“There’s a display of firearms there. Grab one of the pistols and then meet me on the upper level above the north transept.”
“You realize I’m going to have to go all the way to the eastern end of the building, right?”
Zaria hadn’t realized this—she, on the other hand, didnotremember where the American exhibits were. She pushed her wet hair back from her face. “In that case, you’d better run.” Taking a breath, she prepared to tackle the third and final tier of the fountain, which was a smaller replica of the one on which she now stood. In fact, it was far too small for her to clamber up to, but if she could reach into the basin—
“Zaria!”Kane’s voice interrupted her strategizing.
“What?” she snapped.
“Look at me!”
Still holding tight to the ornamental crystal spike, Zaria turned to squint through the darkness and the cascading water, only just able to make out Kane’s silhouette below. “What do youwant?”
She assumed he could see her face, but she couldn’t see his as he said, “If I’m not back in five minutes, don’t do whatever it is you’re planning. Get the hell out of here and head for Moore & Sons. Fletcher and Jules will meet you there eventually.”
Jules.Her heart turned over in her chest. “Are they okay?”
“They’re fine—I was able to get Price to release them. Promise me, Zaria.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, took a fortifying breath, then opened them again. “I promise.”
“Thank you.” Kane paused. “And for the love of God, be careful getting down from there, will you?”
He didn’t wait for her scathing retort; Zaria heard the wet thud of his boots before he had even finished speaking. Then he was gone, his retreating footsteps lost to the roar of the water and the roar in her ears.
Holding her tongue between her teeth, Zaria stretched onto her tiptoes, desperately trying not to slip as she flung a hand up and over the edge of the third basin. It was only about the size of a large serving bowl, and she was close enough now that she could see the steady glow of the true primateria source resting within it. She bent her wrist in an attempt to grab the necklace, but the chain slipped from between her fingers, bouncing against the bottom of the basin.
Zaria cursed and tried again, holding tight to the rim with her other hand. Finally—finally—she had the necklace wrapped securely around her fingers. She yanked it out of the basin with triumph,reeling back as the light emanating from the carmot came into full view.
For a moment, she was simply awestruck. Had she seen this necklace first, Zaria thought, she would never have believed the replica to be genuine. It was still beautiful, to be sure, but it lacked the breathtaking quality of the real thing. The gold filigree was impossibly intricate, the lines and whorls perfect in a way that defied comprehension. The chain was more delicate. The tiny diamonds surrounding the carmot stone reflected the light more evenly. And the carmot itself…
Well. Holding it made Zaria feel alive. As if every ounce of energy she’d used to create primateria over the course of her life had suddenly come flooding back in a single surge. It was nothing like the weak pulse she’d felt from the replica that had made her certain of its magical quality—this was something else. Something she didn’t quite know how to describe. Something that felt not only of magic, but ofpower. The two, Zaria realized now, were not necessarily one and the same.
She flung the necklace over her head so that the pendant settled against her sternum. Then, jaw set and muscles shaking, she began her descent of the fountain. Despite the slippery crystal, it was easier to move with the flow of water than against it, and Zaria dropped to a crouch in the basin of the second tier, holding tight to the rim. Peering over the edge sent apprehension jolting through her—not least because she could hardly make out the floor through the aleuite smoke—but the way forward was clear.
She was going to have to jump.
With Kane there to hoist her up, the fountain hadn’t seemed quite so tall before, but from this position, Zaria felt very high up indeed. She flung one leg over the side of the basin, then the other, wincing as she seated herself on the narrow edge. Part of her fearedthat breaking her ankles upon landing was a distinct possibility, but there wasn’t much to be done for it now. She couldn’t very well perch up here, sodden and shivering, until Kane returned. Assuming he returned at all, that was.
She blew a heavy breath into the strip of fabric covering her mouth, then leapt into the water below.
The first tier of the fountain wasn’t very deep, and she landed in the basin with a splash, the force of it sending pain lancing through her heels up into her legs. She collapsed forward into the water, her skirts billowing out around her as she performed a mental scan of her body. Relief shot through her. She was fine. Uncomfortable, to be sure, but unharmed. Collecting her heavy skirts in both hands, Zaria stepped out of the fountain.
Now that she was farther removed from the rushing water, she could hear the distant yells of Price’s officers, no doubt still searching for Aurora in the dark Exhibition. They wouldn’t find her mother—of that, Zaria was sure. Not without help, anyway.
Clenching her teeth to keep them from chattering, she made her way over to the ruined alchemological device. Its channeling having been interrupted, the beams of light no longer stretched overhead, but the core of solanum within the shattered orb still pulsed steadily. Zaria stared at it a moment, thinking. Despite her face covering, she didn’t have long until she succumbed to the aleuite smoke, though it was already beginning to dissipate. Truth be told, she wasn’t at all certain her plan would work, but she had totry.
She reached into the wreckage of the orb and grabbed one of the larger pieces. It was still intact enough that there was a considerable curve to the glass, and she used it to scoop out as much of the molten-like solanum as she could, squinting against the light emanating from the chemical compound. Then, careful not to let anyspill from her makeshift evaporating dish, she hurried over to the stairs in the northern end of the transept.
The aleuite smoke was less dense here, and Zaria ought to have been able to breathe more easily, but each inhale caught in her chest as she climbed, trying not to spill the solanum. It was the first time she’d ventured to the upper level of the Crystal Palace, and she found herself surrounded by swaths of delicate silk and other luxury fabrics. Their rich colors were muted in the darkness, and they hung between the displays like great partitions, both concealing and frustrating her. As a result, she couldn’t see much to either the left or right, but straight ahead of her was a railing over which the entirety of the dark Exhibition was visible below.
From this vantage point, and away from the cloud of aleuite smoke, the size of the building shocked Zaria anew. It was another stunned beat before she recalibrated. She had no idea how long it should have taken Kane to run to the American exhibits and back. Her throat tightened as another round of distant shouts emanated from the lower level of the building, and she set the dish of solanum on the ground to free it from her trembling grasp.
“Thereyou are.”
A harsh whisper sounded from behind her, and Zaria spun to see Kane limping up the steps. His cheeks were flushed, his face drawn, but he was holding a Colt revolver in his right hand. Relief barreled into Zaria like something physical.
“Are you okay?”
