He shook his head as his jaw took on a stubborn set. “No. Not yet. I really don’t want to …” His voice trailed off as he shook his head again, more firmly. “No.”
I knew better than to push, given the state he was in. “Okay, then. I’ll get back to you tomorrow with whatever I find out. Will you be okay?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” He was back to icy calm, but I got the feeling he was barely clinging to that calm and didn’t want to lose his grip in front of me, so I released his hand.
“Try to get some sleep,” I suggested, patting him on the shoulder. “I know that’s probably a tall order, but put on an old movie or read the most boring book you can find. You won’t be helping yourself or anyone else if you exhaust yourself.”
“I’m fine,” he insisted.
“Only if we’re grading on a curve.” I hesitated, wondering if I should kiss him or give him a hug, but I could practically see the barriers he’d put up, and these weren’t the kind my magical immunity would let me through. I settled for saying, “I’ll come by again tomorrow.” When he didn’t respond, I took that as my cue to leave him alone.
*
The next morning, instead of Owen waiting for me downstairs, Rod was there. “How was he?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Weird. In shock, maybe. Mostly pretty analytical. He wants proof, and I don’t think he’s going to do anything based solely on what Idris said.”
“That sounds like Owen.”
“I intend to get to the bottom of this today,” I said, setting off down the sidewalk with a purposeful stride.
Rod joined me. “And I’ll be right there with you,” he said.
When we got downtown, more people than usual got off at our subway stop. It was a busy station, but there was something odd about the way these people moved that made me nervous. Then I saw a flash of plastic under the collar of one of the people—an anti-flu amulet. If these people were wearing the amulets, bracelets or charms, then we might be about to see what their real purpose was.
When we got across the plaza, we saw where all those people were going. A crowd—really, more of a mob—had gathered in front of MSI headquarters. It seemed to be a cross between a riot and a protest. Rod took my arm and said, “Stick with me,” as he led me through the crowd, which parted around us.
Sam eyed the mob suspiciously from his perch on the building awning. “Would you believe this?” he asked when we reached the awning. “I talked to the boss about breaking it up, but he said they weren’t doing any harm and to leave them be.” He curled and uncurled his foot talons around his perch, like he was forming fists.
A ripple went through the crowd, and they moved as one to turn their attention away from the MSI building and toward the other side of the street. I was about to ask Sam what was going on when I saw Ivor Ramsay rising above the crowd, levitating. They all cheered, and he soaked up the adulation for several minutes before he raised his hands and they instantly went silent.
“My good people,” he said, “It warms my heart to see so many of you here today because it gives me hope that the magical world has not turned its back on truth and ethics.” Above us, Sam muttered under his breath and flexed his talons. I gritted my teeth and wished I had talons to flex. “I was as shocked as any of you to hear about the secrets our magical leadership has kept from us. When I fought and defeated the Morgans, I never dreamed that their son would be harbored by the same people I served for so many years. And now that same son—the biggest threat our world has known since his parents terrorized us—has been given a position of trust and leadership by Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Incorporated, the very company charged with protecting us from dark magic.” The crowd booed on cue.
Now I really wished I had Sam’s talons. I didn’t realize I’d been leaning forward, ready to pounce, until I felt Rod’s grip on my upper arm, restraining me. How could Ramsay say those things about Owen?
“I will not be a party to this any longer,” Ramsay continued, shouting above the boos. “I will no longer be associated with MSI, and I am happy to announce that I have accepted a position as chief executive of Spellworks, the magical company I believe will lead the magical world into a new era of peace, prosperity, and innovation. I know Merlin is a great wizard, but he is from another age, and I believe it is time to move in a different direction. As the leader of Spellworks, I vow to turn from the old ways and work toward reforming the magical world.”
