“Yes, but I can’t believe I missed this and is Rory ever going to turn off the wind—”
“Sorry,” Sebastian said sheepishly, to Wesley, under the voices of the others as they scrambled around the attic.
“I’m not,” Wesley said firmly. He dropped his eyes, and then he stilled.
Sebastian furrowed his eyebrows. “What?”
Wesley reached for Sebastian’s wrist, encircling it with his hand and pulling it down from his neck, turned so the pulse point was facing up.
All of the color of the tattoo was gone. All that remained was a black ink outline of the lion, almost like he’d been branded into Sebastian’s skin.
“Is that—a lion?” Arthur said.
Wesley slowly ran his thumb over the lion. Sebastian looked up and found Wesley’s gaze on him.
“Was Alasdair telling the truth?” Wesley said quietly. “Do you have any magic left, or did you give it all to save my life?”
“I don’t know,” Sebastian admitted. “But if I did, it was worth it.”
This time, Wesley was the one to kiss him in front of everyone.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The storm had finally stopped—exactly the moment that Arthur had pulled Rory into his arms, obviously not a coincidence. But the guests would be returning, and they had the unconscious Alasdair to deal with and two bodies to explain.
Somehow Wesley ended up talking to Rory, of all people, about the plan for Alasdair and the bodies of Langford and Eddie the speakeasy bouncer.
“They locked Arthur up for three days,” Rory said flatly, before Wesley could even finish asking for his opinion. “The bulls can have them.”
Wesley raised his eyebrows. He glanced around the attic. Alasdair was still passed out and tied in curtains. Jade and Zhang were stuck together like glue on the attic floor, Arthur only a foot away from the couple as he checked Sebastian for a concussion.
Wesley took a pointed step toward the wall, and Rory followed until they’d gotten just a little more distance between them and the others.
“Major Langford worked for the War Office,” Wesley said. “The local police can address the bouncer’s death, but they are not handling Langford. I’m cabling home.”
“If Langford didn’t want the American police involved, he probably shouldn’t’ve sailed over and kidnapped a bunch of Americans,” said Rory, which was an obnoxiously sound point. “He locked all of us up. He was going tomurderall of us, starting with Sebastian.”
That was true. Wesley nevertheless leaned down so they were closer to level. “Langford was my commanding officer for a time during the war. I will handle his death.”
Rory pursed his lips, studying Wesley. “You know blame’s on him, yeah? He forced your hand?”
“I know,” Wesley said tightly.
Rory considered him for another moment. “Ace said his brother is here,” he said. “And we’re in the governor’s son’s house. You can handle it how you want, but work with them and Ace; they’ll keep any heat off you.”
That was surprisingly clever advice. Had Wesley been underestimating Rory’s mind as well as his magic all this time? Ugh, what a humiliating thought. “And Alasdair?”
Rory’s gaze went to Alasdair’s unconscious body. “I felt Sebastian’s magic sweep the attic. Strong enough to destroy a relic.”
“And?”
“I had my ring on, and I’ve got Ace’s aura in my magic,” Rory said. “I’m fine. But I don’t know how much of Alasdair’s magic will have survived under Sebastian’s.”
Wesley raised an eyebrow. “What does that mean?”
“It means that maybe he’ll hear the world now, not just magic. Maybe he’ll be a different person when he wakes up.” Rory looked back at Wesley. “Can you and Ace get him put somewhere to heal up?NotHyde Gardens again. Find somewhere he’ll be safe.”
Wesley opened his mouth, then closed it. Rory had been lost in magic before. Maybe Wesley should listen to him. Just this once. “Very well,” Wesley said, straightening up.
