“Good,” Gwen said, unafraid. “Because I need you to do something about that pomander.”
Rory sucked in a breath.
Arthur glanced between them. “What does the pomander relic do?”
Rory looked at him with a pained expression. “It enslaves non-magic minds,” he whispered, and Arthur thought he might vomit again. Rory glared weakly but defiantly at Gwen. “And I’ll die before I tell anyone how to unlock it.”
She frowned. She looked back down at the box. If the lead stung her hand, and it must have, she didn’t show it. Arthur could see the other emotions warring on her face: disgust and fear, calculation, consideration.
His stomach lurched. “Gwen,” he whispered. “I know you want revenge on Baron Zeppler, and you deserve it. But please: if you have ever loved someone without magic, destroy that relic.”
Gwen’s gaze went to Arthur. “And just how will we do that?” she said, softly and tightly. “These relics have lasted more than four hundred years. Do you believe it’s a coincidence no one has managed to destroy one yet?”
Arthur hesitated. “Everything burns in a hot enough fire,” he said, but it wasn’t as convincing as he’d hoped.
Gwen was shaking her head. “Can you burn radio waves, Arthur? Magic is not a simplething. And magic like this will never burn.” She nodded at Rory. “Ask your young fellow right there. He’s seen its history. Has he ever seen a way to destroy a relic?”
Rory’s look of despair was answer enough.
“If we can’t destroy it,” she said, “we have to neutralize it. We have to find someone trustworthy to bind it to.” She looked at Rory. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to tell me how to unlock it.”
But Rory shook his head. “No.”
“I made you talk once.” She pointed at Arthur. “And your Achilles’ heel is right here.”
Rory went very pale, but he didn’t flinch. “Not this time.” His voice was a whisper. “This time, there’s nothing that can make me talk.” He looked at Arthur like his heart was breaking. “I’m sorry, Ace.”
Before Arthur could tell Rory it was okay, that he was proud of him, Gwen said, “Very well, then.” She leaned close to Arthur. “Give Jade my best.”
“What”was all Arthur managed to say, because Gwen reached out a hand into the air above Arthur’s heart—
And Arthur’s world went dark.
Rory nearly screamed as Arthur crumpled to the deck. He lunged forward, only to be yanked back by the mobster’s death grip on his arm.“No—”
“He’s not dead,” Gwen said impatiently. She looked over at Ellis. “Can we get him in a lifeboat?”
“If we hurry.” Ellis was already moving to Arthur’s unconscious body, pointing the two henchmen toward the railing and one of the lifeboats. “Ship’s awake now. We won’t be able to keep security off the deck forever.”
“Life...boat...?” Rory said weakly, as Ellis lifted the bigger Arthur over his shoulders with a loud grunt.
“He’ll only be out for a few minutes,” Gwen called to the henchman. “Rory’s magic is too strong in his aura, I can’t buy you more than that. Check Hyde for the handcuff keys and get those off before we put his lifeboat into the river.”
Rory blinked, sagging exhaustedly against the painful grip of the mobster’s fingers in his bicep. “What are you doing to Ace?”
Gwen’s gaze was on Ellis and the two henchmen as they put Arthur’s limp body into the lifeboat. “I believe you,” she said, still watching the others, “when you say that you will never, ever talk.”
Rory swallowed, his gaze darting between her and Arthur as the henchmen began to work the ropes, the lifeboat that now held Arthur disappearing over the edge of the steamship.
“I believe that you’ll die first; I even believe you’ll let Arthur die instead of tell me what I want to know. I told you once that Arthur had been a good friend and I didn’t want to kill him. I meant that.”
Arthur’s handcuffs now dangled, unlocked, from Ellis’s hand as he looked down the side of the ocean liner. “Ace’s boat is in the river,” he called back to Gwen.
“We’ll take Sebastian and Hyde to London with us.” Gwen touched her amulet and closed her eyes. “But the tide will take Arthur safely back to the pier.”
Rory stared. “You’re letting him go?”
“Yes. But not you, I’m afraid.”
