He nodded at the box. “Last time I looked at the ring’s history, I saw the paranormal who put his wind magic into it. He mentioned the Inquisitor. Inquisitor de Leon. And I know there’s a whole buncha de Leons in the world and maybe it’s one big coincidence, but you weaken magic, and your cousin paints magic traps, and I’m thinking maybe you’re not the only ones from your family with magic that stops other magic. Because you sure do know an awful lot about the relics.”

Sebastian snapped the lid shut. The sense of the wind vanished. “So you think I’m some kind of witch-hunter’s descendent?”

“What was it you said back at Gwen’s pad?” Rory said pointedly. “Everyone’s got a legacy?”

Sebastian folded his arms on the table. “The Inquisition took innocent lives and so did the inquisitors. If that was my legacy, do you think I would want to talk about it?”

“Maybe not,” Rory acknowledged. “But you know, the paranormal nobles who made the relics killed people too.”

Sebastian seemed to still at that. “You saw that in history?”

Rory nodded once. “The fella who made my ring practiced using the wind on prisoners on a ship. The man who made Gwen’s amulet sent a tidal wave toward a castle. And I don’t wanna talk about the pomander,” he added with a shiver.

Sebastian glanced down at the ring again. “So you think a monster was sent to hunt the monsters?”

“You tell me,” said Rory. “If your family was supposed to keep the relics hidden, are you gonna try to take that ring from me, whether I’m willing or not? Gwen’s amulet too?”

“And cast her back into her aura-sight so she sees nothing but magic?” Sebastian said quietly. “Is that what you think I plan to do to a friend, when her pain was caused by the relics my family lost in the first place?”

Rory hesitated.

“Whatever you think my legacy is,” Sebastian said, still quiet, “I have blood magic in my veins. I wouldn’t trust myself with a relic. I don’t trust myself at all. I’m here to protect Gwen and Ellis, but if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be in Barcelona. I’d be as far away and as alone as I could.”

“I get it.” Rory held up a hand when Sebastian opened his mouth again. “No, I do. Because if there’s one thing I know about better than anyone else, it’s magic screwing with you and making you do things you didn’t choose to do.”

“Because you’re a subordinate paranormal too.” Sebastian’s brown eyes were serious. “You’ve been changed by the lost relics as well. What would happen to you if I took the ring?”