“It’s okay.” Rory looked shaken by the question, but he said, “Yeah, he did, me and another boy. Just the one time. I didn’t ever speak it at his church again.”
Arthur swallowed. “It’s barbaric.”
“It happened to lots of kids,” said Rory. “Still does, doesn’t it? For all kinds of languages, Seneca, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, you name it. Church told us we were supposed to be Americans now.”
“That just makes itworse,” said Arthur. “What is so threatening about letting children keep their culture? That shouldn’t have ever happened to any child. It shouldn’t have happened to you.”
“Not arguing with that,” Rory said ruefully. He added, more gently, “It’s in the past.”
“Christ.” Arthur covered his eyes. “Now you’re having to comfort me about the bad things that happened to you.”
“It’s not like things have been all roses for you,” Rory said quietly. “Yeah, you grew up with money, but you still can’t tell your own family the truth about your feelings on fellas.”
“Yes,” said Arthur, “but I’m capable of nuance. I can acknowledge my own hardships while also acknowledging that other people have dealt with far worse. Look at what Jade and Zhang have to deal with.”
“Yeah.” Rory sighed. “Is it better anywhere else?” he asked tentatively.
Was that—an openness to leaving New York someday? “Everywhere has prejudices,” Arthur said. “But at least there are places that no longer openly codify them.” He added, too casually, “If, you know. If you ever wanted to see them.”
Rory pursed his lips, and Arthur braced himself for disappointment. But then Rory said, “When you and Jade talk about Paris, it seems like you were happier there.”
There was something softer in his eyes as he asked the question. “It was easier,” Arthur hesitantly admitted. “Easier for me not to worry about my family’s reputations on the line. Easier for my family to just say I’m off in Europe instead of explaining why I’m eternally single.”
“Do you want to go back?”
“You’re here.” The words slipped out before Arthur could stop them.
Rory’s eyes widened.
“And I have to save the world, of course,” Arthur quickly added, wincing. Rory had lied to Mrs. Brodigan for weeks because he couldn’t bear to keep her back. Even the sincerest promise that Rory wasn’t a burden might mean nothing if he thought he was shackling Arthur to New York.
The waiter was coming with their food. They were quiet as he set plates in front of him and then disappeared again. Rory had ordered the meatballs for Arthur, and he went straight for his fork.
“What if we were in Paris together?” Rory suddenly said. “I mean, I’ve only been outta the state that time I was dragged to Philly by Hyde, and I don’t got the cash. But you just took on my dad for me. And if this could be for you, if it could make you happy—” He shrugged self-consciously. “Just...what if?”
Arthur’s heart leapt, but he had to be realistic. “Itwouldmake me happy,” he said wistfully. “To have you in Paris—there’s a world’s fair starting right now, we could look for answers to the pomander.”
Rory tilted his head. “Shouldn’t that be our next move, then?”
“It would,” Arthur said reluctantly, “except under no circumstances should you get that close to Baron Zeppler. And it’s not just me being overprotective; the world can’t let him have the secrets your mind holds.”
Rory narrowed his eyes. “This baron is making things real personal.”
“Yes,” Arthur agreed tightly. “He is.”
They caught the first morning train east out of Syracuse to Utica and then another train north, into the Adirondacks. Rory watched the forest out of the train window with wide eyes. He’d been lost in visions of the past when his dad had him shipped off to the asylum, and even after Mrs. Brodigan and her sister got him free, he’d been too weak to see much beyond the walls of his room.
But now he could see mountains, and trees with their first green leaves. Arthur told Rory they were going to a campsite where he, Jade, and Zhang had once opened the Tempest Ring.
Rory wondered if he was ready to follow Arthur anywhere he wanted to go.
Jade met them at the train station. “Zhang and the Ivanovs are setting up,” she explained quietly, as the three of them piled into the back of a taxi.
The weather was still cool in April, and the summer tourists and campers hadn’t yet gone into full swing. Their taxi was the only car on the road, and Arthur promised the driver double if he’d return to their campsite the following day.
They hiked off the trails, to a deserted part of the forest.
“Pavel’s already been working on the potion,” Jade said as they walked.
