“What?” Julien glanced at him, eyes wide, and his voice had a slight shake when he continued, “You will?”
An uneasy feeling choked Cinn, and his next words tasted bitter in his throat. “In exchange for payment. I need cash. Not for me. For my mate. Tyler. He’s in trouble. I was trying to get him out of it by agreeing tolet my restaurant be robbed. Then that obviously fell flat on its face, so Richter’s gang will still be after him. And I’m just—” He cut himself off, gesturing widely to the beautiful Swiss countryside, and the fancy car he was being driven in. All the way to his newhouse. God, if Tyler could see him right now…
“Oh Cinn, if you’d have just told us yesterday—”
“Done,” said Julien, a degree too loudly. “Deal.”
“But I haven’t even told you how much.”
Julien’s mouth quirked and Cinn took it as a sign that the number wasn’t going to be an issue.Nice to be him.
“Get the details to me and I’ll prepare the transfer paperwork for the bank.”
Fuck. Did Tyler even have a bank account? And how long would it all take?
However, Cinn didn’t have a chance to worry further before Julien ploughed on. “So. Your next question. The date.”
Cinn nodded. “The fifth of November.” After a pause he continued, “Remember, remember, the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot.”
Then he realised he was in a car full of foreigners. Well, Darcy was Scottish, but…
Darcy gasped. “I didn’t even make the connection! I haven’t been home for bonfire night in so long.”
“What?” snapped Elliot. “I don’t get it. Is it a nursery rhyme?”
“Some dude called Guy Fawkes tried to blow up our parliament because he was pissed at them,” said Cinn. “They probably deserved it.”
“That… about summarises it,” said Darcy. “He was then hung for treason.”
Julien whistled. “So, what you’re saying is… they chose this date for their first violent act as a… what? Nod to the rebels of past times? A sign that they meanbusiness?”
“I mean, it could be just a weird coincidence.”
“What’s the deal with the ‘Arcane Purifiers’ anyway?” said Cinn. “What the heck are they doing blowing up buildings?”
“They think it’s necessary action, for the good of mankind and the planet.” Darcy.
“They’re zealots.” Elliot.
Cinn looked to Julien.
“It’s a complicated matter,” he said at last.
Elliot laughed. “Don’t let daddy dearest hear you describe it as that. I think he’d have some choice words for you.”
“I don’t want to bore you to death, Cinn, but essentially the Arcane Purifiers are concerned—with good reason—about the damage motecraft inflicts on our planet.”
Cinn shook his head. “Huh? What does it do?”
“None of it has ever been proven,” snapped Elliot.
“Oh, come off it!” said Darcy. “Don’t bury your head in the sand.”
“Enough,” shouted Julien. “It’s already been a day and a half without ending it with us rehashing this shit again.”
“This shit might be what got Béatrice killed!”
Cinn’s eyes darted between Julien and Elliot. Uncomfortable and confused didn’t even begin to describe his current state of awkwardness. “Why do you say that?”
