"Mother!" Teela greeted. "Come listen, Josiah's talking to us." Part of her knew this reprieve was temporary, but she was determined to live for the moment and enjoy her son's babbling.
Lana walked up to see her grandchild cooing and waving his tiny fist in the bed. "Are we talking, little one?" asked Lana sweetly. "Are we happy?"
"He took a bottle just ten minutes ago."
"That is good news," called Adam as he walked in the doorway. Teela threw him an assessing glance and could see immediately that her father was right; Adam was deeply troubled that he had been unsuccessful.
"Do you hear that Josiah? Daddy's here." Teela waved for Adam to come to the crib, a determined smile on her face. "He's getting better Adam. He's finally getting better." She placed her hand in his and pulled him close by her side.
Adam bit his lip and tried to share in Teela's joy even as Hutch's words echoed in his mind, limiting Josiah's time to three days at most. 'Was it all a trick to get to me? Did Keldor and Lyn somehow break the spell? Or is this just a brief reprieve?' He swallowed hard. 'Could it really be possible that Josiah is to be Eternia's sacrifice?'
Josiah did look better. But then Adam caught sight of Lyn's face, and knew his son wasn't really improving. He said nothing though. He simply held Teela close and drank in the sight of his son's innocent face, so different from the drawn, pain-filled look he had held only a day or two ago.
Lana pulled a chair close to the crib and sat heavily.
"You don't look well," commented Lyn to Lana. "You seem pale."
"I suppose it's all the worry for Josiah," Lana admitted. "My stomach has been upset for over a week and I've been so tired."
"Oh, Mother," said Teela, her worry finding a new focus for a moment, "are you sure you shouldn't lie down? Ramos has a cot in the next room. I'm sure Adam would bring it in for you."
"Of course," Adam agreed, already moving to get it.
"No dear," said Lana softly. "I'll be fine. We all will, when Josiah's better." Her objection came too late, however. Adam carted it in and motioned for Lana to move to it.
"Scoot," he teased.
Lana capitulated with an easy grace, sitting down with a sigh. She didn't lie down, though; there were too many people present for her to feel comfortable enough to sleep, even if she did need it.
There was a comfortable silence in the room, each person lost in their thoughts and reveling in the temporary peace. Then, without warning, Josiah's eyes drifted shut, and the monitors around him began beeping wildly. Teela stared at them in disbelief. "No!" she said in a horrified whisper. "No, no!"
Adam swallowed hard. This was it. He knew it with a startling clarity that had him wrapping his arms around Teela in an effort to comfort both her and himself. At the same time, there was a sad peace within him; he knew Josiah would go on to a very special place.
Lyn sprang into action, placing her hands on Josiah and drawing the evil power away from him. "It's too strong for me," she gasped. "I need help!"
Dree Elle didn't hesitate. She flew down and joined her power to Lyn's. Adam felt a faint stirring of hope and rebellion against what he believed was coming; almost frantically he closed his eyes and called Keldor via telepathy.
"Do you feel that?" squeaked Dree Elle.
Not realizing Adam was already calling for Keldor, Lyn had been about to contact him via telepathy. At Dree Elle's question, she refocused all of her attention to the spell. "Yes," she said excitedly after a few seconds.
"What?" demanded Adam, his arms tightening around Teela. "What is it?"
"There is something rising from your son. A strange misting of power. And the spell is no longer bound as strongly to him."
"Quick, Lyn, we have to think," urged Dree Elle. "If this is like a Trollan binding spell there is something that we have in common that allows us to weaken this spell. What could it be?"
Adam stared at them blankly. He couldn't imagine two beings more different than the small, soft-spoken Dree Elle and the tall, harsh, short-tempered Lyn.
"Both female?" Teela said aloud, starting with the obvious.
"Both married?" Lana suggested.
"Both magicians?" Adam guessed.
At each suggestion, Dree Elle shook her head. "Something stronger than that," she said, her eyes narrowing in concentration. "Oooh, If only we knew more about this spell!"
"Hutch said it was set on Josiah when he was still in the womb," Adam recalled suddenly, his eyes turning a dark, stormy blue.
"Could it be because you're both mothers?" theorized Lana, now standing beside her daughter and son-in-law.
"I don't think that's it," said Dree Elle. "It's got to be an even stronger bond, something more unusual. Bindings usually flow from something within the magicians casting or removing them. Like when Orko and I were married, all of the couples that help cast our spell were touching the one they love...unless..." Dree Elle trailed off for a minute, still drawing magic from Josiah as she concentrated, reflecting on what Adam had said. "Unless Lyn is a mother in the same way I'm a mother!"
Lyn's eyes flew open in shock.
"Are you with child too?" Dree asked forthrightly. Her tiny arms began to shake a bit as she pulled even more of the evil power to herself.
"No... I mean, I don't..." Lyn trailed off. She withdrew one hand for just a second and ran it over her abdomen, a look of concentration on her face. Her jaw dropped for a moment as her concentration completely faltered.
"I am," Lyn whispered, renewing her spell with even more enthusiasm as Keldor burst into the room.
Keldor rushed over to Lyn's side and was about to assist. "Stop," commanded Dree Elle. "This is a binding spell. We know now the relationship any sorceresses would have to have with each other before they can remove the spell. Mothers with child. Now it is a matter," gasped Dree Elle, "of finding enough sorceresses who are with child."
"Mothers with child?" Keldor repeated blankly.
"How are we going to do that?" asked Teela, her voice rising in panic once again.
"Serena, Castaspella, Glimmer…" Adam shook his head in frustration. The chances of any one of them being pregnant was unlikely, and time was short. They had to come up with something.
"Keldor, find someone," Lyn pleaded. Apparently still grasping at their meaning, Keldor simply stared at her.
Lana began to grow sick once again as fear for her grandson gripped her. She grabbed her stomach and tried to breathe deeply when an odd, impossible idea occurred to her. Almost at the same time, she heard Dree Elle's weakened voice.
"Lana! What about you?"
Lana shook her head as Teela and Adam shot looks of disbelief at Dree Elle. Surely not. She was much too old--yes, Grayskull's magic had kept her strong and healthy, but surely she wasn't pregnant. But Dree Elle's pleading eyes convinced her to check anyway. Lana used what she remembered about drawing magic to herself and pulled upon the wild magics of Eternia. She muttered the same spell Lyn had just used to discover her condition and gasped as she realized that it was not stress that caused her symptoms.
She too was going to have a child.
A wild mix of elation and fear raced through her. She could help save Josiah--if she could control magic, something she hadn't attempted in over two years. Casting a simple spell to sense another life within her was one thing; helping to break a binding spell was something else entirely. And there was a world of difference between the wild magics and Grayskull's magic, the latter of which had been bound to her will in a special way. Nevertheless…
"I probably cannot do much, as I have not used magic since I left Grayskull's walls, but I will try," she said with determination.
Teela gaped at her. "Mother?"
Ignoring Teela and Adam's open-mouthed stares, Lana stood beside Dree Elle and drew the evil power of the spell into herself. Moments later, the last of the mist rose from Josiah like a sickly green glow. The cords of magic whipped away from the baby and were absorbed into the three sorceresses' hands. As one the women purged the evil power from themselves into a fiery sphere near the roof of the chamber. Lyn sent a rope of purple magic to bind the sphere and with a flick of her wrist the sphere flew out the open window and blasted harmlessly into air.
At the roar of the explosion, Josiah cried. A blessed, healthy cry, weakened, but natural. Lana clasped her hands together in joy.
Teela scooped him up and began to calm him, feeling as if her heart were flying on ecstatic wings. Tears of relief ran down Adam's face shamelessly, and he let them as he reached out to touch his son's head.
"Do you hear, Adam?" Teela whispered, as if afraid speaking too loud would wake them all from this marvelous dream. "He's calming down."
Josiah hiccupped a few times and looked up at his mother, his blue eyes alert now and completely pain-free. Adam pulled Teela into one strong arm and wrapped his other arm around Josiah. He kissed the top of Teela's head and turned his face upwards. 'Thank you, Good. Thank you so much.'
Keldor pulled Lyn down to a chair and Lana carried Dree Elle to the cot, a dazed expression appearing on Lana's face as she began recalling why she was able to help Josiah.
"A baby? I'm going to have a baby?" she asked no one in particular. Adam and Teela looked at each other, then at her.
"I guess Orko and I should have warned you about the side effects of the spell Serena cast on our baby," Dree Elle said softly, "but Serena asked us not to."
"Side effects?" repeated Lana as she sat beside Dree on the cot. She no longer felt nauseous, but she did feel as if her legs would no longer support her.
"When you and Man-at-Arms witnessed the spell to keep our baby's magic under control until it comes of age?" Dree Elle reminded her friend. "Well, that spell sometimes causes the witness to be very fertile."
Lana shook her head. There was no point in being angry with Serena. No doubt the Sorceress had no idea of the reason behind Grayskull's leading to keep the side effects a secret. 'Still, a little warning would have been nice…'
"Wait. Lana, you're really pregnant?" Adam asked, feeling the need to hear the words. The idea of the former Sorceress of Grayskull and his mentor having a child together tickled his sense of humor; a smile began tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Apparently we all were," answered Lyn, still dazed. "That was the only type of sorceress that could lift that spell. Ones with child."
"Lyn, you are pregnant as well?" Keldor asked, dropping to his knees to look Lyn in the eyes as the fact slowly sank in. Lyn nodded.
Keldor threw his arms around his wife. "Willful woman," he chided. "Will I ever be the first to find out?"
Lyn laughed. "I'll try again with the next one."
An uncontrollable lopsided smile firmly in place on his face now, Adam took the sleeping Josiah from Teela, his joy as complete as when his son was first born.
Teela took advantage of her free arms to throw them around her mother. "I'm going to have a sister or a brother! I can't believe it!"
"Nor can I," whispered Lana. "I thought I was too old. I didn't know it was possible."
"The spell you witnessed for Orko and I could have extended your time. It's done that for Trollans," Dree said almost guiltily.
"Oh, Teela," moaned Lana. "What will I tell your father?" Even though she spoke those words, however, a small smile appeared on her lips.
With perfect timing, Duncan strode in, having been alerted by one of the guards that Keldor had rushed back to Josiah's room. "What's going on here?"
"They broke the spell!" Teela said joyfully. She wiped a tear away.
Adam held Josiah up to Duncan. "Lyn, Dree Elle, and Lana did it," he said with a grin, his own tears threatening again as gratitude overwhelmed him. He turned to the three women. "Thank you all."
"You?" Duncan asked Lana, puzzled. "I thought you couldn't use magic anymore."
Lana ducked her head. "I hadn't tried, but I guess I underestimated myself."
"Not as much as you underestimated yourself, though," Keldor said to Duncan with a teasing gleam in his eye. Adam smirked.
"What?" Duncan asked, perplexed.
Adam shook his head, clasping a hand to his mentor's shoulder. "Man-at-Arms, I never knew you had it in you."
Ramos rambled over and began checking Josiah as the conversation continued around him.
"What the bloody Blazes are they talking about?" the irritated soldier asked Lana.
Lana gave him a tremulous smile. "The spell could only be broken by the combined magic of mothers who are with child. Lyn is pregnant again...and so am I."
Duncan's mouth opened, but nothing came out. He closed it, opened it again, and managed a low, drawn-out, "Hoooow?" He shut his mouth, and tried to speak once more, but still "Hoooow?" was the only sound that emerged.
Ramos snickered. "You really should know the answer to that one by now, Duncan."
That sharpened Duncan's mind again. "I do," he snapped, "but we're a bit old for this."
Ramos nodded thoughtfully. "You better let me check you over," he said to Lana, who nodded a bit reluctantly as she responded to Duncan's comment.
"I'm afraid the spell we helped Orko and Dree Elle with to control their baby's magic may have made me more--ah--fertile," Lana said softly, a look of wonder coming into her eyes.
Duncan stared at her for a moment. He couldn't be angry, as much as he wanted to be—just based on the fact that this was Orko's fault, he should be upset. However, Lana had given up so much for Grayskull over the years; if this was her reward, he would not ruin it for her, no matter how he felt about having a child younger than his grandson. He swallowed hard at that thought.
"Orko!" Dree Elle suddenly exclaimed. "We have to call him back!"
Adam chuckled. "I'm sure Duncan will be happy to do that," he said, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"You can say that again," Duncan muttered.
Keldor watched the exchange, bemused. He couldn't help but feel wonder at the happiness he felt for Adam and his family.
"As for us," Adam continued, placing an arm around Teela, his other arm still holding Josiah, "we're going to go share the good news with my parents and Adora, and then have some quiet family time together before the festivities begin."
"Festivities?" Lyn asked, looking decidedly uncomfortable at that idea.
Adam grinned at her. "Adora's and my birthday is in four days, and Josiah's presentation is overdue. I love parties as much as the next person, but I think it would be better to combine the two." He looked into Teela's green eyes, feeling as if he hadn't seen her in months. "If that's all right with you, Captain."
Teela grinned back at him. "Sounds perfect to me."
Teela and Adam hugged Lana and Dree Elle enthusiastically, thanking them for their help. Then they paused before leaving the room. Adam held out a hand to Lyn. She placed her small hand in his almost hesitantly. He gently brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. "Thank you," he said sincerely. Teela gave Lyn a difficult nod, but the gratitude in her eyes was just as heartfelt. Then the two of them left the room, leaving Lyn to deal with her own bubbling emotions.
Adam guided Teela down towards the throne room, still nearly dizzy with relief. Teela echoed his unspoken feelings.
"I can't believe it," she said, dropping a kiss on Josiah's head. "I can't believe it's over." A tear of happiness and relief slid down her cheek, and she hiccupped slightly.
Adam pulled her to a stop and into his arms, careful not to crush Josiah. "Believe it," he said reassuringly, his own eyes burning. "We've received a miracle." 'However unworthy we are of it,' he added mentally, shying away from the memory of almost taking Damien's hand.
"Come on," he said, tucking a finger under her chin and grinning at her. "We have some family members who will want to hear the good news." Outside the throne room, they nodded to the guard, who looked at Josiah with wide eyes. A grin split the man's face nearly in two, and Teela laughed in delight as they entered the throne room.
Randor and Marlena looked over and Miro, Hawk, and Adora turned around. "Oh no," Adora whispered, thinking the worst for a moment as her eyes fell onto the baby. But then she saw him kick, and realized his eyes were open. "Is he-?" she exclaimed.
"Healed!" Teela exclaimed, tears present once more. She wiped at them, a smile never leaving her face. "The spell is completely broken!" Chaos ensued as the four rushed towards the young family, demanding explanations and exchanging joyous hugs.
Miro rushed up between Randor and Hawk. Tears flowed unchecked down his face. "How?" was all he could manage to choke out.
Hawk was grinning widely as Josiah caught his finger in his tiny fist and held tightly. "Well, cage me in coral and call me a reef, with a grip that strong, he'll be tough for He-Man to arm wrestle once he's grown."
"Oh, Teela," Adora asked, her voice soft and pleading. "Can I hold him?"
Teela was reluctant to give up her son, but she knew that they would soon be back in their suite. "Sure," she agreed graciously, placing him carefully in Adora's arms.
"Oh, Adam, he has your eyes," Adora sighed happily. Adam grinned and draped his free arm around her shoulder.
Randor offered Marlena a handkerchief and held her tightly as she cried happy tears. "I, too, would like to know how this happened."
"Where's Duncan?" interrupted Hawk. "Do he and Lana know?"
Adam couldn't help it; he snickered, causing the others to look at him in surprise. "Oh they know all right," he said, smirking. Teela elbowed him sharply in the ribs. "Hey!" he protested.
"Be nice," admonished Teela, her own mouth twitching.
"Why do I get the feeling that this is a story we want to hear?" asked Marlena, scooping Josiah from Adora's arms
Randor arched a questioning eyebrow toward Adam. Miro, however, was too busy running his finger down Josiah's soft cheek to be paying attention.
"He's perfect, you two," Miro sighed happily.
"You should have told us!" Duncan's voice echoed clearly down the hall into the throne room. The group exchanged glances, having little doubt to whom he was speaking in that tone.
"But the Sorceress said not to!" Orko argued back. Teela and Adam grinned at each other, nearly bubbling over with mirth.
"I don't care, you had no right-" Duncan broke off as he caught sight of the royal family and Hawk openly staring at them. "Oh, hello, everyone."
"What could Orko have kept from you that could be upsetting you on such a happy day, my old friend?" Randor greeted.
"But, wait," Orko said, comprehension finally dawning in his golden eyes. "But that means that Lana's-"
"You mean you didn't tell him yet?" Adam interrupted, trying to help Duncan out a little bit. In truth, though, he was already enjoying Man-at-Arms' reddening face.
"Of course I didn't tell him yet," Duncan growled. "I suppose you've told everyone in earshot already?"
Adam shook his head in denial as Orko tugged on his scarf uncomfortably. "I thought you and Lana would be too old to have anything to worry about," the little Trollan said weakly. "I thought that was why the Sorceress told us to not mention the side effects of the spell."
"Will someone tell us what's going on?" Hawk complained.
"The spell was a type of binding spell, and could only be broken by the combined magic of pregnant mages," Adam explained.
"Pregnant mages?" Randor repeated blankly. "Who?"
"Dree Elle, Lyn, and my mother," Teela supplied with a barely smothered grin.
"Lyn's pregnant?" Miro exclaimed, excitement lighting his face.
Hawk howled with laughter. Adora poked him with her elbow but couldn't contain her own giggles. Randor looked at Duncan and a wide grin spread on his face.
"That must have been some spell," commented Randor as he slapped Duncan on the back.
"Duncan, you old pirate you," Hawk congratulated him, pumping his hand. "My mother always told me it was the quiet ones you had to watch out for..."
Duncan reddened even more. "That's enough of that talk," he protested.
Marlena's brow furrowed. "You said Lyn was with child as well?"
"Wow, a grandchild older than your child," Hawk went on, stroking his chin now. "So does this mean you won't babysit for Josiah?" He looked at Adam. "Tough luck, my friend."
Adam put a hand to his forehead. "Ah, the sacrifices we must make..." he sighed dramatically.
"Yes," Teela answered Marlena, shooting a warning look at Adam and Hawk. "Lyn is also pregnant."
"I wonder who's older, Keldor or Duncan?" Adam asked Hawk innocently. "There might be some sort of record here."
"I don't know if Duncan would count since Orko's magic is involved," commented Hawk wryly. Adora popped Hawk's arm playfully.
Duncan squirmed as all eyes turned to him. "I don't care what you all think, I'm thrilled," he said defiantly. "If it's a problem for the rest of you, you can just-"
"Easy, Duncan, you know we're just teasing," Adam laughed, placing a reassuring hand on his mentor's arm. "We're happy for you." He winked. "Even if it does mean you'll be too tired to watch Josiah for us." Duncan growled good-naturedly at Adam.
"How are they?" asked Adora. "And why didn't Lyn or Lana tell anyone?"
"They just found out," Teela explained. The others listened, enraptured, as she and Adam told the entire story of Josiah's miraculous healing.
Keldor dropped the towel in the bin and sat heavily on the bench just outside of the training square. He closed his eyes and tried to block out the tension that he had hoped this workout would drain away from him. But it hadn't worked. His mind traveled back to those moments just after Lyn had helped heal Josiah.
Lyn had had a quick check up with Ramos and was urged to rest. Keldor had walked her back to their room but could not rest himself. He was to once again become a father? Now four children would be parentless after the sentencing was complete. 'What are we going to do?'
"Son," Miro called, shaking Keldor from his troubled thoughts.
Keldor turned. "Hello, Father," he greeted.
"Do you mind if I join you a minute?" Miro asked. At the shake of Keldor's head, Miro sat beside his son. The elderly king was fiddling with two pieces of paper in his hand.
"What's on your mind?" Keldor asked, grateful for this distraction.
"I have something I've been meaning for you to have for some time now, Son. I have held onto it because things have been so turbulent."
Keldor chuckled mirthlessly at that. 'It's not like things are going to calm down for me,' he thought. Keldor ran his hand over his face. 'How am I going to tell you about our newest child?'
"I was hoping that things—meaning Randor—would settle down and we all could discuss things rationally. I see that what I desire may never happen, and before you go to trial, I want you to see this." Miro held out two pieces of paper. Keldor took them. Both were sealed with his father's signet. He pulled open the first sealed document. It crinkled and cracked along some of the edges. Keldor got the feeling that the paper was decades old.
"Ranay and I agreed to this a long time ago. Long before Randor was born." Miro paused a moment, allowing Keldor to read the parchment in his hand.
Keldor had to re-read the decree three times before it finally sank in. "Father," he gaped. "This says that I am the legitimate heir to the throne."
Miro nodded. "I thought at first to use this to strong-arm Randor into a sentence of exile for you. Of course I quickly realized how much more of a rift it would create. When I thought of how much it would hurt him, I knew I couldn't do it. I have the feeling that you will not use it that way either."
"No," Keldor affirmed, awed by the complete trust his father had placed in him. "I will not. But then, why did you give it to me? "
"I wanted you to know that I never gave up on you. Ranay and I both wanted to find you. I never stopped searching for you. Not ever." Miro's gaze bore directly into Keldor's soul, as if he were trying to sear out any doubts Keldor had about his father's love.
Keldor looked away for a moment as he tried to gather himself.
"Thank you," he said turning back to his father. Miro pulled Keldor into a strong embrace.
"Now," said Miro, pushing Keldor gently back after a moment, "open the second document."
Keldor slipped his birthright under his belt and broke the seal on the second document. "I have this document updated every year," Miro said.
Keldor opened the paper to see an account sheet. "I don't understand."
"I did more than just look for you, Son. That document is the most recent summary sheet for a special fund I have been saving to and growing just for you since the day you were born."
Keldor's mouth dropped open. "This is...it is..."
"Your portion in the wealth of the royal family of Eternos. It has been sheltered in my account for years, but now you have all of the access you need to acquire whatever you like from it."
Keldor stared at the amount listing his net worth. It was more than he had ever had, even when he had found gold deposits and used them to make money. He tried to wrap his mind around it. "What does one do with all of this?" he asked blankly. "Why would anyone need this much money?"
Miro rocked with laughter. "Well, son, if there was any doubt in my mind that you've changed completely, that took care of it." He shook his head, chuckling. "There was a time you'd have known exactly what to do with it."
"I would have spent it on myself, buying every luxury imaginable," Keldor agreed.
He started to wonder what he would do with all that money on Carina, when his own words stopped him. 'That's exactly right. I used to think only of myself. But now...it's time to think of others, time to pay back my debts, at least in some small way.'
Keldor looked to his father, the words on the tip of his tongue, but something held him back. He didn't want this to be a public spectacle. He just wanted to do the right thing--although he had to admit that the idea of helping those he had hurt was almost intoxicating. "Thank you, Father," he said, "for everything." Keldor rose to his feet and hugged Miro. "I can't tell you what this means to me."
"I need to tell you something."
There was an odd hitch in Adam's voice, one that didn't match the earlier joy he and Teela had shared over Josiah's miraculous recovery. He stood looking out of their bedroom window, gazing at the stars. Teela approached him from behind and slid her arms around his waist. "What is it?"
"Damien's offer…" Adam drew a shuddering breath. "I almost took it."
Teela smiled confidently against his back. "You didn't come that close."
"Yes, I did."
At his quiet answer, Teela straightened up and moved in front of him, examining his lined face. 'By the Ancients, he's completely serious.' Questions bubbled out of her faster than she could think. "What? When? Why? What happened?"
"Just before Keldor and Lyn had to step in to strengthen the spell, and found out it was a magical illness." Adam's gaze remained on the stars outside as he spoke. "Damien caught me alone. He lowered the offer to one day. I was at the end of my rope. I was so worried about Josiah, and I felt so helpless and angry." His jaw twitched as he paused. "I couldn't say yes. I couldn't say no. He knew he had me, Teela. He tried to seal it with a handshake, and I was standing there, reaching for his hand, feeling this odd disconnection with what was happening."
Part of Teela was horrified that Adam had come so close to giving in to the demon, but she could see that Adam was even more horrified with himself. Impulsively, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him once more. His arms encircled her tightly as he continued to explain how Marlena and Keldor had interrupted them.
"If it hadn't been for that, I think I would have done it," Adam said shakily. "How could I have come so close to turning my back on everything I believe in? How could I let Evil plant so much doubt into my heart, Teela?"
He sounded desperate, and Teela's thoughts tumbled over themselves as she tried to find an answer for him from somewhere within the depths of her mind. "He went after you where you are most vulnerable, Adam," she said softly. "Your family. Not just any family, but a helpless child." She paused for a second, then added, "Damien probably knew about Keegan. He probably knew that more than anything, not saving a child—your child—would haunt you forever if you had a chance to stop it and didn't." She reached up and stroked his face, smoothing out the lines on his forehead. "Besides, it sounds a bit like he was trying to cast a spell on you as well, from the way you're describing the feeling."
"I have to return the sword to Grayskull," Adam said abruptly, pulling away from her. He strode across the room, then paced back and forth.
"What?" Teela exclaimed.
"Teela, if this had been a test, I would have failed miserably," said Adam, running a hand through his hair. "I was about to abuse my power in a horrific manner. I-"
"Stop!" Teela ordered in her best captain-of-the-guard voice. It had been a long time since she had spoken to Adam like that, and he obeyed almost out of habit, cutting off his own words and his restless pacing with a surprised look on his face. "You were interrupted before you shook his hand, but even if you weren't, you wouldn't have done it, Adam. You might have been tempted, you might even have come within a hair's breadth of doing it, but you would have stopped yourself. You have too much goodness in you to ever give in to Evil." She finished her lecture with a heaving chest and flashing eyes that dared him to argue with her. There was a short silence as their eyes locked.
"I don't deserve your faith," Adam finally said in a broken voice.
Teela went to him and hugged him for all she was worth. "You do," she said into his chest. "You do because you struggle to do the right thing, Adam."
Adam shut his eyes and held her tightly, thanking Good for allowing this woman into his life. "You helped me refuse the first two times," he said into her ear. "You were a pillar of strength, Teela." He pulled back and gave her a lopsided smile. "Hormones and all."
"Brat." Teela tweaked his nose, then moved back into his embrace.