Page 5 of Under Arthur’s Protection

Samantha looked at Gwen. “You good?”

“I’m good.” Gwen glanced at me. “Thank you.”

For what? For the security assessment? For leaving her alone with the sword?

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Lyons.” I held out my hand, and she took it. It wasn’t even a shake, more of a hold. A pause. A contact that lasted no more than a breath, and when she pulled her hand free, the absence… registered.

Time to move, Penn.

Samantha led Lance and me through the studio toward the stairs to her office. Three conservators bent over large worktables, making tiny movements that spoke of years of practice. The whole space had the concentrated hush of talented people doing delicate things.

One of them looked up, a tall, dark-haired man, with the build of someone who had a disciplined gym habit. “Ah, bella, you’re done!”

“Not done yet.”

He set his magnifying headband on his worktable and joined us. He reached for Sam first, catching her hand and pressing a kiss to her knuckles with an ease that reminded me of Lance. “Are these our security consultants?”

“Arthur Penn and Lance Collins,” Sam said with a nod, “from Round Table Security. Gentlemen, my husband, Dr. Antonio Ferraro.”

Round Table.

Every time I heard someone else say it, I had to hide the same small flinch. Tristan had pushed hard for the name, and Merlin had naturally sided with him. No one else cared enough to fight with either of them, and I’d conceded. It had made my father happy, for certain. But since he and his Pendragon Security had given me the startup funding, I opted not to die on that hill.

“A pleasure,” Antonio said in a thick Italian accent. “My wife tells me you come highly recommended.”

Sam nodded. “They’re the team who handled the Fabergé egg fiasco in August.”

“In this case, we are fortunate to have you with us.” He turned to Lance with the same open warmth. “Are you both free this evening? Samantha and I like to welcome new collaborators properly. There’s a wonderful restaurant in town called The Train Station, and we’d love for you to be our guests this evening.”

“That sounds great.” I’d been meaning to try the restaurant since I arrived in town, but hadn’t found sufficient reason for a fancy night out.

“Works for me,” said Lance.

“And the authenticator?” Antonio said to Sam. “Dr. Lyons, was it? Shall we invite her, as well?”

“Good idea,” said Sam as she continued to the stairs. “Can you make the reservations?”

“Anything for you, amore,” he said with a smirk.

Sam started up the stairs, but the reaction she threw over the railing was pure affection dressed up as exasperation. “See if you can get the chef’s table.”

“Of course.” Antonio spread his hands. “Do either of you have significant others to bring? Or will it be the five of us?”

“Just five,” I said, then immediately corrected myself, “unless Dr. Lyons has a plus-one?”

“Just five,” called Sam.

Those words shouldn’t have felt like a comfort, but they did.

“Bene. Samantha will send you the details once I have them.” Antonio clapped me on the shoulder briefly and returned to his work.

Lance and I made our way to the stairs, and he shook his head slowly. “Small world.”

He didn’t have to say more. His tone was all the confirmation I needed to know he and Dr. Lyons didn’t go “way back” as just friends.

“You two had a thing, I assume?”

“Yeah, but it’s ancient history,” Lance said. “We dated for a bit, back when I was on that New York City gig for Pendragon. You remember that one?”