“Theodore.”
“He put his magic in your aura, Ace—he might as well’ve stuck his hand down your pants.”
Arthur covered his face with his palm.
“Well, it’s true.” Rory sounded sulky but unrepentant. “And I already know you think he’s handsome.”
Arthur rubbed his temple. At the bar, the pretty girl had stopped making drinks and was leaning across the counter to talk animatedly to Sebastian. He was smiling back, perfectly comfortable with her attention.
Arthur tried to keep his tone soft for Rory. “Sebastian is not attracted to me.”
“Everyone’s attracted to you,” Rory said stubbornly.
“He’s chatting up the barmaidas we speak.”
“So?” Rory said impatiently. “You can like dollsandfellas, Ace.”
Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose. “I understand,” he said patiently. “I’m sure it’s normal to feel jealousy over...another paranormal...using their magic on your lover—actually, no, Teddy, I take it back, I don’t think there’s anything normal about this conversation at all.”
Rory folded his arms and slouched back into the booth. “You never understand.”
“I’ve told you before, I’m simply not the jealous type,” Arthur said, possibly a little patronizingly. A lot patronizingly. “And even if I was, it’s worth noting that I wouldn’t be out in a pubfailing to hide it.”
Rory pursed his lips, making a very sour face.
“Will you sort yourself out?” Arthur said, as nicely as he could. “We don’t know whether we can trust Sebastian at all. We certainly don’t need to trust him withus.”
“Fine,” Rory snapped, deeply grouchy, as Sebastian approached the table again.
He set Arthur’s drink in front of him. “Molly gave you the top-shelf scotch this time.”
Arthur gave Rory a pointed look. “Her name’s Molly, is it? And she’s pouring you special drinks?”
“She’s a friend.” Sebastian took his seat. “So. Are you going to help us with the siphon or not?”
“I’m afraid there’s a point that’s sticking for me.” Arthur leaned forward. “If you want your siphon so badly and you think this seller in Paris has it, then why are you still in London?”
Sebastian’s mouth flattened. “That’s not your concern.”
“If you want to use my name on an auction, it very much is,” Arthur countered.
“Obviously I have a reason,” Sebastian said tightly.
“And you’re going to have to share it if you want me to consider this,” said Arthur. “I don’t understand you. I don’t understand why you were working with Baron Zeppler when you clearly hate both him and Hyde.”
“Again, not your concern,” Sebastian started.
But Rory interrupted. “Yeah it is. Baron Zeppler might’ve tricked your family, but you had to have eventually discovered he was trying to collect relics for himself. So why’d you stick around once you knew he was a liar?” He leaned forward. “You kidnapped me outta my own antiques shop. You owe me a reason why.”
Sebastian seemed to deflate at that. He glanced around, then, after a long moment, blew out a breath. “The paranormals who made the original relics put their own magic in them; one relic, all their magic. But Rory and Gwen kept their original subordinate magic, and added the relics’ magic that was strengthened for five hundred years. They are now far more powerful than paranormals were ever meant to be—and so is Baron Zeppler. He also controls a relic that augments his own magic. A brooch.”
“How?” said Arthur. “How did he figure out how to unlock it?”
“By murder and accident,” Sebastian said grimly. “I won’t tell you how, but his coincidental success was why he was already obsessed with the relics when he lured Gwen to him.”
Rory frowned. “What’s its magic?”
“It lets magic work on paranormals just as well as the mundane,” Sebastian said quietly, his fingers wrapping around his glass. “His telepathy would work on even you and Gwen, and like your magic, it’s too strong for me to weaken.”
