Sean grinned wider. “I can’t help it. The guy begs for it.”
I shook my head at him in disappointment, their banter a sharp reminder of the back and forth I’d seen between Jackson and Matthew. Though, while Matthew and Jackson bickered like an old married couple, there was something different here—something charged. Sean and Jackson didn’t just argue; they played off each other, their energy closer to chemistry than simple rivalry.
When Jackson returned, arms full of books, Sean was still lounging, feet up, looking far too pleased with himself. “Miss me?” he asked, grin broadening.
“Like a plague-infested STD.”
Sean laughed, loud and unapologetic. “Oddly specific. I’d ask if ye were speakin’ from experience, but nobody who's ever had sex stays that wound up.”
That hit a nerve.
“Not everyone is as eager asyouto whore themselves out,” Jackson shot back, dumping the books on the table with a thud.
Sean jumped to his feet, the playful smirk wiped clean from his face. “Excuse me? Whore myself out?”
“Guys,” I interjected, trying to cut through their bullshit. “Let’s focus on the assignment?”
They were both glaring, their breathing a little too heavy, and something dark flickered in their eyes—something that looked disturbingly like hunger.
“Guys, seriously?” I pressed.
Jackson finally broke first, gave me a tight nod and sat his ass down. Sean followed, though the air between them still simmered with unresolved heat.
“Ye know,” Sean mumbled while opening a book, “ye should get to know me before ye judge.”
“Think I’ll survive just fine without all that Irish charm,” Jackson grumbled back.
I shook my head, suppressing a smile of my own. “You two are worse than children,” I said. “Let’s try to get along and get some work done.”
Sean shot me a wink, still smiling. “Yeah, boss. Whatever ye say.”
Jackson groaned, then pinched the bridge of his nose. “Let’s get this over with.”
“So what is it we’re trying to find out?” Sean asked again, leaning back in his chair, his usual easygoing demeanor wavering slightly.
Jackson grunted, apparently already on edge. “I’mlooking up anything about blocked translation. You’re on Amplifier duty,and Emma is looking into the Elder. Can you please try to retain it for longer than twenty seconds?”
Sean’s patience thinned, something I hadn’t seen from him yet. “I didn’t ask what ourassignmentswere, mister Lau,” he shot back. “I asked what we’retrying to find out.”
I glanced between the two of them, before deciding to elaborate. “I want to know who I am,” I said softly, trying to ease the hostility. “I want to understand why I am the way I am. So anything on dulled translation that suddenly gets out of control or on how to survive an Amplifier…”
Sean’s frown deepened as he considered my words. “And the Elder? How does he fit into this?”
I shrugged, not ready to reveal the whole thing about the True Bond between us yet. “He was here when everything went down, then never showed when the Amplifier did. I only want to make sure he wasn’t involved in anything ‘Radical’.”
Sean’s gaze softened, his earlier frustration fading. “Of course,” he said gently. “Let’s see what we can find out.”
Which is precisely what we tried.
For three days straight.
We poured over every book we could find, combing through ancient texts and records. I even learned a lot about healing in the process, spending hours reading about translation and anatomy. But despite all the time and effort, we found no solid leads—nothing that resolved the barrage of questions still churning inside me.
On the last day, it was only Sean and me. Jackson had to leave early to get ready for a night out with James and Matthew, though I had a sneaking suspicion he was also still wrestling with whatever attraction was still pulling him toward Sean. Not that he’d ever admit it.
I didn’t bring it up to Sean either, figuring he’d talk to me about it when—and if—he was ready. But he didn’t.
“It’s insane how little we actually know about this stupid Elder,” I complained in frustration, more to myself than to Sean. I flipped through another worn, useless page, my patience thinning. “He fought in the only war between magi. How hard can it be to find out more about him?”
