Page 43 of Killing Time

The Wilcox warlock’s gaze moved to Seth. “Any other strange dreams I should know about?”

“None at all,” he said cheerfully, glad that at least he hadn’t been plagued by prophetic dreams at inopportune times.

And because Adam already knew he was telling the truth, Seth didn’t have to worry about explaining himself any further.

“So, what are those ‘guesses’ you were thinking of?” Devyn pressed, clearly wanting to get back to the matter at hand.

“Probably better that I don’t say anything until I have some more information,” Adam replied at once. “Where are you staying?”

“We’re at the Weatherford,” Seth told him. “Are you going to have any trouble contacting us?”

Adam’s mouth quirked a bit at the corners, but there was still something strained about his expression, as though he’d forced a smile because he wasn’t sure what else he should do.

“Hard to say,” he said. “Part of the reason Jasper met me for lunch earlier today was that he wanted to impress on me how important it was that all we Wilcoxes were united in overturning the curse, so he knows I’m already something of a risk.”

Well, that wasn’t good.

“You discussed that kind of thing in public?” Devynn asked, now looking a little shocked.

Adam’s shoulders lifted in a dismissive shrug. “A simple spell of Jasper’s. We can discuss clan business right in front of regular people, and it’ll just sound like ordinary conversation about the weather or the latest income reports at the company, or anything else that would be dry as dust to someone trying to listen in.”

Handy. Once again, Seth couldn’t help but be impressed by the breadth of magical skills the Wilcoxprimusesseemed to possess.

Too bad they’d never used those powers for good.

With the exception of Jeremiah Wilcox, he supposed, but even the man who had done what he could to help them escape 1884 — and had been a large part of the reason why Devynn’s father had survived Samuel’s attack at all — had a few black marks on his history.

“So…Jasper doesn’t trust you?” she pressed, and Adam shook his head.

“That’s probably taking it a little too far. He thinks I’m young and naïve, and was trying to explain to me exactly why sometimes we had to do things that seemed morally questionable in order to advance the greater good. I told him I understood what he was saying, and we left it there.”

Devynn still looked troubled. “Do you think he’s going to be keeping a closer eye on you because of this?”

“I doubt it,” Adam said, and if he was lying — not that Seth would have been able to tell if he was — he seemed convincing enough. “We’re a big clan, and although my talent is somewhat useful, it’s nothing that could ever be seen as threatening to him or anyone in his inner circle. Most likely, he thinks I’ve accepted what he’s doing and am content to go back to my ledgers and my spreadsheets.”

“Is that what you do at Northern Lumber?” Seth asked.

Now the smile that Adam wore seemed genuine enough. “It looks as if you’ve been doing your research on me. But yes, I work in the accounting department. I suppose when my cousin Edward retires some twenty years from now, I might even be in charge of the whole thing.”

He didn’t sound too happy at the prospect, and Seth thought he could see why. Although even the Wilcoxes had to work at “real” jobs to continue the illusion that they were no more than regular members of society, not everyone could be a painter or a musician or a sculptor. Sometimes, you had to take on less glamorous careers, like miner or shopkeeper…or accountant.

“At any rate,” Adam continued, “Jasper thinks I’m toeing the line, which means I should be able to pick up some information about where Ruby is being kept.” He stopped there, and a flash of a strange emotion crossed his features…well, strange to anyone who hadn’t felt that same expression on his own face.

The Wilcox warlock was soft on Ruby. Seth couldn’t call it love, not when he guessed the two of them had only spent at most a few hours in one another’s company, but still, he could tell theprima-in-waiting had made an impression on the other man. Adam wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, even though he appeared to be in his late twenties and probably should have settled down by now.

Well, even in the McAllister clan, some people wanted to wait a little longer, hoping they would find their true soul mate if they were just patient.

Unfortunately, Adam would have even less chance with Ruby than Jasper. If they somehow succeeded in freeing her and taking her back to Jerome, then she would find her consort among her own people.

He wouldn’t be a Wilcox, that was for sure.

Of course, Seth kept these thoughts to himself. He couldn’t tell whether Devynn had caught that flash of emotion, because atthe moment, she still appeared calm and cool, and not ruffled at all by the way Jasper’s spell had caught them here.

Well, the two of them could discuss that odd little impression once they were safely back in their hotel room. The important thing was that Adam’s feelings — whatever they might be — could be another reason why he was willing to assist them.

And right now, Seth knew they needed all the help they could get.

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