Page 33 of Blackwicket
Thea James possessed magic in spades, and sheusedit. It radiated, warm and alluring as her voice, softening parts of me I believed would never yield.
“Incredible, isn’t she?” William murmured behind me, his voice near my ear. My back brushed against his chest as I turned toward him. He smelled of brandy and tobacco, and this sensory stimulation threw me off balance. I leaned too far, prompting his hand to press at my waist for support. The connection shattered the spell, and I sought sobriety, inhaling deeply, though the odd tingling lingered on my skin. “She’s been with us for several years now. Haven’t seen a slow night since.”
“William, is this legal?”
The restrictions on magic were so extreme, and even the enchantments allowed during the Yule season paled in comparison. The amount of power here begged for Drudge.
“I find it amusing that the legality of all this concerns you.” A charming grin lifted the corner of his lips. “But yes, it’s completely legal. We have all the required licensing, including a special exemption raising the allowable cap by a significant margin.”
“Your father’s always known the right people to bribe,” I said. There was no point in hiding my animosity toward the man. Besides, the magic had loosened my tongue.
William laughed, the sound pleasant.
“I did the bribing.”
I scanned his face to determine whether this was a jest, he winked at me.
“Don’t be too scandalized, Eleanora,” he said. “There’s no need to pretend you don’t know what my family’s involved in,and since our meeting yesterday, I’m up to speed on all the trouble you’ve been getting yourself into as well.”
I prepared a rebuttal, but applause overwhelmed us as Thea’s song completed, and the audience came to their senses. Above the roar, I could hear someone crying. The two who’d been in the thrall of ecstasy were gone, a glass tipped onto the tabletop, perhaps in their rush to leave, wine seeping across the white linen like the remnants of violence, not love. William, the ghost of his previous smile lingering, tapped a light touch on my elbow, then raised his chin in the direction he wanted me to go. Toward the private table where Thea James had taken residence after her graceful, victorious ascent from the stage.
“Come, I’ll introduce you. Your sister and Thea were great friends, I imagine she’d like to make your acquaintance.”
This was the entire purpose of my coming here, but a worthwhile conversation was impossible with William present. Still, I agreed, preferring not to incur suspicion. At the very least, I’d be able to get a feel for who I was up against.
The spotlight dimmed, leaving the theater aglow in a sparkling blue light, creating the impression of being submerged in water. With none of the earlier magic, The Button Men continued to play smooth music, guiding the place toward intermission. The audience returned to their conversations, drinking, and smoking, with many rising to head to the bar—a cherry wood counter stretching across an entire wall, boasting a mirror set in the carved swell of breaking waves. The glass reflected watery light onto the patrons, casting everyone in a ghostly pallor. People were watching our progress. Not interested in me, but in William. They regarded him with open admiration. To my knowledge, William possessed little magic. The power attracting their attention was another kind entirely.
Thea James didn’t regard our approach, too busy speaking to a sleek, auburn-headed woman who’d descended on the table,a roster in hand. She gave the paper a harsh tap, dismissing the assistant, whose lovely face had twisted in frustration.
“Thea,” William said, remaining close to me, as if he thought I might run. I couldn’t hold that against him, it seemed to be what I was known for. “This is Eleanora, Fiona Blackwickets sister.”
“The dead one?” Thea asked with a cool disinterest, taking a sip of ice water, without even bothering to glance at me. I bristled.
“Behave yourself.”
It wasn’t clear whether William’s warning was a sincere reprimand or a good-natured gibe. She seemed unmoved in either case.
“I’m always on my best behavior, it’s why we’re booming.” The mix of snappishness and friendly affection kept me from pinning their dynamic. “Come on, doll, sit. Have a drink.”
William pulled out the seat next to her and when I sat as she offered, he took up the chair across from me.
“I’m afraid I don’t drink,” I said.
“Imagine that,” she replied blithely, waving down a waiter, who stopped in his tracks, making a quick turn at the beckon of the star of the house. When he arrived, she ordered something for me anyway. “You’ll enjoy it. It’s tart.”
She propped her chin on the back of her hand, elbow on the table, leaning toward me with a conspiratorial gleam in her beguiling eyes.
“Now, tell me all about yourself. I’m eager to talk to someone risen from the grave.”
Chapter Fourteen
Sitting at that private table in The Vapors, a place I didn’t belong, I realized I had no plan. I’d been shoved in Thea’s orbit too abruptly and hadn’t expected William’s presence.
“Never dead,” I said, response clipped.
“Clearly.”
William cleared his throat and Thea clicked her tongue in response.
