Nathaniel straightened up, though he didn’t release her hand. “What would you have me know? What would you have me tell you?”
He was a cog, one who took orders from Meleri herself. He’d called on her as a friend, waiting until her studies were done, until she was old enough for something more. Despite what had been revealed in the duchess’ parlor, she couldn’t stop trusting him.
She didn’t want to.
Caris raised her other hand and folded her fingers down over her palm. When she lifted them again, starfire burned against her palm, molten hot and incapable of hurting her. The tiny flame licked at the air, its glow reflecting in Nathaniel’s wide hazel eyes.
“Caris,” he got out in a strangled voice, nearly bruising her fingers as he tightened his grip on her.
Perhaps it was reckless, what she did, but Caris wouldn’t regret it. She’d kept secrets all her life, and others had kept them about her as well, it seemed. But for all her mother’s desperate, hushed requests, Caris knew this one couldn’t be kept forever. And it washers, this magic, this gods-given power. She had the right to share it with those she cared about.
“Do you know what this means?” she asked softly, staring at the starfire.
The starfire burned softly against her palm for a few seconds until she made a fist, snuffing it out, the heat of it disappearing. Nathaniel’s touch was warm, though, and she lifted her gaze to his. The wonder she saw in his eyes didn’t unnerve her quite like she thought it would.
“You’re an impossible dream, aren’t you?” he said slowly.
“I won’t be anyone’s dream.”
Nathaniel stepped close, ducking his head until she could feel his breath ghost over her lips. “If I said I’d like you to be mine?”
Caris swallowed, the sound loud in her ears. “I’d hate to disappoint you.”
“You never could.”
He kissed her gently, lips pressed against hers in a way she’d never quite wanted until just this moment. She could feel the warmth of him through the scant inches that separated them, though he pressed no closer, even if Caris thought she might like it if he did. She breathed in sharply, lips parting, and held his hand tighter as the kiss deepened enough to something like a promise.
Then the door to the laboratory was slammed open, and Caris jerked back from that moment of giddy impropriety, face flushed as she peered around Nathaniel. Blaine stood in the doorway, a veil clenched in one hand and a grim expression on his face. He was armed with a flare gun holstered to his belt. She thought it an odd choice.
Portia ducked under his arm and entered the laboratory. She didn’t say anything about Caris’ kiss-stung appearance, and that’s how she knew it was bad.
“We need to speak with Fulcrum. Store your tools, and let’s be off,” Portia said.
“What’s going on?” Caris asked.
“Have you read the broadsheets?” Blaine asked tightly.
“Do you mean the terrible attack on the E’ridian ambassador last night? I’m aware of it,” Nathaniel said.
Blaine nodded tightly. “The updated edition just came out. The press is blaming the Clockwork Brigade for the attack.”
Caris paled. “I’ve been working in the laboratory all morning. Is Ambassador Honovi all right?”
The worried expression on Blaine’s face made her heartsick. “He was shot. He’s supposedly been in the hospital since the attack. That’s all I know.”
“I’m sure Fulcrum knows about the attack. There’s no need to rush over there,” Nathaniel said.
Blaine’s eyes flashed with anger. “She doesn’t know about therionetkathat was behind it.”
“Pardon me? The what?” Caris asked.
Blaine jerked his thumb over his shoulder and stepped out of the laboratory. “I’ll explain on the way, but we need togo. My motor carriage is out front.”
He pulled the veil back over his face, and Caris made a questioning sound. “You don’t need your veil here.”
“The Collector’s Guild has a warrant out for me. My identity as Tristan Arquette is no longer viable. I have no doubt someone from the university will report me for the sum of money they’re offering. Which means any of my acquaintances may be questioned, including both of you. I need to know you’re safe.”
A chill coursed through Caris at that news. She shared a wide-eyed look with her mother before she turned toward her worktable. She hastily powered down cutting tools because her parents were sticklers about safety. She didn’t have time to put everything back to rights and so left the moderate mess behind.
