Aether Rising

Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Rally Site, 12 March 1871

“Run,” Malloy said and grabbed her hand.

“What are they doing?” Louisa held on to him with both hands to keep from being swept toward the fire.

“Grabbing pieces of the stage to use as fuel at home.”

“But they’ll burn.”

“They don’t care.”

“Louisa!” Someone called her name, and she turned, but Artemus held on to her. Something hissed behind her, and gray smoke billowed around them and kept her from seeing what happened by the stage.

“Oh, thank goodness, they’ve got water.” She coughed, almost doubling over as the smoke thickened.

“Come with me.” Artemus spoke into the shoulder of his coat, but she could still hear him. She thought he then said, “I’ll get you to safety and then bring you home. You can’t stay here.”

She nodded, and holding on to each other, they made their way through the crowd. While many of the people fought to get to the stage, the others moved away from the smoke, and Louisa and Artemus joined one of those streams. As soon as they could break away, she reached into her reticule and pulled out the piece of paper with the address.

“Let’s go here,” she said and showed it to him. “That’s near here, isn’t it?”

He read the address, but he didn’t react beyond a nod. He led her to a small store tucked between two shabby building entrances. Chipped stenciling on the window read, “Benandanti Charms, Oils, and Remedies.”

The smell of the smoke that clung to Louisa’s clothes and the watery sunlight brought upon her a sense that she’d been to this place before, and her mind filled in the chips in the letters and brightened up the facade of the building, simultaneously making both bigger.

“Come on, Louisa. Don’t dawdle. We need to get this over with.”

“Can I have one of the pretty rocks?”

“Once I marry Mister Cobb, you can have all the pretty rocks you want. And they’ll be cut and polished, and they’ll sparkle like magic.”

“Like magic?”

“Like magic,” Louisa murmured and flexed her fingers. It seemed that if she looked hard enough, she would see her own small hand tightly gripped in her mother’s bigger one, the wrinkles in the too-large hand-me-down gloves pinching her palm.

“Like what?” Artemus asked with a grin.

“Nothing.”

“Well, the Benandanti were supposedly the good walkers, Italian witches, and in some legends, werewolves.” He held the door open.

Louisa hesitated. She only saw blackness beyond. “Are you sure this is it?”

“This is the address.”

Louisa descended into the gloom of the shop. It smelled clean, and the shelves sparkled. As her eyes adjusted, she saw it wasn’t the shelves themselves, but what they held—different metal charms and rocks. Artemus rubbed his hands, and Louisa guessed she’d been squeezing them hard.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “Did I hurt you?”

“No, not at all. Although you do have a strong grip for a woman.”

“Women have many surprising strengths, Tinkerer.” The voice from the back of the shop made Louisa whirl around. She hadn’t noticed the older woman with gray-streaked black hair pulled into a severe bun and dark eyes that glittered like the jet beads at her throat.

Artemus swept his hat off. “Madame, I didn’t see you there.”

“You made enough noise coming into my shop. And who is this young lady who shouldn’t be out and about without a chaperone?”

She walked toward Louisa, who fought the urge to run. Although the strange woman only came up to Louisa’s shoulder, she radiated something—power, maybe? Yes, some force surrounded her.

“What is your name, girl?”

Louisa wanted to give a pseudonym to protect her identity—Cobb wasn’t a popular figure in the area, and there was a chance she hadn’t been recognized—but her tongue moved of its own accord.“Louisa Cobb.”

She clapped a hand over her mouth, but a frisson of delight made the corners of her lips lift. Who is this person with the same talent as mine? Are we related?

“Ah, good. I knew you would come once you got the locket. Let me see it.”

Again, Louisa felt compelled to obey, but this time by her own curiosity.

“Who are you?” Louisa asked as she unbuttoned her collar, thankful that Artemus turned away. She pulled the locket out from her bosom, and it felt warm on her fingers.

“Don’t you remember, child?” The older woman caressed Louisa’s face with fingers that smelled of a strange combination of metal and vanilla before touching the locket. Louisa made to lift the chain over her head, but the woman stopped her. “It’s yours. Don’t you know who these people are?”

“I know who the woman is, my mother. Is the man my father?”

“Yes, my handsome Arturo.” With shaking hands, the woman released the locket and patted it where it came to rest on Louisa’s chest. “He was lost at sea.”

Louisa clutched the locket. Could this woman be her grandmother? But how had she not known?

Then her mother’s cautions that many would be jealous of Louisa’s good fortune to have Parnaby Cobb as a stepfather and would want to have a piece of that luck came to mind.

Louisa spoke cautiously, both to control her own hope and so as not to offend the woman. “I’m aware of that, and I’m sorry for your loss. I wish I could remember him more. All I have is vague flashes that may be dreams or recollections—I can’t tell which.” Louisa tucked the locket back under her dress and rebuttoned her collar before anyone could see her neck. The memory of the paintbrush feel of Patrick marking it with kisses made her cheeks heat.

“And did your mother ever tell you who owned the ship that took your father’s life?” Now her lips disappeared into a compressed line.

“No.” Louisa wasn’t sure what to make of the woman’s sudden change in demeanor.

“You live with him now, mia passerota.”

Louisa huffed, her suspicions aroused. “Look, I know that my stepfather isn’t popular in this part of town, but he has taken good care of me. And what did you just call me?”

“Passerota is little sparrow because you are trying to find your wings to fly away from him. You know the truth of what’s happening, but you lack the courage to move against him.”

Louisa closed her eyes against the regret of refusing and then accidentally betraying Patrick. “Sometimes flying feels like falling.” She opened them to find the woman looking at her with a bemused expression.

“Parnaby Cobb takes what he can from people, and he only gives falsely in return. I can see in your eyes that you begin to see the truth. I only pray that you will have the courage to move against him before it’s too late.”

“It may already be. He’s threatening me with marriage or the convent.”

“Then you must do what you can to follow your heart.” She tapped the place where the locket was, this time through Louisa’s dress. “Even if it takes you to places that frighten you.”

Artemus cleared his throat. Louisa had forgotten he stood by the door. “I should get you home. I’m sure your people will be looking for you.”

Louisa turned back to her grandmother, unwilling to let go completely in case there was a chance she was genuine. “These are my people. May I return to talk to you, learn more about my father?”

“You may, but only after you are free. Otherwise it is too dangerous.” She squeezed Louisa’s hand, which took some of the sting away, but not all of it. “Thank you for bringing her, Tinkerer.”

“Wait…” Louisa looked between the two of them. “You asked him to bring me here?”

“I asked him to find a way for me to warn you myself.” She took Louisa’s other hand so she held both of them, and pulling Louisa down into a bent position, kissed both of her cheeks. “Go and fly, Mia Passerota.”

Louisa nodded, and the tears that stung her eyes burned more because of the smoke. Artemus led her out on to the sidewalk and to a waiting cab with a pair of dingy brown horses tied to it. The driver was so bundled up it was difficult to see whether he had the same dark-eyed, dark-haired appearance of the others in the neighborhood or if he was an outsider.

Louisa felt a little thrill at the realization she might belong somewhere, and if there was a grandmother, she likely had aunts and uncles and cousins. More memories teased the corners of her mind, of playing with other children her age. Had they played something called the Lie Game to see who had the family talent?

Impossible. I must be making that up.

“Let’s get you home.”

Louisa wanted to say this place had been her home. “Wait, first I need to make a stop. There’s someone I need to apologize to, and I may need your help.”

He scowled at her from the facing seat of the thankfully closed carriage. “I’m not your errand boy, Miss Cobb.”

“But this will give you the answer to the question you asked me the first time we met.”

He leaned forward. “Are you telling me, Miss Cobb, that you are bringing me to see Patrick O’Connell?”

Excitement welled up from Louisa’s stomach at her defiance of Cobb in so many ways with this one action. “Yes. Because I really need to see him, too.”

Iris waited for a response to her telegram to Davidson all morning. She couldn’t seem to sit still, unlike Marie, who repaired a tear in one of her favorite skirts, Johann, who polished his violin and replaced one of the strings, and Edward, who lost himself in a book.

When eleven o’clock rolled around and she hadn’t heard anything, she decided to take matters into her own hands. She had work to do, and she couldn’t sit idle at the hotel waiting for orders.

“Where are you going?” Marie looked up from her needle and thread with a frown. “Have you heard something?”

“No. I just need to get out and breathe.” Iris gestured to the window. “I’m going to jump out of my skin if I have to wait any longer.”

“Do you want me to come with you?” Edward asked. “Are you going to the museum?”

“I don’t know yet. I’m going to see if something came, and maybe the front desk missed it. I’ll be right back.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Iris knew how ridiculous she sounded. She wondered if she was the only one who felt the lack of adventure after having spent a few days in the smaller airship. The world had returned to its usual quiet, which likely relieved Edward, and Johann and Marie were happy wherever the other was.

So what’s wrong with me?

When she walked down to the lobby, she found Lieutenant Crow sitting and having tea with a couple of rough gentlemen who appeared as though they would rather be drinking something of a different stimulating quality. Today she wore a narrow day dress with minimum decoration that ensured she would disappear from someone’s attention after a cursory glance.

“Ah, Mrs. Bailey,” she said and stood. “I was just about to come up and find you. Something arrived here for you just a few moments ago. I took the liberty of procuring it for you.”

“Oh?” Iris stretched a smile over her clenched teeth. “Then please do give it over. As you must know, my situation is rather urgent.”

“I will, but I have a favor to ask of you first. My colleague at the museum is quite keen on meeting you.”

Iris c****d her head. “Is it a favor if it’s coerced, Lieutenant?”

“Does it matter if I have something you want? Go fetch your hat and cloak, and let’s be off.”

Having had previous experience with hostage telegrams—bugger, not again—Iris raised a hand. “Show it to me first. Else how do I know you’re not leading me on a wild chase?”

Crow held her hand out to one of the men, who put a telegram envelope in it. She unsealed it and nudged the paper up so Iris could see the first line and know it was genuine: Greetings from LFATB.

“Fine,” Iris said. “But I’m not coming with you alone.”

“Oh, by all means bring your husband. I would love to pick his brains, too.” Somehow a toothpick had appeared in her mouth, giving Lieutenant Crow a sinister appearance.

Iris didn’t want to put herself in harm’s way, but she especially didn’t want to endanger her friends or husband. When she reached the room, she found Marie sitting alone.

“Where did Johann and Edward go?” Iris asked as she gathered her cloak and hat.

Marie sighed. “One of those infernal steam raven spy devices flew past, and they decided to follow it.”

Iris’s stomach dropped like a deflated dirigible. “Cobb knows we’re here?”

Marie nodded, the corners of her mouth tucked in concern, but her chest lifted with a sigh, and her expression brightened slightly. “Whatever it’s after, it seemed more interested in the building across the street, so Edward and Johann have gone up to the roof. Where are you going?”

“To the museum.”

“Oh?” Marie stood and folded the skirt she’d been mending.

“Yes.”

“But what about the telegram?”

“That’s why I have to go to the museum.” Iris sighed. “Lieutenant Crow from the airship got it first, and she’s holding it hostage until I do something for her at the museum.”

Now Marie frowned. “That sounds potentially dangerous.” She glanced outside. “But is it more dangerous than here, I wonder?”

Iris knew Marie was right. But she was tired of waiting around for things to happen, and getting her friend away from the mechanical raven seemed a good plan. She knew Marie wouldn’t be able to sit still in the room for long.

“On the other hand,” Marie mused, “I haven’t had the chance to practice my fighting skills in a while. Would you like me to come? I would like to know what she’s up to.”

“I would, too, and I would love your company.” Iris rolled the edge of her cloak between two fingers. “Could she be interested in Patrick, too? She did mention she wanted Claire away from her aunt, so it would make sense for her to want to rescue him, too.”

Marie removed her own outdoor coverings from the closet. “There’s only one way to find out.”

Iris helped Marie with her cloak and hat. She couldn’t help but remember when Marie was posing as a maid and had done the same for Iris.

This is much more comfortable, Iris mused. I much prefer having friends to servants.

After a final pat of the hat’s feathers, Marie nodded. “Shall we?”

“Yes, let’s. We have a crow to catch.”