“Because I’m the only paranormal in my family, Ace. I got nieces and nephews back in North Carolina, and Gwen’s got non-magic family too. Maybe we don’t go see them anymore, but you think we want some piece of fifteenth-century magic like that pomander loose in the world any more than Jade and Mr. Zhang do?”

Arthur admittedly hadn’t thought about that. “But we left the pomander in New York. It’s too soon to scry the siphon—”

“I’m willing to give up my relic.”

Arthur glanced at him in surprise.

“It’s not just a magical blade. It’s full of paralysis magic. The Venom Dagger, remember?” Ellis’s eyes were on Gwen. “We’re not taking the relics away from the subordinate paranormals, they need them. They’re drowning in magic otherwise. So I offered my dagger, because if it goes wrong, I’ll keep my head—well.” His jaw tightened. “What’s left of my head. I’m aware I’m not the man you once knew.”

Despite himself, Arthur felt a pang of sympathy. “It’s not as if the last couple years have been easy for you.”

“It got a lot better once Gwen and I found our way back to each other.” Ellis gestured at the dagger in its hilt on his belt. “You want to know if you can destroy the pomander. You ought to be sure it’s gonna work before you go messing with a relic that enslaves non-magic minds, and you don’t have an extra relic back in New York. So the kid scries it now, and then we siphon the magic out of my dagger as a test run.”

Arthur furrowed his brow. He watched Rory’s lips move. “I don’t hate everything about that plan,” he finally admitted. “But if Rory scries the siphon, then he will have more knowledge that others might be willing to kill for.”

“Yeah,” said Ellis. “But you already have to keep your sweetheart away from Zeppler for the other secrets he holds. What’s one more?”

One more was one more, the secrets Rory held stacking higher and higher, making him an evermore wanted prize for a telepath who could pick everything out of his mind.

They were silent for several minutes, then Arthur felt Ellis’s eyes were on him. “How you holding up?” he said, even more quietly.

Arthur’s lips thinned. “Gwen told you about my aura?”

“We don’t keep secrets from each other.” Was that judgment in Ellis’s tone? “You told the kid yet?”

Arthur folded his arms. He didn’t owe Ellis that answer.

Across the room, Rory suddenly pulled his hands away from the siphon, his eyes flying open. His gaze went straight to Arthur, his expression lost and relieved all at once.

Arthur’s chest clenched. He held up a hand, moving his fingers in a quiet wave, hoping Rory got the message.