his face was calm and unreadable. "you've never asked."

that was no answer. "i've told you a ton of stuff about me."

he nodded once. "because i asked." when i opened my mouth, he raised a hand. "celia, i'm a mage and i'm in security. i don't tell just anyone my life history. knowledge is power and in magic it's deadly. but you feel the same, whether or not you realize it. it's taken verbal crowbars to get you to reveal anything about your past. there are a dozen questions i've asked that you still won't answer. so why in the world would i volunteer information when you've obviously had no interest?"

i stood there openmouthed for a long moment, "but i do want to know."

he shrugged. "then ask. i can't promise i'm an open book. not yet. but eventually, when we both trust each other a little more, we'll see. but the simple stuff-likes, dislikes, family, beliefs-sure. i'd love to tell you."

i decided to use a line from one of my favorite novels to open the conversation. "so, tell me of your homeworld, usal." john smiled and stepped forward into the light. apparently he'd read the book, too. he held out his hand and i took it. when he started to turn to walk down the stairs with me, i noticed something. not a new thing, but a missing thing. "john? where's your siren charm?"

he let out a small sound that i couldn't decipher. "i don't know. i think they stripped me of all my magical items when i got jumped. but i didn't see that in the bowl reading. i'll make another one, though. it'll only take a few days."

"you said knowledge was power. what does a missing piece of ... me mean?"

he put an arm around me and pulled me close to him. "i don't know. i'm hoping it's in glinda's effects. i'm trying to get a court order to let me look at the other items in george's safe, too. it'll turn up."

"what if it doesn't? what if it wound up in the demon dimension? things were flying thick and fast in there."

he tried not to let me see the shudder that overtook him. "we won't think that way. because that would be bad, celia. that would be very, very bad."