“Conveyor belt, in the factory,” Rory muttered. “The woman stacks pills in a box. And then—and then—argh.” His eyes popped open. “Nothing.”
“What do you mean,nothing?” Wesley said.
“I mean I can’t see the history of these pills.” Rory nodded at Sebastian. “It’s like how it used to be with him. I can see the pills being manufactured. And I can see them way back on a store shelf. But everything else? Blank.”
Arthur, Wesley, and Sebastian exchanged glances. “But you can see them with Wesley and I, bringing them here, yes?” Sebastian said.
“No,” said Rory. “Nothing since they left the store.”
“Well,” Arthur said, “I think that at least answers the question of whether Lady Nora is mixed up with anything magical.”
“Unless it’s her companion,” Wesley said. “The man we haven’t seen again. He’s a doctor; perhaps Lady Nora got the pills from him, and he’s the one with magic blocking Brodigan’s magic?”
Sebastian frowned. “It’s not very common magic.”
“Perhaps not,” said Wesley. “But it seems it may be present, all the same.”
“Whatever’s going on, you and Seb need to be careful.” Rory set the box back in front of Wesley. “Realcareful.”
Wesley looked to his side to find Sebastian looking at him as well. “We’ll look out for each other,” Sebastian promised.
“Should we go back now?” Wesley said.
“Jade was going to try to send a marconigram before their ship departed,” Arthur said. “Stick around for a few hands and see if it comes in.”
* * *
They played several rounds of poker, and Sebastian lost track of how much money he lost to Rory. However much it was, Wesley lost more, with Arthur delightedly driving up every bet.
“For fuck’s sake,” Wesley finally said to Arthur, as Rory laid down yet another winning hand. “Brodigan’s going to be able to buy you Buckingham Palace after this.”
Sebastian smiled. He’d be lying if he claimed he hadn’t been rooting for Rory against all of them. “I thought you were going to win,” he teased.
“So did I.” Wesley shook his head. “Laughable hubris on my part.”
“I’ll give you your money back this time too,” Rory started.
“Don’t you dare,” Wesley said. “I knew exactly what I was getting into.”
“You might even say he was asking for it,” Sebastian added innocently.
Wesley side-eyed him. “You would know all about that, wouldn’t you?” he said, with a hint of heat, which sent a pleasant shiver over Sebastian.
Wesley looked back at Rory. “My ego is my problem, not yours. You deserve to keep every cent.”
Rory’s lips turned up in a grudging smile. “You’re all right sometimes, Fine.”
“Sometimes, he says.” Wesley stood up. “I don’t think Miss Robbins’s message is going to find us tonight. Let’s go back, while I still own my clothes.”
“If you’re losing your clothes, maybe we should stay,” Sebastian said, with a tiny grin.
“And you call me shameless,” Wesley said, grabbing Sebastian’s sleeve and pulling him up to his feet.
They snuck back into first class via one of the staff staircases, and then made their way through the social areas of the ship. The windows were speckled with raindrops as they climbed the grand staircase up to C-deck.
When they passed Wesley’s stateroom without Wesley slowing, Sebastian hid a smile. “Are you walking me back to my room? Very chivalrous of you.”
“I wouldn’t call my intentionschivalrous,” Wesley said lightly, which made Sebastian shiver again.
