Back up in his room, Sebastian gestured to the stove and his tins of instant coffee, sugar, and powdered milk. “Coffee?”
“Tea?” Zhang said hopefully.
Sebastian wrinkled his nose.
Zhang sighed. “Coffee, then. Plain.”
They sat together with their mugs at the tiny table a few moments later. “Zhang is your family name, yes? Why is Jade the only one who calls you by your given name?”
Zhang hesitated, then said, “Because growing up, people changedJianweitoJohn.”
“Ah,” Sebastian said, in understanding. “My brother Mateo is alwaysMatthewin America, whether he wants to be or not.”
“It was easier to have people say Zhang. But Jade asked me how to say Jianwei, and then she asked me to help her say it right.” Zhang picked up his cup, mouth curved in the smitten sort of smile that he seemed to always have around Jade. “She actually still can’t pronounce it perfectly,” he admitted, “but I like the way she says it.”
Lord Fine’s sardonic English accent rolled through Sebastian’s mind.So, Sebastian, are you a faery or a witch?
Sebastian could, possibly, relate.
“Jade is still with Lord Fine,” Zhang went on, as they split the last of a loaf of white bread. “He’s agreed to hang the painting of San Juan in his home. For what it’s worth, I don’t think he’ll destroy this one. He actually seems a little embarrassed about the turpentine.”
“It’s not his fault. He didn’t know.” Sebastian dipped his bread in his coffee. “He’s new to all of this.”
“Sometimes it’s so obvious you come from a family that protects the nonmagical.” Zhang sat back in the chair. “Is there anything you can add about last night that Lord Fine wouldn’t know?”
“Mercier was using magic to keep the alley silenced—alchemy, perhaps, or a potion. It formed a cage around Lord Fine where no sound escaped.” Sebastian had been lucky to find Lord Fine. “It was old magic, though. Strong. I was using my magic to sweep for any traces of magic that might lead me to Lord Fine, and it was strong enough I found it.”
Sebastian frowned. “Mercier’s magic is also stronger than it was when we were with Baron Zeppler. He has something new boosting his power now—not a relic, not that powerful, but I almost couldn’t stop him.”
“Always nice to hear the jerk who controls fire can make more of it,” Zhang said dryly.
If Sebastian hadn’t managed to put out Mercier’s flames—but no. He always had to find enough magic to counter others’ magic. The alternative was unthinkable. “What if they come back after Lord Fine?”
“Jade and I have an idea,” Zhang said cagily. “But I don’t know what either of you will think.”
Sebastian raised his eyebrows. “Should I be nervous?” he asked, as he bit into coffee-soaked bread.
Zhang smiled weakly. “Depends on whether you’ve ever secretly dreamed of bunkering in the English countryside with a viscount.”
Sebastian blinked.
“You hid from us in Manhattan,” Zhang said. “Can you hide Lord Fine now?”
“Well, yes,” said Sebastian. “But he won’t agree. He doesn’t like me.”
“He’ll agree, and he doesn’t like anyone.”
“No, hereallydoesn’t like me,” said Sebastian.
“Right,” Zhang said skeptically. “That’s why instead of leaving you in the alley last night, he carried you to his home.”
“To his home where I woke up handcuffed to his bed.”
“Handcuffed...to his bed?”
“Yes.”
Zhang bit his lip, almost like he was trying not to smile. “I’m sorry,” he said sincerely. “But that does nothing to convince me he doesn’t like you.”
