Theo shook his head, scrubbed his face in frustration. “Right, then. Where is the Alchemist, Nina?” He was barely in control of the volume of his voice. “All that time you’re spending with him, surely you’ve figured it out?”
My stomach turned. “I don’t know,” I said, working hard to keep my voice even. I’d been too distracted to come up with a stall tactic. I still had no idea what to say to Theo in order to protect him and persuade him at the same time.
Theo shook his head, laughed in disbelief. “And why exactly is that?”
“He isn’t stupid, Theo. He’d suspect something if I pushed too hard right away. It would put us in danger.”
“I’m in that hole every f*****g day, Nina. You don’t need to tell me about danger.”
“And I have the House threatening my execution if I don’t give them what t
