. What I need are..." I looked back at Cain, who gave a short nod: keep going. I turned back to them. "What I need are conduits."
I stood there for a long moment, waiting for the questions to come. What are conduits, how does it work, why should I do this for you, et cetera, to be followed by the immediate exodus of the lot of them.
"You got it," Addie said. "What do we do?"
"Well," I said, a little caught off guard, "let me explain first. This is a big deal. It basically involves giving over your free will to me for a while, and - "
Grace leaned forward. "Is that what the cups are for?" She lifted one and sniffed it. "Smells like Dr Pepper."
"Well, Cain has tried to make it as palatable as possible, but before you drink any - "
Grace downed the contents of her cup. "Oh, yum."
"Grace!" I said. "Wait, I need to explain - "
Addie grabbed hers and took a sip, then gave a little shudder. "Oooh. It's got a bit of a kick there."
"Guys, wait you have to let me tell you what this is going to do to you."
Stacy grabbed her cup and threw it back like a shot of vodka. "The trick is, open your throat and just pour."
I started to feel a little dizzy; the power coming from them already was making my limbs tingle. I had known that Stacy was in, and I'd planned on working with just her if necessary. I hadn't thought I'd have more than two at the most, but as they all reached for the cups and downed them, I found myself reeling with the heady effects of it.
"Okay, wait!" I said, putting my hand on my forehead as I tried to remember all the stuff I'd intended to tell them before they made their decision. "It's a small dose, gonna last twenty-four, maybe forty-eight hours. It also ... it could hurt a little, although we're not sure because this is a new thing for us. You might lose time, not remember everything. And ... shit. Guys, hold on a minute."
"Calm down, sweetheart," Addie said. "I went to college in the sixties. You think this scares me?" She looked at Stacy. "Open the throat, you say?"
Stacy nodded, and Addie threw the rest of her drink back, slamming her cup on the table and belching afterward.
I blinked hard, trying to wrap my mind around what was happening. Finally, when I could speak again, I could only say, "Thank you."
Grace winked at me, then looked at her hands. "I'm feeling a little tingly. Is that right?"
I glanced back at Cain, and he moved forward. "Yeah, that's about right. Now you guys need to spread out. Go home, and come back here at sunset. If you're too close, y'all are going to exhaust Liv and we won't be able to get this off the ground."
Grace and Addie filed out, murmuring to themselves about the power they were feeling flowing through them.
"Hey," Nick said, rummaging through the empty cups. "Where's mine?"
"Oh." I shook my head, working to keep my equilibrium with all the heightened power running through me. Even with just Stacy and Peach in the room, I was