"Well, it's not the absolute worst" Maddy scrunched her nose in a manner that didn't exactly fill Nicola with confidence.
"Who is it?" The purchased girl demanded with nervous impatience.
"A fairly well renowned academy for trainee wizards. They have ordered one male and one female human for testing purposes" Maddie explained awkwardly.
"So I'd be treated like a lab rat? How is that not the worst?" Nicola felt flush with anger as she spoke.
"Well, they aren't malicious. They are reasonably ethical"
"Reasonably?!"
Maddie sighed guiltily.
"Look, I can't approve of what my mother has done and I could quite happily take you back but..." she looked down at the frog sitting at Nicola's feet "we may be able to convince them to help your friend. And it may be his only chance at becoming human again"
"You mean if we head home James is stuck as a frog for the rest of his life?" Nicola asked anxiously.
"With the lack of magic users in your world I'm afraid so. And I should add that the lifespan of a bullfrog is less than a decade, which he will already be part way through"
This surreal situation suddenly felt very real to Nicola. She could hardly leave her friend to that fate but the alternative was terrifying.
"Ok, so why do you think these wizards would help us?" Nicola asked as she weighed up her options.
"They may not" Maddy conceded "but we could try and appeal to their better nature"
"So you would come with me?"
"I would have to" Maddy nodded "It is the least I can do to make up for my mother's behaviour. And they wouldn't even accept you alone. The order is for two humans"
"But doesn't one have to be male?" Nicola asked.
"I can take care of that" Maddie answered semi confidently "gender altering spells are pretty basic"
Nicola was beginning to look a little flustered at the decision she was being asked to make.
"Look, it's up to you. If you want to head back to safety I won't judge you. The life of a wizards test subject isn't a oarticularly pleasant one and they have no reason to help us. But it really is the only hope we have of restoring your friend"
Nicola looked at Maddy uncharacteristically lost for words and painfully unsure what to do.
"I'm sorry to sound pushy" Maddy seemed to speak with more authority than usual "but you really do need to decide now"