“Gwen saw only magic for two years because of him.” Ellis entwined his fingers with hers. “And we’re not the only ones he’s hurt.” His eyes strayed to Jade and Arthur.

Gwen cocked her head. “I have so many thoughts about what we should do with you,” she said, almost sweetly. “I hope you can hear them all.”

“I hope you hear my thoughts too,” Ellis said, with deep loathing. “And I hope you’re afraid.”

Zeppler stared straight at the night sky, not blinking, not moving.

“Ellis, love,” Gwen said, her eyes never leaving Zeppler, “can you reach the siphon?”

Jade folded her arms but didn’t speak. The other firestarter, Philippe, had been her friend too, Rory remembered. And Arthur’s.

Arthur was standing just behind Jade, tense and drawn, his skin far too pale. He glanced up, in Rory’s direction.

Rory opened his mouth.

Then Arthur quickly averted his eyes, looking down at the ground, his shoulders hunching.

Rory swallowed and wrapped his arms around himself.

Zhang was the one who picked up the siphon clock from the steps. He handed it over to Ellis without a word. Ellis crouched on the other side of Zeppler and set the siphon against his hand. He wiped some of his own blood off his face and added it to the final clock hand as Gwen reached for her own left hand and pulled the wedding band off her finger.

“We’re making a new relic tonight,” she said to Zeppler. “So that you can’t hurt anyone ever again.”

Rory sucked in a breath as Arthur and Jade exchanged a look, silent agreement and support.

Zhang was suddenly at Rory’s side. “Come help me check on all of Zeppler’s henchmen?” he said quietly, making it a question.

“Yeah, yeah, let’s go,” Rory said hastily.

He followed Zhang away from the manor, away from the baron and the others. Gravel crunched under their feet as they walked down the drive.

Several yards away, they crouched next to the first guard, who was breathing but still unconscious.

“They’re doing the right thing,” Zhang said quietly, as he checked the man’s handcuffs. “I just—I don’t know, maybe we should help, but I wanted to give them a moment.”

“Yeah,” Rory said, with feeling. “This was their fight. The baron ripped apart their lives, destroyed their friendship, got their other friend killed. Let them finish it. I hate the prickling of all that magic in the air anyway.”

He glanced back up at the four of them, eyes soft. “And Jade and Ace are probably gonna have a lot of complicated feelings after this. Sometimes what you can do to help is be ready to be the strong one when they need you.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine