“And Mr. Giovacchini knows how to unlock it,” Zeppler added. “I’m so very interested in meeting him.”

Rage curled low in Arthur’s gut.

Zeppler only scoffed. “Quiet your thoughts. Everyone wants to kill me.” He paused, then scoffed again. “Yes, yes, you think you have good reasons. Lots of people think that; you’re not special.”

He paused again. “Oh, well, that is interesting,” he said, eyebrows back up. “You’re so soft, and yet from you, murder isn’t an idle threat. You’ve killed on the battlefield and you would, given the chance, easily kill both Mr. Becker and me in cold blood.”

He smiled without humor. “Good to know.”

Arthur’s eyes stared straight ahead as his mind raged uselessly.

Zeppler tilted his head. “Did you judge Gwen and Ellis too harshly? Now there’s an interesting question,” he said, smiling like he was pleased. “It’s true that I am, perhaps, not the easiest company. I do seem to change people. But I wouldn’t go giving them your sympathies just yet. You don’t know what they’ve done.”

Arthur’s stomach twisted just as the rumbling of an approaching engine could be heard down the drive. A few seconds later, headlights were visible as the Delage came around the bend and then pulled back onto the circular driveway.

Oh no.

The Delage stopped three yards from Arthur and Zeppler. Becker got out of the passenger seat as two men manhandled a cuffed Rory out of the back.

Arthur and Rory’s eyes met, and Rory looked as desperate as Arthur felt.

Zeppler grunted irritably. “You two are loud.”

“Arthur,” Rory started, “they sold us out—”

“I know.” Arthur could see Rory wincing, his cuffs almost certainly full of stinging lead, the man gripping his arm handling him too roughly. Arthur so desperately wanted to lash out, to get to Rory. But his body wouldn’t listen, would only stand still at Zeppler’s side, like a perfect minion.

Becker reached into his pocket and held out something small. His face contorted with pain and a hiss escaped him. “The Tempest Ring, sir, in a lead box. I haven’t opened it.”

Zeppler held out a hand, and a new henchman materialized from somewhere to Arthur’s right. He stepped forward and put a pair of black gloves in Zeppler’s hand.

Zeppler’s eyes flicked to Rory as he pulled the gloves on. “She outwitted you. Although, to be frank, I can’t imagine that was very hard to do.”

“Leave him alone,” said Arthur. “You want a target, I’m right here—”

His mouth stopped itself.

“Thank you,” Zeppler said to Becker, taking the ring box out of his hand. “Lieutenant Kenzie’s thoughts are loud enough.”

Zeppler walked forward, through the headlight beams and toward Rory, ring box in hand. Rory glared at him, chest heaving.