Alchemist's Kiss (26 page)

Icarus crossed his arms. The man was red in the face, the words sharp as he strove to bend Icarus to his view. “And what, Captain, do you fear?”

“Senseless death.” Levisque turned on his heel, but spun about again immediately. “A life spent hiding from the right choices is worth less than a noble death.”

“I'd die quietly, knowing I had saved you all.”

Levisque's anger drained as quickly as it had fired, and he shook his head. “There's no room for wasted martyrs in war, Kane. If we're to die, at least it should have meaning. Standing by while we could fight, letting you die for us, that means nothing.”

He turned again on his heel and strode away, his long legs eating up the deck as he walked. The wheelhouse door slammed behind him and Icarus looked at the sky.

“God, save me from stubborn loyal fools.” he begged.

Icarus tested the air by licking his finger and holding it up. The wind was from the west, the plumes of smoke from the still-burning fire now blowing away from the ship. His palm was itching, the leather of the glove heavy against his hand. He could feel the aether gathering, the pressure of its presence against his skin. No physical touch, thanks to the barrier, but enough.

“How is Machiavelli?” He did not have to turn to know that Lucia was behind him. He continued with his perusal of their position.

“My skills are exceptional.” She leaned against the railing next to him, pressing her forearms against the wood. She looked over the edge to the city below. They were silent for a time, and he figured she would get to her point eventually. “I died once, you know.”

Icarus paused for a moment, but did not answer.

“Indulgence was a distraction, a fun diversion in a low part of the city for a woman of a High House. I only went to the club to appease my teenage angst.”

Icarus had known many like her, young boys and girls called to Baiandelio's club in the slums of Whitechapel for the thrill of cavorting with dark wizards against their parent's dictates.

“I was there the night he killed that woman.” Her voice trembled, but she regained control quickly. “The spell went wrong, the explosion tearing apart the club and leaving me bleeding in the street.”

“Archimedes was instructed to dispose of your body, if I recall.” Icarus glanced sideways at the woman. It was a story he knew well from Archimedes' point of view, and he wondered why she decided to tell him again.

“Yes. I will forever be grateful for his good nature.” Lucia looked at him. Her dark eyes were wide. “I also have you to thank.”

“Me?” Icarus could not recall ever meeting the woman, and he'd only come to know of Baiandelio's disastrous spell gone wrong after the fact.

“Do you love Cora, Grand Adept?”

Lucia's question caught him off guard. He liked the woman, her serious nature and honest appraisals made him smile. He'd not believed her to be a person who spent much time on matters of the heart. “Cora?”

“I've recently come to some conclusions about love and the relationships between men and women that have left me feeling a bit like a fish out of water. For some reason I believe you to be the same.”

“Indeed?” Icarus turned, leaning one elbow on the rail, interested to hear what the woman might say next. Her questions and observations left him constantly surprised.

“I have never been in love, you know. I spent years wondering what it might be like, and imagining that a hero might appear to set my heart aflutter.” She grinned, a self-deprecating twist of the lips.
Isn't that silly,
it said. “Alas, heroes are few and I began to lose hope.” She glanced at the wheelhouse, where Archimedes' large outline could be seen through the glass, talking with Bastion. “Recent events have rekindled my girlish fantasies.”

“What do Cora and I have to do with that?” Icarus asked, intrigued. He'd sensed the emotional connection between Lucia and Archimedes, and he had begun to wonder exactly which one of them would admit it first. He was certainly surprised to be discussing a woman's affections, as he was hardly the person to understand them. He did, however, understand the woman's sudden renewed hope in a life she had never believed she could have.

“Heroes are real, Grand Adept. I have seen them with my own eyes. Martyrs are less appealing. There is no reason to die.”

“I've no plans to die, Lady Conti.” he assured her. Her eyebrow went up in disbelief. “Did they send you out here to appeal to my love for Cora?”

“They are all convinced of your righteousness.” She stared hard at him. “I find myself doubting it.”

“So let my father burn Desmond House?”

“Absolutely not.” Her hand was soft on his arm. “We are not friends, Icarus. Not yet. But Archimedes loves you. You saved his life and for that I owe you a great debt. Listen to me, if you won't listen to the others. Go to Longmoore. Destroy your father and do it however you must.”

“I sense a 'but'.”

A smile ghosted over her lips before she folded them straight and stern again. “But, do not do it because you want to die. Do it because you want to live.”

“There are no signs above my brow that say 'death wish'.” he said with an annoyed shake of his head.

“It's not here.” She tapped his forehead with her finger. “It's here.” Another tap to his eyelid. “And here.”  His mouth. “You are resolved to do whatever you must, and that includes dying.”

“If I have to.”

“Then don't have to.” She stared hard at him again. He liked her honesty. Her directness. She would give Archimedes a palsy, and he would be glad to see it. “Dying is the last resort, Icarus. Put living at the top of your list.”

She didn't give him time to answer, but walked away with her chin up and a sway to her hips. Icarus could not help a smile. The woman was a match for Archimedes, that much was sure. She was obviously falling in love with his friend, and he wished them both happiness.

The word had him frowning again as Lucia's words played over and over in his mind. Happiness. Did he love Cora? Of course, he told himself. More than the air he breathed or the magic in his veins. Was he planning to die? Not planning, no, but certainly resolved to do what had to be done. Had he accepted the idea of death as inescapable? He looked at the sky and let it play through his mind. He could choose to fight, choose to make living a priority as she'd suggested. Her words held merit, to be sure. Perhaps he had gone too quickly to the idea that he would not survive this confrontation. The idea that he might live fired his heart, making it beat harder, his blood rushing through his veins. He might die, but he would go down fighting and Cora would know for certain that he had tried to live. If Croft was correct then he had the ability to become the most powerful wizard in the world, and if that couldn't defeat his father then nothing could.

“Captain!” he called out.

“Yes, Kane?” Levisque's head popped out the wheelhouse door.

“Bolt everything down and hold on. We go to warp at noon.”

***

“What's a warp?” Nickerson asked as he steered the dirigible toward the open air over the Thames.

I looked up from the table in the center of the wheelhouse, where we'd finished bolting chairs to the floor around it. “A warp is a magical tear in the fabric of space. In short, Icarus will ask the aether to distort our reality, allowing the ship to pass through the rip and come out on the other side at our desired destination.”

Nickerson shivered, his face going green. “Sounds brutal, miss.”

I smiled. “I've never experienced one myself, but Icarus and Archie have. I'm told it's none to pleasant.” I couldn't hold my smile as Icarus wandered in, followed by Levsique, Archie and Bastion. From Bastion's high color I could tell that their conversation was not going well for him.

“I should be with you, Icarus.” They took chairs around the table as Bastion spoke. “You'll need a healer.”

“I need you to care for the people as the Captain gets them out.” Icarus did give Bastion a half-smile, surprising me with his kindness. Usually he would put down his foot and allow no arguments against his orders. Orders, I thought as I smiled at the table, we rarely followed. When I managed to compose myself I looked up to see Lucia sliding into the chair next to mine. She surprised me by reaching over to briefly squeeze my hand as Bastion argued with Icarus.

“What good can it do to have us both on the ground, a half mile away?” Bastion raised his arm as Nickerson wrapped a length of rope around his waist and secured him to the chair. “We'll be too far away if something happens to you.”

“I am able to heal wounds, Bastion.” Icarus watched as Nickerson secured us each to our chairs. “Thank you Nickerson.” He waved the man away when it came his time for the rope. “I'll be standing.”

“Archie and I will be with him.”

All eyes at the table came to me. I didn't drop my gaze, but met each pair of eyes steadily, until I came to Icarus' at last. I dared him with my look to naysay me.

“We will watch his back while the Captain removes the prisoners.”

Icarus's eyes narrowed, but he didn't argue. Another first. We always argued, even about things on which we agreed.

“I will ward the ship, so that you may get away safely.” Archie too, dared Icarus to disagree. When he did not Archie's smile grew.

“Two minutes til noon, sir.” Nickerson bowed to us clumsily and left, making his way to the hold with the other crew members.

Icarus stood, flipping his pocket watch to keep track of the time. He looked around at us all. “It has come to my attention, through several attempted interventions, that you believe I plan to die in order to destroy my father.”

I opened my mouth but he waved a hand to cut me off. He stood straighter, the haughty lift of his chin telling me he would finish what he had to say.

“That may have been the case.”

I know my eyes were wide as I struggled against the rope that held me to my chair. I only stilled when Icarus' eyes came to rest on me. I got the feeling he was speaking to me on a level deeper than the words that spilled from his lips.

“However, I am not the man I was even five days ago. Much has happened that I did not take into account when I prepared myself to die.” He looked at Archie. “My friend is healing, and I am grateful for that.” He looked to Bastion and Lucia. “My people will be cared for by the best healers in London.” He bowed slightly to them and turned to Levisque. “I have garnered a new understanding and appreciation for science and the ways it can better our lives, when coordinated with magic. I have new friends who will continue to teach me.” Levisque dipped his head in acceptance of Icarus' offer of friendship. At last the impossibly blue eyes rested on me. The stern lips softened, and he smiled. “I have accepted the love of a woman that I do not deserve, and I have learned to love her in return. Not as well as I should, mind you,” his smile went awry, “but I will learn with time. And she has accepted me. As I am. With all my flaws. That, my friends, means miracles do happen. If I do not survive the battle ahead it will not be because I wished to die. I promise you, I will fight with all of my heart and soul to destroy my father and live. I have come to understand that I must live. I have much left to do. Much more to experience. So, if you will fight with me, I would have you.”

A tear welled in my eye, shimmering at the edge of my vision. Icarus knelt next to me and wiped it away.

“Will you fight with me, Cora?”

“I spent six years fighting with you, Icarus.”

Everyone around the table laughed.

“Why would this time be any different?”

“I'm with you, Ic.” Archie confirmed it with a nod. He bent his head to touch Lucia's and she met him half way, but they both were smiling.

“I've said my piece.” the captain said, nodding. “I will fight.”

“Right.” Icarus grinned at the Captain, “No fear of death in you.”

“We will do as you ask, and heal the wounded.” Bastion agreed, nodding to Lucia. She looked at Icarus and smiled.

“It seems you've found your way back to the water, Adept Kane.”

“It appears I have.” he agreed. He glanced down at his watch and then his eye came back to me, liquid pools of blue so dark, I was reminded again of the swimming hole at Granny Mae's. So much depth, unexplored and deep beneath the placid surface. “You forgive me, Cora? For allowing my ego to get the better of me?”

“I've forgiven you for worse.” I smiled at him. He started to stand, and my whispered “Icarus” brought him back to me. I grabbed his lapels, holding him close. I pressed my lips to his. When I was finished kissing him my lips were numb.

“Hold on tight.” He stood, but he was smiling. He clicked closed the watch and tucked it away. He moved to the head of the table and removed his glove. “Close your eyes.”

I didn't want to let him out of my sight, but I remember how brightly he said the warp would shine when the aether broke through the fabric of our reality. I didn't want my eyes burned away, so I closed them and breathed deep.

Cosuil leis an craceann pierces scian

Lig an pierce aether an veil

Treoir a thabhairt duinn, a iarraidh me leat

Go dti an taobh eile