Page 49 of Thief of Night (The Charlatan Duology #2)

Cold Night Air

As it turned out, Archie was the force behind the Umbral Elevation Retreat.

The organizer and the one coordinating with both the Cabals and the wealthy seekers, he was well on his way to making a fortune with conferences and was thrilled to tell his old pal Remy Carver all about it.

He’d pulled up chairs and insisted Charlie and Red linger over after-dinner drinks while he, Malhar, and Posey worked through their meal.

“We’ll sort you out with a new shadow,” he was saying to Red. Then he turned to Malhar with an expansive grin. “You Cabal people have resources to spare, don’t you?”

With one disturbingly casual reference, Archie made it clear that he could lead Charlie to the shadows. He’d confirmed that distributing them to the wealthy was the real purpose of this event and that Archie was expecting his new Cabal pal to supply them.

Malhar smiled ambiguously, clearly having no idea what Archie was suggesting.

This was going to be so bad.

Charlie looked across the table, narrowing her eyes at her sister.

She should put an end to this. Reveal who Posey and Malhar were, get them kicked out, even if she got kicked out with them.

Of course, if she did that, the chances of Mr. Punch finding out he’d been impersonated went up exponentially.

Assuming that he wasn’t already here, in which case, he would know either way.

Archie cleared his throat. “So, I have a question for you, Mr. Punch. The Cabals started out small-time and secretive, right? Mysterious. But as the Cabals grow, they need protection. And we all know it’s not voters that determine the direction of this country, not politicians who control the government.

It’s those with the money to influence voters and to fund campaigns.

” Garrulous to begin with, the more Archie drank, the looser his tongue and the louder his voice became.

At least Charlie had the satisfaction of seeing several other attendees look mournfully at their table, clearly wanting to come over, yet realizing that unless invited, they were unlikely to be welcome.

“So, what does the future look like? How do you get them on board without ceding control?”

“They need him more than he needs them,” Posey snapped. Normally, she had few good things to say about the Cabals, so it was funny to see her defend them.

Still, Malhar should have spoken. He needed to seem intimidating, not intimidated. His continued silence was going to give him away.

“We’re honored to have you here,” Archie said, clearly relaxed and enjoying expounding on what Charlie didn’t doubt was a favorite subject. He turned toward Malhar and saluted him with his glass. “Truly we are. But it’s no secret that laws are being discussed in the hallowed halls of justice.”

“If the government goes after the Cabals,” Red said, “the Cabals could wind up more powerful, not less.”

Archie made an incredulous face. “So long as they’re run by people like our illustrious Mr. Punch, I am glad for them to have all the power they can amass.” He reached over to place a heavy hand on Malhar’s shoulder.

“Glad to hear it,” Malhar said with a tight smile.

“Very interested in your speech tomorrow,” Charlie said to him. “I understand that Rooster was going to speak about quickening shadows.”

Posey glared at her.

Charlie glared back. If Malhar couldn’t fake it through this dinner conversation, there was no way he was going to survive the weekend.

After a moment, he spoke. “It’s not as simple as turning a switch. People want it to be, of course—they expect dramatic and painful, but simple. That’s not true. But I do believe anyone can accomplish a quickening.”

Archie’s surprise was obvious. He must not have thought much about any technique other than the stitching of new shadows, despite the promised workshops featured in the description of his conference.

“Can you explain the process to me?” Charlie prompted Malhar.

He turned a vaguely pleading expression on her. “We’re at dinner. I would hate to bore you with a discussion of the bicameral mind.”

“Let the man eat,” Archie said, probably because he thought Mr. Punch was attempting to avoid discussing anything important in front of Red and Charlie.

“We’d all be riveted—I’m sure,” said Red. “But we will hear the whole thing soon enough. We’re just excited to have that opportunity.”

“Yes,” Archie boomed with real sincerity. “We’ve added security, of course. Three gloamists, very capable, all of them armed with onyx—and real weapons, although don’t tell that to Solaluna.”

“Yours, I presume,” she said to Malhar. Those would most likely be the ones bringing in the shadows and they would absolutely know that Malhar wasn’t Mr. Punch. Even if Professor Frank hid his identity from the world, he couldn’t hide it from the puppeteers under his command.

“How many of the attendees would you say are gloamists themselves?” Posey asked. It was obvious she didn’t understand the nature of Mr. Punch’s association with Archie. Charlie needed to get her out of there before she blew her own cover.

“Very few,” Archie told her, with a shrug. “Although Solaluna claims to have at least one on staff.”

As he went on, Charlie attempted to send a text under the table without being too obvious about it. When I head to the bathroom, you follow or I blow up your spot. Understood?

The message went through. Charlie saw her sister glance down. Then three dots indicating she was responding flickered on the screen, but no words came. She must have been composing and deleting messages over and over again.

OK , Posey sent finally.

“The thing is,” Malhar said to Archie, putting down his wineglass, “becoming a gloamist shouldn’t be dangerous and it shouldn’t be something that people have to spend their lives hoping for and never getting.

Magic should be for everyone.” She could feel the sincerity of the words. This wasn’t part of Posey’s con.

“Everyone who can afford it,” Charlie said.

Archie barked out a laugh, glancing toward Red. “Where did you find this one?”

“She’s a delight,” Red said. “Except for the constant attempts to redistribute my wealth.”

Archie’s gaze on Charlie shifted to be more evaluating. “Interesting.”

This was a good time for her to get up. “Excuse me for a moment. I’ve got to go to the restroom.” By that point, she knew the way.

Behind her, she heard Posey making her excuses.

There were three one-person bathrooms, all with individual locks. Charlie shoved her sister into the first one.

“Are you out of your mind?” she demanded once the door was shut.

Posey gave her a self-satisfied look. “Surprised?”

“That you’re putting Malhar, yourself, Red, and me in danger?” Charlie said. “Of course I am, because it’s stupid. I’m supposed to be the stupid one.”

Posey made a face. “I’m sorry about what I said to you, but you keep acting like you need to protect me, because you protected me when we were kids. I know more than you do about being a gloamist. I can protect you .”

Charlie hated that they’d argued, but she was also unwilling to let her sister off the hook so easily.

“You holed up in our house, not even willing to go out for groceries, for months. You were scared to go on the lawn. You left me with most of the bills. And now, you’re not scared, even when you should be, and you’re going behind my back.

Fine, maybe I am too protective of you, but you made me be that way. ”

Posey took a step back. Her eyes looked shiny.

“You think you want me to tell you the truth, to open up,” Charlie said. “Maybe now you understand why most people prefer lies.”

“That’s not fair,” Posey told her.

“You’re going to get Malhar killed and you’re talking about fairness?” Charlie grated out. “It’s one thing to put yourself into danger—that’s your right, I guess. But bringing him in is cruel.”

Posey waved her hand, as though Charlie was just being dramatic. “He’s got a zillion theories about shadow magic. He knows so much that he’ll convince them he must be a Cabal leader.”

“Not if the real head of the puppeteers is here,” she told her sister.

“But he’s not,” Posey said, although she seemed less certain than she had been a moment before.

“How would you know?” Charlie asked. “You have no idea what he looks like. He could be Archie and you would have no idea.”

Posey looked briefly stunned, then angry. “Why are you trying to scare me?”

For a moment, Charlie understood the urge to drug someone. If she could have knocked Posey out and woken her up in a week, she would have been sorely tempted.

“Because you don’t understand what’s going on here.

Wealthy people aren’t paying Archie exorbitant amounts of money so they can eat fancy food, visit the spa, and get lectures from elusive gloamists.

They’re buying quickened shadows, supplied by Rooster Argent.

And since Rooster is dead, Archie is expecting the rest of the shadows from Mr. Punch.

Those shadows are what I’m here looking for. ”

“What?” Posey’s eyes widened with panic. She glanced at the door. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You were offended that I wasn’t asking you for help. And this wasn’t something I wanted your help with.”

“Well, I’m here. I might as well do what I can, right?”

Charlie leaned her head against the wall. “I guess so. But you have to be careful. The real Mr. Punch might show up at some point this weekend. And even if he doesn’t, those three guards will know that Malhar isn’t him.”

“I have access to information. And I know more about Cabals than you think.” Posey’s voice rose at the end in a leading manner, as if she had more to say and was just waiting to be asked.

No possibility was good. “What do you mean?”

“I joined the alterationists,” Posey said, chin in the air as though anticipating more scolding from Charlie. “I’ve been working with them. That’s why I’ve been out so much. That’s how I could afford the apartment.”