Page 42

Story: A Forbidden Alchemy

“She hasn’t got any idium on board, lads,” Patrick said then, seemingly amused as he watched me. “Hasn’t had a hit in a while, I’d bet.”

So he was an arrogant prick, then. “Idium is in terribly short supply, Mr. Colson. Rumor has it the Union has the last Alchemist chained to a wall somewhere.”

Scottie spat on the ground in faux outrage, and Otto gave the canary cage an incensed shake. “Those ruddy bastards,” he said theatrically.

“Fuckin’ thieves, the lot of them.”

Patrick’s slight smile didn’t break. “I’ve never much cared for rumors.”

I sighed. “And am I to believe that you lot are the Miners Union welcoming party?”

Patrick blew out an achingly slow cloud of smoke, and in the silence, I squirmed. He had a way of stealing the air, leaving you vulnerable. “I’ve been searchin’ for you, Miss Clarke,” he drawled. “Me and everyone else, it seems.”

I squared my shoulders, though my knees shook. “Well, here I am.”

“There you are.” I thought there was a speck of wonderment in his voice. “And right lucky it is that I’d be the one to find you. I imagineyou’ve earned yourself quite the prison sentence by now. They’re jailing rebels and deserters alike these days.”

“Is that your deal then?” I asked, eyes narrowing. “Do as you say, or you’ll throw me to the House of Lords?”

He pretended that I hadn’t spoken. “I’ve come to the assumption you’ve only remained neutral all this time because there’s some morsel of sympathy you can’t rid yourself of. For Crafters, I mean. For the Miners Union.”

“For terrorists?” I asked. “No, sir. My sympathy is reserved for civilians—the ones who never asked to be a part ofyourwar.”

“Hmm,” he graveled, the sound cinching my stomach. “Then we’ll need to change your mind. Redeem ourselves.”

I wanted to laugh at him. How could all that blood possibly be redeemed? “What do you want from me?”

He waited a beat. Considered his words carefully. “Partnership.”

“And if I refuse?”

“There’s a train leaving Kenton Hill in a half hour,” he said easily. “I’ll take you there myself.”

“And tie me to the tracks, most likely.”

The men chortled. Patrick’s eyebrows rose. “Do you think us gangsters, miss?”

I did. It was written in the way he stood, in the pistol strapped to his side beneath his coat. “I think you’re murderers,” I said coldly.

He nodded sagely, stubbed out his cigarette. “Not all of us can be daughters of aristocrats, I suppose.” Then his eyes bore into mine again, and there was that missing glint, that shiver of trouble. We were twelve once more, daring each other to steal cakes.

He doesn’t know who you are, I thought, trying to ease my thrumming pulse.

“If you don’t want me for a partner, then I’ll let you be on your way, miss. You can go back to sleepin’ in the slums and tellin’ your lies and scrapin’ for a meal, awaitin’ the day Tanner catches up with you.”

I didn’t bother to argue. It wasn’t so far from the mark.

“Or, you could agree, and in a few short months, when our business is done, I’ll ensure your safe passage off this continent.”

I stilled. My heart galloped.

“Ah, you see?” His eyes trailed over me, raised gooseflesh over my skin. “There’s something you want. A one-way ticket on a big old steamer headed anywhere but here. To the islands, maybe, where there’s no idium to fight over, and no one’s ever heard of the renowned Nina Clarke.”

I narrowed my eyes. “How long have your men followed me?”

Otto chuckled. “Long enough to know that you prefer the seaside towns, the ports and harbors. I watched you try and bribe your way onto one of them cargo ships.”

I shivered at the thought of this man tailing me for that long, just out of sight.

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