“No me digas que esta bien, it’snotfine and I want to know who sent this to you.”
“But—”
“And if there’s a reason you’re not safe in New York, I want to know that too.”
“Sebastian—”
“Wesley, siéntate y ya no discutas conmigo.”
Wesley didn’t know what that meant, but he knew when an argument was over and he’d lost. He sat down on the edge of the bed with a huff. “Are you aware you slip into Spanish when you’re emotional?” he called.
“Then now you know I’m worried about you.”
Wesley watched through the bedroom doorframe as Sebastian picked up the phone, planning to call half of Manhattan while wrapped in a damn sheet because he was worried about his boyfriend.
What an utter bastard, making Wesley grapple with feelings before he’d even had his morning tea.
Except Sebastian’s calls went nowhere. Wesley cleaned up for the day and repacked his trunk while Sebastian called the number they had for Jade, and then the Dragon House, then Arthur’s flat, and then Rory’s old boarding house. He tried the building where Rory’s antiques shop used to be. He even called a pharmacy on the Lower East Side where Jade had mentioned her sister’s paranormal girlfriend lived, but Mrs. Taussig, while very nice, said Sasha Ivanova and her brother Pavel were out of town.
Wesley joined Sebastian in the parlor as he hung up with Mrs. Taussig.
“Wherearethey?” Sebastian said.
Wesley gave a helpless shrug.
There was another knock on the door. “Sebi? Fine?”
Mateo. Wesley gestured at Sebastian’s sheet. “I think you’ve got trousers in my trunk. I mean, don’t get dressed on my account, but your brother might appreciate it.”
Sebastian gave him a flat look. “Show him the letter, yes?” he said, and went into the bedroom.
Wesley let Mateo inside and filled him in.
Mateo was frowning as he finished. “We can’t reach any of the New York paranormals and you’re in danger.”
“SomeoneclaimsI’m not safe here,” said Wesley. “If they’re such a friend, why an anonymous typed letter? Why not tell me in person?”
“And there is the other issue.” Sebastian stepped into the bedroom doorframe, tying his tie. “They mentioned that Wesley’s former valet was a thief. And you remember what he stole.”
Wesley raised his eyebrows. “Is this also coming back to the pomander relic? The one Jade might have been telling us takes cursed blood to destroy?”
Mateo swallowed. “I think you need to take my enchantment off.”
“No,” Sebastian said flatly.
“I can try to see the future of Miss Robbins or the others—”
“No,” Sebastian said again. “You already missed two months of school. The enchantment stays on and you’re going back to Oberlin today.”
“Sebi—”
“I agree with him,” Wesley said to Mateo. “It was so difficult for him to bind your magic in the first place. I don’t think he should take it off unless we have no other choice.”
Mateo folded his arms. “And what’s our other choice here? Yes, I had to pull every string our family has to get my program to let me come back, and if I don’t show up, this might be it. But if there’s danger—”
“Sebastian and I find it,” Wesley said. “You take the train this afternoon back to your university. We’ll stay here, in New York, and we’ll seek out the others and the sender of this letter.”
Mateo chewed on his lip. Wesley looked up at Sebastian, who was leaning on the doorframe. He still looked upset, but he nodded. “He’s right, Teo,” Sebastian said. “If we have no success, we can come to Ohio and get you.”
