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the man I certainly wasn't going to complain and have him move away.
    “I'll not go into details,” Archie said.
    From the way his face had paled I knew the word gruesome was far too mild a word to describe what he'd found in the club.
    “I found Baiandelio there, alive and unharmed. His customers and several young women were not as lucky. One woman had survived, though she was grievously wounded.”
    “What did you do?”
    “Baiandelio ordered me to take her to the river and toss her in.”
    My heart stuttered. The terror the poor woman must have endured! Icarus' hand tightened over mine, but I kept my eyes on Archie.
    “I carried her to the pier, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.” Archie looked away, his cheeks going red. “She was so small, very petite. A beautiful girl. I took her to the apothecary and left him with the money to care for her.”
    “Archie you're a hero!” I exclaimed, though it wasn't news to me.
    He chuckled. “Hardly that, Cora. When Baiandelio learned what I'd done he followed me, and when he caught me alone in the alley he gutted me and left me for dead.”
    “Icarus found you and saved you.”
    Archie's grin grew fond as he looked at Icarus. “I told him to leave me to die, but he's a stubborn man.”
    “I needed someone to experiment on.” Icarus said crossly, but both Archie and I knew the truth. Icarus had been lonely, and he was forever saving those in need. It wasn't his nature to allow an injured man to die in the mud.
    Archie held up his gleaming metal hand. “A successful experiment, I daresay.”
    Icarus' eyebrows drew together. “What has Baiandelio got to do with the Lizard?”
    As he said the name I felt the aether tickle the hair on my neck. I shivered and Icarus looked at me in concern.
    “Whatever the connection, the aether is insistent.”
    Icarus raised his hand, his fingertips trailing lightly over my neck. It was an intimate touch, something he rarely gave or allowed. Goose flesh raised over my arms.
    “Your sensitivity is growing.” He pulled the chain that held The Hand and the amulet rose from between my breasts. I saw his eyes dip down, and a red stain spread across his neck. It wasn't the amulet that made him shiver, I knew. Whatever else we had between us, our attraction had always been mutual. “Your nearness to The Hand must amplify it.”
    “Say their names again.” I commanded him.
    “The Lizard and Baiandelio.”
    I closed my eyes as his voice ran over me. I could feel his hold on the amulet, letting it lie flat against my collarbone. I called out to the aether, asking it to come to me this time.
    Quietly. Quietly. I pleaded.
    It came in a rush, as if the window had just opened. It streamed around me, ribbons of light and color. I could hear the voices, but they were hushed. Heeding my plea.
    Tell me. I said.
    Death.
    I waited. I was scared, even though the light around me was comforting. Icarus had introduced me to the aether in America. The magical energy that most people could not see, could not tap into, was all around us. It was alive. Magic users were able to harness it to do their bidding, and for some reason it liked me. Sought me out and came when I called. According to Icarus it was a rare gift. Even he was not able to commune with the aether like I could.
    Tell me about the Lizard and Baiadelio. Tell me about Victor Kane.
    The aether was frightened. I felt it scramble away from me as I spoke Icarus' father's name.
    Death. It whispered to me.
    I must find Victor Kane. We cannot allow him to hurt innocent people.
    They are coming.
    The aether was gone as quickly as it had come to me. I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the dim light of the parlor. Icarus stared at me, and Archie was leaning toward me with narrowed eyes.
    “What did you see?” Archie asked.
    “Nothing.” I reached for my tea cup. I laughed as it sloshed with the shaking of my hand. As it steadied I took a deep drink.
    “What did it say?” Icarus said as I patted away