“Um.” Sebastian tried to focus.Magic.Of course he was asking about magic; they were here to investigate a murder. “I didn’t have time to notice.”
“What, like you were busy catching some pigheaded fool who didn’t listen to you? Please, what kind of an excuse is that.”
Oh no, Lord Fine’s rueful smile was back and it was charming. Sebastian quickly averted his eyes from Lord Fine’s lips and pushed off the alley wall.
“I can try again,” he said, aiming for the kind of teasing tone he would have taken with a friend. Appropriately platonic and not at all like Sebastian had been about to try to kiss him. “If you can.”
With a sigh, Lord Fine leaned heavily on the alley wall. He watched with open and unabashed interest as Sebastian stepped to the middle of the alley. Then Sebastian closed his eyes and swept out.
He heard Lord Fine grunt, but from a distance, his concentration on the cobblestones and bricks as his magic swept the alley like a tide rippling out with Sebastian in the center.
But as his magic covered the alley, there was nothing to feel beyond Lord Fine’s aura, and Sebastian didn’t want to weaken him more than he absolutely had to. He abruptly pulled his magic back into himself and opened his eyes.
Only to find Lord Fine had slid down the wall to the alley floor and was glaring at him.
“‘You must brace yourself, Lord Fine,’” he said dryly, mimicking Sebastian’s accent. “It didn’t help, you absolute arse. You’re a sucker punch, a bottle of whiskey masquerading as a man.” He huffed. “I wish I was actually angry and not simply fascinated by you.”
Sebastian hesitated. “I would not blame you if I made you nervous, you know.”
“Don’t flatter yourself.” Lord Fine got to his feet. “Did you feel anything that time?”
“No. Either there was never anything to feel, or the residuals are gone.” Sebastian cleared his throat. “You might want to wait before you take the time to clean yourself off.”
Lord Fine, who had been brushing dirt from his jacket, side-eyed him. “Why?” he said suspiciously.
“Because we should check all the alleys.” Sebastian gave Lord Fine an apologetic look. “And you’re probably going to fall a lot more.”
They tried three more alcoves or alleys, each dirtier than the last. Lord Fine grudgingly sat on a stoop before each round, and his nice tweed suit was getting stained.
The Shambles were still full of people, which meant Sebastian had to hold his magic close, keeping a tighter grip on the reins so he wouldn’t knock down the crowds. But he still had to use enough magic to pick up days-old traces of other magic, and the effort of keeping so much magic so tightly contained was wringing him out.
By the time they ducked into a fifth location, the empty courtyard behind an ancient stone church, he was sweating with effort. He waited until Lord Fine got settled, and then carefully swept out through the tiny space with a burst of magic that had him gritting his teeth to keep it controlled.
But this time, there was something to feel.
Sebastian’s eyes widened. He walked forward, toward the residual, as poor Lord Fine lolled in his little stone alcove.
“Got something?” Lord Fine slurred.
“I’m not sure.” Sebastian was walking forward, toward the alley’s dead end. “I’ll be quick as I can.”
“M’fine,” came Lord Fine’s thick words. “I mean, s’lunacy, but it’d be nice lunacy if I had a pillow.”
There were traces of magic at the dead end at the stone wall. Sebastian could feel it under his own. He brought the tide, like an ocean rolling onto the beach, and something crumpled beneath his magic like a sandcastle under a wave.
But it wasn’t alone.
Something had weakened, but there was something else, another kind of magic here. Sebastian crouched down, trying to find the difference. He put his hands over the stones, and reached so deep into himself that his bones ached, and then struck out with his magic again.
And something fought back.
Sebastian jerked his hands away, taking several steps backward as he pulled his magic into himself so abruptly it hurt. He stared at the corner of the courtyard.
“Sebastian.” Lord Fine was back on his feet, approaching quickly. “What is it?”
Sebastian pointed at the base of the wall. “There’s magic there, but—that isn’t right.”
Lord Fine frowned. He crouched and swept his finger along the stones of the courtyard, beneath a statute of St. Frances where the rain might not have reached.
