The three of us--El, Felix, and me--are sitting on El's bed in her room. We migrated into there instead of lingering in the kitchen in case El's dad comes out of his office for lunch, or one of her siblings comes home unexpectedly. We know that Felix's presence won't go over well with El's parents, and they would be even more upset if they overheard what we were discussing. They always knock before coming into El's, so even if we're interrupted, Felix will have a few seconds to hide himself in the closet or under the bed.

He's not particularly thrilled about this plan, but reluctantly agrees.

He's sitting awkwardly on the very edge of the bed, teetering like he's about to fall off. It's like he thinks we're going to bite him, or that he doesn't want to give the impression that we're all friends now or something.

"I've spent the last few days doing research," he's saying, and though I'm still frowning distrustfully at him with my arms cross over my chest, El is leaning in with eager excitement. "My mom is a huge nerd about historical figures, and she's a pretty passionate amateur genealogist. There are gaps in the records, but she thinks she's found anecdotal evidence that her family line may be directly descended from Merlin's. She's done probably as much research on him and his life as any magical historian, and I had access to enough resources to make me think that I might be able to discover the location of Merlin's final resting place."

"Wait," I say, shaking my head. I want to hear what Felix had to say, I want to believe that he might have an idea that could help me, but this is all too much to swallow. "But isn't all that Merlin and Arthur stuff just made up legends? All those stories about Merlin are combinations of myths and legendary figures built up on top of each other over the centuries. We learned all this last year in Ancient Magical History. Almost nothing is really known about the real Merlin."

"More is known about the real Merlin than we learn in 11th grade history classes, Adam," Felix tells me, his eyebrow raised in an infuriatingly condescending way. I have the urge to rip it right off. 

He continues: "It's like how they teach you the basic stuff in physics in school, but they aren't going to go into the complexities of quarks and quasars and dark matter. Even if your teacher knows about that stuff, there's just too much to cover. You can take entire courses at Hecate University about the life of Merlin, and see how the true facts of who he was and what he did can be pulled out of the varying accounts of magicians. There's still a lot that isn't known, like exactly where he was buried, but he was certainly real, he definitely had ten times the amount of power that any magician alive today has access to, and he wielded a staff. Merlin's staff has gone down in history as much as the man himself, and I can't think of anything better for you to use to control and direct your magic."

"Mr. Donovan thinks that the key in mastering my magic is in abandoning artifacts like wands all together," I say doubtfully. "Ms. Cross wants me to go train with a traditional healer who uses wandless magic, and might be able to teach me how to control the flow better."

But Felix is shaking his head. "This late in your life? You've hardly been any better off using your magic without a wand than with one. It's the same problem. You never learned how to manage, control, or direct your powers when you were a kid, and now you're too old. It's like learning a language. Little kids can pick up a new language in a few months, but some adults can never become fluent. Trying to master wandless magic might work if you practice at it every day for the next ten years, but clearly, the Council isn't going to wait around that long for you to figure it out. But Merlin's staff... you already know how to use a wand, you just can't because they aren't powerful enough to contain all the energy you pump into them. The staff would solve that problem entirely."

"What makes you an expert in my magic all of a sudden?" I ask, irritated. "Why do you think you know better than Mr. Donovan and Ms. Cross?"

"I've been in classes with you for three years, Adam. I've had a front row seat to what you can and can't do with your magic."

"I've been training privately with Mr. Donovan for three years, I think he'd know better than you."

But Felix just waves my words away. "But they think that wandless magic is the only option left to you. They haven't considered trying to get you a tool with a bigger magical capacity."

"And have you considered that maybe they haven't tried that because it's impossible? Because no one know where this supposed staff is, or if it even still exists?"

"But I know where it is--or at least, where it might be. Look, I'm not here to force you to go on a wild goose chase for Merlin's staff. I just don't think you deserve what's probably coming to you, and I wanted to tell you my idea. You don't have to take it. It's none of my business what you do now. I've told you what I think, and the ball's in your court. I just thought you ought to have all the information."

He leans back and crosses his arms over his chest, and nearly falls right off the edge of the bed. He has to do an undignified little wiggle to keep himself from toppling over.

El looks at me, her brows knitted together, and I tear my eyes away from Felix's ridiculous spectacle.

"Honestly, Adam, I think it's a good idea," she says, and I can tell by the tone of her voice that she expects an argument from me.

I don't disappoint her. "A good idea? To just run off and try to find something which has been lost for something like 1500 years, which no other magician has ever been able to find, on the off chance that it might be slightly more useful than going to Mexico? While the Council has a warrant out for my arrest, and the MRF are probably planning on kidnapping me the moment I step out of this house? Oh yeah," I snort, "that sounds like a great idea to me."

"Felix is right," she insists. "You struggle with wandless magic because you can't filter what you have access to. You have nothing to store it in, and then it's just at the mercy of your thoughts and emotions. When you're not overloading your wand you can manage spells pretty decently. If you just had something that can handle more power than a wand, you'd have your fire hose to siphon off the excess, rather than a straw. It's what I was trying to think of before, but I'd never considered the possibility of being able to actually rediscover an artifact like Merlin's staff."

"I still don't think he can," I snap, jerking my head towards Felix.

"You've got a lot more to lose by not even trying though," he snaps right back.

I'm fuming, but I think it over.

If I go to Mexico, I'll be committed to staying there for however long it takes to learn to control my magic. And as far as I know, that could be forever. The Council will never let me back once they've made the vote to strip me of my magic, and if I can't ever get a handle on my power, I won't ever be able to return. I wouldn't mind going to Mexico for a visit, but the thought of leaving behind everything and everyone I know to be trapped there for the rest of my life makes me feel like I'm going to be sick.

If there really is another way...

"We should tell Ms. Cross," I finally say slowly. "She might be able to help-"

"No!" El and Felix both cut me off simultaneously.

"She'll never go for it," Felix says.

"She'll want to stick to the sure thing, to the Mexico plan, which has way less of a chance of going horribly wrong," adds El. "If we do this, we can't tell anyone."

"Do what?" I demand, more frustrated than ever. "I still haven't heard an actual plan proposed by anyone."

"That's because you keep interrupting me," Felix replies coolly. "I told you, I've been doing research since we were sent home on Monday, and I have a plan."

He does.

Felix's family has money, and he has his own credit card and his own bank account full of about sixteen year's worth of allowances and birthday money, equaling a figure that nearly makes my head spin. Merlin's final resting place is in Europe, and he has more than enough money for round trip tickets and lodging. He swears he has an idea of where the grave might be, or at least a way of finding it once he gets close enough to its general location.

"After that, we just break into it, grab the staff, apologize to the pile of Merlin's bones, and hope on a plane back home," he finishes with a shrug. "We can be back in California with the staff in less than a week. Maybe even three days. The Council might never realize you were gone at all. They'll make their decision to put it to a vote, and you can kick open the chamber doors and stroll in with the staff held high like a returning champion, and they'll have no choice but to back off."

"And what about the MRF?" I ask, frowning.

"I doubt anyone will want to mess with you once you've got Merlin's staff in your hand," Felix points out. "Plus you could always make some kind of public statement about how you'd never turn your back on the Council and how you bear them no ill will once it's all over, which would probably dissuade any MRF member from coming after you."

"I bear the Council plenty of ill will."

"Sure, but you don't want the MRF knowing that, do you? Besides, it isn't like the Council has it out for you on a personal level. They're just trying to protect the magical world."

"You mean like how you never had it out for me on a personal level, you just resented me for what I'm capable of?" I say with scathing sarcasm.

"Exactly," he replies, not seeming to register my tone in the slightest.

I slump back onto El's pile of pillows and stare up at the ceiling.

"Okay," I say. "Fine. Okay. I'll do it. I'll try to find the staff."

It will be better than just laying around at El's house, waiting for the axe to fall. At least, that's what I try to tell myself.

Felix looks a little taken aback, and I get the sense he didn't seriously expect me to agree. He gets over his surprise quickly though, and jumps to his feet.

"Alright then. We'd better get going as soon as possible. We need to get on a plane before anyone ever realizes you're gone. You should start packing immediately."

"We're already packed," El replies, also jumping up from the bed, her eyes shining with excitement. "Although we're packed for a more tropical climate... I can make some adjustments in a few minutes of you can wait."

"Actually," Felix says, and he winces slightly. "Actually, I think it would be better if you stayed here to run damage control."

I sit up quickly to stare at El. Her tiny body has gone all tense.

"You expect me to stay behind while Adam and you go traversing all across Europe on the hunt for one of the most magical artifacts that has ever existed?" she hisses.

"I think he's right, El," I say reluctantly, and I swing my legs off the bed so I can stand up as well. "Your parents will freak out if both you and me take off without warning, They can't control what I do, but you can't just disappear like that. Especially not if there's a chance that the MRF will be on the look out to grab me the minute I leave this house. I don't think I'd ever forgive myself if something happened to you because you were seen with me, and I know your parent's would forgive me if I dragged you along in something you don't have to get involved with. Besides, Ms. Cross will blow a gasket if she comes back to find me gone. It might be better if you stayed behind to explain where I've gone in that case. You can try to keep her and anyone else off my trail, until I have a chance to look for the staff."

"Why does he need to go then?" she demands, pointing an accusing finger at Felix.

"Because I'm the one who's already done all the research, who has the best chance of finding the grave, and has all money to make it happen," he retorts.

"El, if you just take off without warning, what do you think your parents will do?" I ask her.

She doesn't respond at first, silently fuming instead.

"El?" I press.

"They'd use a tracking spell on me," she eventually mutters through grit teeth.

"And that'll lead them and Ms. Cross and everyone else right to us. They'd probably show up in Europe to take us all back to America by force before we could find the staff."

"They could track you too," she says, but I'm already shaking my head.

"No, they can't. All my stuff, all my belongings were destroyed in the fire. My room is gone, and everything I've ever owned, except the clothes I was wearing that day. There isn't anything left of mine to use a tracking spell on."

It's obvious that El wants to argue, but she's gone red in the face while trying to think of another point to make in her own defense.

"...Fine," she eventually spits. "Go to Europe without me; I'll stay here and do all the dirty work to cover your tracks."

She storms out of the room, slamming the door behind her.