“I’m not sure I’m young now.”
She smiled, offering no reply, her silence a pointed acquiescence.
Ethan laughed. “You could argue a little.”
“Why bother when you’re making my argument for me?”
Ethan lifted Kannice’s hand to his lips. “You know that even if I decide to go into the tavern business, I can’t simply stop thieftaking right now. Ramsey is out there, and he won’t forgo his vengeance because I happen to change professions.”
“I understand.”
“And if I start living here, working here, spending every minute with you, you might find that you don’t care for me as much as you thought.”
“I’ve considered the possibility,” Kannice said, eyes dancing.
“And…?”
“I’m willing to take my chances.”
He nodded, looked at the fire.
“Are you truly considering this?” she asked.
“Aye. If the alternative is losing you, then I’ll give up thieftaking.”
She stared at him, as if seeing him for the first time.
“You’re surprised.”
“Very,” she said. “I didn’t think…” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. I’m grateful to you.”
“Didn’t think what?”
She dropped his hand and stood. “How about that breakfast?”
Ethan caught hold of her again. “You didn’t think what, Kannice?”
“I wasn’t…” Tears welled in her eyes again. “I didn’t think you loved me that much,” she whispered.
Ethan felt his heart constrict. He stood and took her in his arms. Her sobs shook them both.
“I love you more than I can say,” he said, breathing the words into her scented hair. “And the fact that you doubted it … I’m sorry; it’s my fault.”
He held her for what seemed a long time. Her sobs subsided slowly, and at last she pulled away and brushed a strand of hair from her face. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“You needn’t apologize.”
Before they could say more, the tavern door opened and Kelf walked in. Seeing them, he halted, his face turning even redder than the cold had made it.
“G’morning, Kannice. Ethan, it’s good to see that you’re … alive.”
“Good day, Kelf,” Ethan said.
Kannice grinned. “I think it’s time I made breakfast.” She gave Ethan a quick kiss and hurried back to the kitchen.
Ethan remained by the fire, watching as Kelf took off his coat and stepped behind the bar. “I suppose I owe you an apology, too.”
Kelf shrugged. “It might be helpful if you told her when you plan on stayin’ away and when you plan on bein’ here. There’s only so many ways for a fella to say, ‘No, I don’t think he’s dead,’ before it starts to sound insincere.”
Ethan chuckled. “Fair enough.”
He joined Kannice in the kitchen. She had eggs frying in a pan along with several slabs of bacon.
“I should go,” he said.
“Why?” she asked, with equal measures of surprise and disappointment.
“Because the more people who come to the Dowser, the more dangerous it is for me to be here.” He glanced toward the great room to make certain that that barkeep wasn’t close enough to hear. When he went on, it was in a softer voice. “If Ramsey were to cast another of his spells right now, and Kelf were to attack me, I’d have no choice but to use conjurings against him. I don’t want to risk hurting him or you.”
“I don’t understand this, Ethan. What is it Ramsey is doing? And how are you so sure it’s him?”
“I’ve seen the residue of his conjurings-his color. It’s all over me. He’s found some way to turn my spellmaking to his purposes, and he’s making people attack each other, and attack me. You’ve heard of the fights over at Gray’s Rope Works?”
“Aye. A soldier had his skull fractured there yesterday.”
“Damn,” Ethan said. “I saw it happen. I made it happen, or rather Ramsey did using my power.”
“But that’s only one-”
“I was the cause of a brawl on Long Wharf, two men attacked me in the Crow’s Nest, and I’m more convinced than ever that I’m to blame for the death of Christopher Seider.”
“Even if this is true, Ramsey’s to blame, not you.”
Janna had told him the same thing. “You’re right. But still, staying here is too great a risk.”
“When was the last time you ate?” she asked, in a tone he knew all too well.
“Fine. I’ll leave after I eat.”
He and Kannice ate at the bar as Kelf worked. Kannice offered to feed the barkeep as well, but he assured her that he had eaten. He seemed intent on giving the two of them as much privacy as possible.
Once Ethan had finished eating and had helped Kannice clean up, he put on his coat and gloves, and retrieved his hat.
“You’ll be in your room?” Kannice asked.
“Aye.”
“And then what?”
“I don’t know. I have to find a way to protect myself so that I can search for Ramsey without being the cause of another brawl.” Or another death.
Her brow had furrowed again. Ethan thought he knew why.
“I can’t leave Boston forever,” he said. “And when I return, he’ll still be here, waiting for me. I have to end it; best I do it now.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” she said, sounding anything but sure.
He put his arms around her and kissed her forehead, hoping to smooth away the creases.
“I don’t know when I’ll be back, but I’ll try to get word to you when I can.”
“Yes, all right.”
They kissed, and he left. Out on the street again, he thrust his hands in his pockets, lowered his head, and walked as swiftly as his bad leg would allow. He hurried past clusters of soldiers and wended his way through crowds of workers, dreading the touch of a spell or the appearance of Uncle Reg. But he made it back to his room above Henry’s shop without incident.
After rekindling his fire, he reached for Janna’s books once more and began to read all that he could about warding spells. He soon discovered that the wardings listed in Janna’s books were far more sophisticated than the basic warding spell on which he usually relied. According to these texts, there were countless variations of wardings, each of which worked best against certain kinds of spells. If a speller knew that a specific conjuring would be used against him, he could ward himself against that spell. Most of the time, Ethan had no idea what spell his latest foe would use against him, but in this case, with Ramsey back and using borrowed conjurings against him, he knew exactly what he wanted to guard against.
Unfortunately, none of the wardings listed in the books were specific to this sort of conjuring. Eventually, however, as night fell, he began to recognize patterns in the spells these books described, and he wondered if he might create his own warding. The herbs Janna had recommended to him were mentioned again and again in the volumes, convincing Ethan that whatever warding he created should use all three of them.
Holding three leaves of each herb in the palm of his hand, Ethan said, “Protege meam magiam contra violationem, ex verbasco et marrubio et betonica evocatum.” Protect my magick from violation, conjured from mullein, horehound, and betony.
The spell rang like the harp of God in his walls and floor. Reg stood in front of Ethan, staring avidly at the books and pouches of leaves.
“That was powerful,” Ethan said to him. “Don’t you agree?”
The ghost nodded.
He pulled out three more leaves from each pouch and held them the same way. “Protege meam magiam contra violationem, ex his herbis evocatum.” Protect my magick from violation, conjured from these herbs.
This second conjuring was easier and quicker to say, but when it hummed in the wood around him, it felt far less puissant than had the first version he tried.
“What do you think?” Ethan asked the ghost.
Reg held up one finger. The first.
“Aye. That’s what I think.”
“Teaching yourself wardings. Such diligence.”