Lia / Seoul, South Korea
'Let's go do some sightseeing,' Jass suggested brightly during their late breakfast.
Nico rubbed his eyes but agreed, and Lia nodded as well.
'We should have asked Wan Lao for his number. Maybe he could show us around,' Jass said.
'I think we have taken too much of his time already. You can't expect the man to play our tour guide,' Nico objected.
'You think he doesn't like us?'
'He did clam up a bit before he left us here,' Lia said.
'And he never really said anything about himself. If Lia is right that Lao is an honorific, we don't even know his name.'
'I don't know. He seemed a cool guy,' Jass mused.
Lia replied, 'We do not know how to reach him, so it is moot anyway.'
'You could have asked him for his number,' Jass said with a wink.
'Me? Why me?'
'You think he is hot.'
'I don't.'
'Oh, come on.'
'He is beautiful. I used to have a doll like him when I was little. A princess doll. I didn't think it was hot either.'
Jass just gave her a knowing look, and she hastened to change the subject.
'Anyway, what will I do with the thing? Can I just leave it in my room?'
'Where is it now?' Nico asked.
She tapped her handbag. 'It just does not feel right to carry it into the crowd.'
'We'll put it in a safe deposit box in the next best bank,' Nico said with a shrug.
✽ ✽ ✽
Once they had deposited the Jades, Lia felt 100 pounds lighter. Her mood lifted considerably as they visited the Bukchon Hanok Village with all its traditional charms. Yet despite her protestations, an image of Wan Lao kept popping up in her mind. Not even so much because he was so damn pretty with that pouty mouth, but because of that insolent Gremlin smirk and his bossiness. She would never have admitted it aloud, but there was a certain sexiness to it. She was almost grateful as her phone rang and shook her out of those thoughts.
'Good morning, my dear. Is everything all right?' the High Warlock asked in his charmingly accented English.
'Yes, sir. We got it back.'
'Yes, I know. Julien told me. I am at Ravenstone Manor to see if I can help. Thank you all for doing this. I would like to ask another favour, though. A less unpleasant one, I hope.'
'Of course, sir.'
'That young man who helped you last night – do you think you could persuade him to accompany you? Julien says he may be helpful with finding out more about the item.'
Lia cursed Julien inwardly. But she knew he hadn't suggested this because he was hot for Wan Lao. Julien was never that basic. Duty first was ingrained in him so firmly that she sometimes wanted to shake it out of him.
'I had the impression Wan Lao would like to put an ocean between himself and the item. He seems to have a particular aversion to it.'
'All the better. Maybe I should officially ask Master Su if he agrees to send the young man here. Do you think that would be appropriate? Don't want him to think I am poaching his people.'
'I think Wan Lao is not one of his disciples, but it won't hurt to do it anyway,' Lia agreed.
'That is what I thought. I will ask Master Su, and then you can contact the young man and ask him directly. He must only come if it is his wish as well, of course.'
'I hope so. Because if it is not his wish, I do not think I could make him come.'
'I would never ask any of you to kidnap someone, dear,' Mr Tozzi said in an amused tone.
'Yes, of course, but what I mean is that it would take at least Julien to match him.'
'How interesting. Anyway, I will text you after I have spoken to Master Su.'
'Sir, I can give him my word that he will be safe with us, can't I?'
'What are you thinking, my girl? I am hurt. Of course, you can give him your word. My word.'