“Zaria.” His eyes flicked back up. “Let’s go.”
“Not until you explain what we’re doing here.”
He chose to disregard that, addressing Elijah and Adam instead. “You’re cutting it close. The meeting lets out soon.”
“Apologies,” said Adam, looking morose.
Elijah tilted his chin in Zaria’s direction. “Shewasn’t in much of a rush.”
Zaria scowled. “You didn’t tell me therewasa rush.” Not that she would have cared either way.
Kane flicked a wrist as if brushing their conversation aside. “Doesn’t matter. We’re all here now. You two remember where to go?”
Elijah nodded.
“Good. Zaria, come with me.”
Reminding herself that she’d agreed to do whatever he asked, she clambered begrudgingly out of the stagecoach. It lurched into motion once more, leaving her alone with Kane at the side of the road. Now that she could see him more fully, it was obvious he’d changed from his earlier attire, now sporting a black vest and cravat beneath his coat. His expression was focused, unflappable, and with a dawning horror, Zaria understood what was happening.
“Oh my God.” She hurried to keep up with him. “You’re pulling a con.”
“Wrong.” Kane quickened his stride even more. “You are.”
“What?”
He pointed at Mansion House up ahead. It dominated the street, recognizable by its classical architecture and the half dozen pillars framing the entrance. “In a couple of minutes, the Royal Commission’s meeting will let out. When the members emerge, a bloke named William Cubitt will be among them. He’s on the commission. Was the chief engineer in the construction of the Crystal Palace.”
“Okay,” Zaria said, not comprehending. “So?”
“So, Cubitt is also a former alchemologist.”
She slowed her pace, spurring Kane to do the same. “A member of the Royal Commission practices alchemology?”
“Used to,” he corrected her. A light breeze ruffled his hair, and impatience tightened the set of his mouth. “With the exception of the Crystal Palace, most of his recent work has to do with the new railway system. Before that, however, he was known on the dark market for his skill with large-scale magical explosives. Did you ever hear about the cliff explosion in Dover?”
Zaria furrowed her brow, still attempting to figure out why any of this necessitated her presence. “No.”
“Nearly a decade ago, Cubitt was contracted to blow up an entire cliff face in order to assist with the construction of a railroad,” Kane said. “The public story was that he used massive amounts of gunpowder, but in truth, he managed to create an alchemological explosive capable of mass destruction. Almost got caught, too—onlookers at the time couldn’t stop talking about how the explosion was oddly silent. In the end, I believe legislators explained it away by saying the blast happened underground. Cubitt received an official warning from the crown, but his work was so respected by that point, nobody wanted him arrested. He agreed never to practice alchemology again, and as far as I can tell, he’s kept his promise.”
“How do you know all this?”
“Ward,” Kane replied simply. “He knew quite a lot about many people.”
Zaria’s frustration was beginning to boil over. “And why is it important?”
They drew up beside a domed building across from Mansion House. Kane halted, indicating that Zaria should do the same as he pressed his back against the exterior wall. “Because it explains why, out of everyone on the Royal Commission, I’ve decided on Cubitt as our mark. That, and the fact that he possesses a weakness when it comes to women for hire.”
She was starting to get a bad feeling about this. “Prostitutes?”
“Indeed.”
Although they were already speaking softly, Zaria lowered her voice even more. “If you’re about to tell me I was brought here toseducethat man, I’ll kick you between the legs hard enough to—”
“If I were you,” Kane said, “I wouldn’t finish that sentence. I take it you remember our arrangement?”
She clamped her mouth shut, seething.
“I didn’t take you as the type to wring your hands over such things.”
