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.“Help me get her in the car,” Rowan said when Marlowe joined him.“We’ll take her to the clinic and get the quarrel removed.”“Yes, sir.”The two men gently loaded Era into the back seat, careful not to jostle the quarrel.Rowan straightened and pulled out his cellphone.“Go ahead,” he told Marlowe.“I’ll have Donovan meet you there.”Marlowe nodded and hurried to climb in the car.I retreated to the steps while he backed out.Rowan spent a few minutes making calls before he finally hung up and turned a frown on me.“What happened?”“I told you what happened.James’s crazy brothers showed up and tried to take me.Era intervened.”“Why was Era there?”“She came to see me this morning.” I released a sigh.“She’d heard about my shop and wanted to check it out.I had an appointment at the hospital that I had to get to.She got upset when I refused her offer of a ride, so I let her drive me.Once there, she wouldn’t leave, insisting she’d wait and take me back.”“You should have called me.”I started to speak, but stopped myself.Fire still encircled his pupils.I didn’t fear him—even after everything—but I knew the fire was evidence that he still didn’t have himself completely under control.He wouldn’t listen to reason.Not now.And certainly not where Era was concerned.“Okay,” I said.He’d been studying the back of the shop, but his gaze drifted back to me.“Why stop here for Knockout Powder? They could have sedated her at the clinic.”“That’s not why I stopped here.I intended to counter the X Dust.”“You have such a potion?” His eyes narrowed in what looked like suspicion.“I still have a vial of that formula Emil was selling.Remember how it returned your power?”“I nearly burned myself up.You’re not giving that to her.”“I was going to dilute it.”“No.” He continued to study me.“Why didn’t the Knockout Powder knock you out?”“I took the antidote before I used it.”“I want some.”I hesitated.“Do you think I’d use Knockout Powder on you?”“It does seem to be a favorite among you Alchemica alchemists.” Rowan gestured at my back door, inviting me to go get it.I turned toward the door, unable to voice a protest.Did he really think I’d use a potion against him? I walked up the back steps, my mind a jumble of hurt and confusion.It wasn’t until my hand gripped the knob that I remembered Ian.Crap.“Wait here,” I said.“I’ll get it.”“Wait here?”Leave it to him to pick up on that.“Yes.I won’t take a moment.” I turned the knob.“Don’t want to introduce me to your assistant?”I turned to stare at him.“Have you been spying on me?”“Not personally, but word gets back.”Hurt shifted to resentment from one breath to the next.“If you’re so damn worried about me, then why not send in your PIA buddies for a full shake down? As a matter of fact, I keep a record of every formula I’ve brewed.You can have that, too.”“That won’t be necessary.”“Why? Because you already have a list?”“No.” He joined me on the stoop, towering over me.That was probably by design.I opened my mouth and closed it.I was too close to breaking down to keep screaming at him, but my hurt and anger still needed an outlet.I turned back to the door and pushed it open.“Come in, Your Grace.Let me give you the tour.”He didn’t respond, but I heard his footsteps behind me.The bastard.I couldn’t believe he’d resort to something as underhanded as spying on me.And contrary to what he said, he’d clearly been doing just that.I marched down the back hall, fuming, but came to a dead stop just inside the lab.Ian’s eyes flicked in my direction before returning to the vial he was filling.Oh God.I couldn’t tell Rowan who my assistant really was.He’d refuse my help entirely.My bullets would go on killing.The Huntsman boys would keep trying to take James [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]