Next to Zhang, Jade cleared her throat. “Thanks, everyone, for getting together.” She looked over at Pavel and Sasha, who spoke for a moment in quiet Russian.
Then Pavel leaned forward, the lodestone’s cord just visible beneath his collar. “I am willing to make a potion that may destroy the pomander.”
Arthur’s eyes widened. “Pavel, you are not obligated—” he started, just as Rory said, “Pav, no, you’d have to take the lodestone off—”
But Pavel interrupted them. “I care about the world too,” he said determinedly. “I heard the pomander enslaves non-magic minds, and I care about people without magic.” His gaze darted to Ling, so subtly Arthur almost missed it.
“But what if you make a potion, and then the lodestone doesn’t work again when you put it back on?” Rory demanded.
Pavel shrugged. “It is worth the risk.” He held up a hand when Arthur started to protest. “It was my idea. My decision. No one asked or forced me; Sasha and I want to help.”
Arthur frowned, but what could he say? He didn’t want Pavel to face the risks, but Niagara Falls had done nothing to dampen the pomander’s magic. They had no solid leads. Baron Zeppler had already shown he was willing to kill to gain the magic of the relics for himself. If Zeppler pulled the pomander’s secrets from Rory’s mind, he’d have the power to enthrall an army of non-magic. He could start his own war.
“It is possible Pavel’s potion will not work,” Sasha warned Jade, her tone very serious. “But Pavel is willing to give it the strongest chance.” She coughed, and added meaningfully, “Which would take the strongest magic.”
The table turned to look at Rory.
Arthur abruptly understood. “Blood magic? WithRory’sblood? No,” he said immediately. “No, there must be another way. Pavel doesn’t like alchemy done with blood, and what about the risk to Rory—”
But Pavel was shaking his head. “I would not ask, if there was any other way.”
“Most magic is in auras or our equivalent,” said Zhang. “But blood magic goes deeper, directly into the veins. There’s very little that’s stronger except possibly the relics.”
“It’s okay, Ace.” Rory had gone a little paler, but his spine was straight. “I wanna help too.”
“You already did,” said Arthur. “You scried the cursed thing so we know what it does—”
“That’s right. I scried it, and I saw what it does.” Rory swallowed hard. “I’m willing to give anything to destroy it.”
Arthur rubbed his forehead.
Ling leaned toward Rory. “It’s more than just blood,” she said. “Blood magic is violation magic, but so is the pomander, and even a potion made with blood may not be strong enough to destroy it. If we really want to give the potion the best chance, we need your catalyst too.”
Rory furrowed his brow. “Catalyst?”
“The object that brought forth your magic,” said Zhang.
Rory took a very sharp breath. “I—” He bit his lip. “I don’t have it,” he said helplessly. “It’s not mine, it’s—it was my—it belonged to someone else. A church.”
And Arthur suddenly remembered the story Rory had once told him: his magic had been brought forward by an antique brass snuffer that Rory had picked up—from the altar at his father’s church.
“Can you get it?” Sasha asked.
Would it even still be there? Could Rory bear to go if it was? Christ. The fate of the non-magic world versus Pastor Westbrook.
“I’ll go with him,” Arthur said, and all the heads swiveled his way. “The church is between Syracuse and Ithaca. We played Cornell more than once back in my university days. I know the area.” He met Rory’s eyes, hoping his own conveyed his message loud and clear:you are not alone anymore.
Jade was watching the two of them. “I think that’s an excellent idea,” she said gently. She might not know the story, but she was sensitive enough to see that Rory was uncomfortable. “We’re happy to come too, if you want us.”
“Nah.” Rory had put on a very brave face that didn’t quite cover a heart-wrenching mix of trepidation and gratitude. “If Ace is coming, I’ll be good.”
“Then we’ll meet you in the mountains afterward,” said Zhang. “Because if we’re going to try to destroy that pomander again, better not to do it in the city.” He exchanged a look with Jade. “There’s one other thing. Could mean nothing, could be bad news.”
Jade’s face was grim as she sat back in her chair. “An unknown buyer has bought the warehouse in Philadelphia where Rory was exposed to the pomander.”
Arthur straightened. “I wasn’t aware it was for sale.”
“It wasn’t,” said Jade. “We’re digging into it, but all we have so far is the deal was done through an American brokerage with a lot of contacts overseas.”
