Chapter 12 Kane #2
Again, Kane ignored that. He would’ve loved to see Cubitt’s reaction, though, had he told him the truth. “Why hasn’t the Royal Commission gotten anyone to remove the device?”
“It can’t be removed.”
“We both know that’s not true.”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re implying.”
“Oh, come now, Mister Cubitt,” Kane said, taking up slow laps of the room.
He crossed to the door and back, pretending all the while to consider.
“As I said, I know a great many things. That includes your prior connection to the dark market, and your subsequent promise to stop practicing alchemology.”
Cubitt’s nostrils flared, his pale face whitening further. “Who are you?”
“Are you familiar with the name Alexander Ward?”
The man’s silence was answer enough. The air in the room grew, if possible, more tense.
“I assumed as much. But don’t worry—Ward met his end recently, as you may have heard. You can think of me as his successor.” Kane flashed his teeth. “Everything he knew, I now know. Does that clear things up for you?”
Cubitt gave a jerking nod. Now that all the cards were on the table, he looked far more ready to cooperate. “Fine. Okay. I assume the device could be removed by an alchemologist, but given the crown’s stance on such things, nobody on the commission wants to risk hiring one.”
That, Kane could understand. The queen in particular was vehemently anti-magic. “And I take it you’re not about to offer your services.”
“I made a pledge that I intend to keep,” Cubitt said, an edge to the words. “I’m not sure I’d be of any use regardless. It’s strange, this device. Unlike anything I’ve seen before. And I’ve seen quite a few things in my time.”
“What do you mean, strange?”
This from Zaria, speaking for the first time since entering the room.
She’d listened to the first part of the conversation with little interest, but had straightened in rapt attention now that they were discussing the device in specifics.
Kane thought about reprimanding her for cutting in—this was, after all, his interrogation—but if anyone could glean something from Cubitt’s description, it was her.
Cubitt glared at Zaria. It couldn’t have been more obvious that he was still angry not to have ended up in bed with her.
That vile mental image, combined with the fact that the man didn’t seem compelled to reply, had Kane halting in the center of the room.
He stared pointedly at Cubitt as he ran a finger along the barrel of his gun. “Answer her. Now.”
Zaria looked up at Kane, taken aback, but he didn’t meet her eyes.
“It’s difficult to explain,” Cubitt hedged.
“Try.”
A gruff sigh. “The device doesn’t appear to have a purpose, at least not that I can discern. I haven’t been able to take a closer look yet, but I almost wonder if it’s merely for show.”
“Why would anyone want to install an alchemological device in the Exhibition for no reason?” Kane said.
He could understand it, perhaps, had the culprit not left the business card.
Was it possible someone simply wanted to show off their skills?
But if that was the case, why leave anything behind at all?
“The pseudonym suggests an ulterior motive.”
“Indeed,” Cubitt said. “As you can imagine, it’s got everyone in quite an uproar. The public sees this as the prince consort’s pet project, and you don’t make a fool of the crown like that.”
Zaria bit her lip, drawing Kane’s attention again. “Maybe that’s the goal.”
“Maybe,” Kane allowed. He tore his gaze from her mouth. “Maybe they’re playing some kind of game. If everyone’s so worked up about it, though, I still can’t see why they wouldn’t get an alchemologist to remove it.”
Cubitt’s brows ascended his lined forehead. “Many of my colleagues don’t want the device removed. It’s drawing quite a lot of public interest, which turns a profit. Some members are even glad for the newspaper column.”
Now that Cubitt had pointed it out, it was obvious to Kane.
People would flock to the Crystal Palace to see something like that—an inexplicable, immovable device that had seemingly appeared from nowhere.
Although the Exhibition was already drawing crowds of unbelievable proportions, Kane knew there had been a time in which the Society of Arts struggled to sell people on the idea.
It had taken considerable planning, politicking, and several less successful events before support and funding were secured.
Why remove something guaranteed to be a source of interest, no matter how much controversy ensued?
Who didn’t love a little magic? A little mystery?
“Interesting,” Kane mused. “And you, Mister Cubitt? What do you think about the whole thing?”
“I think you’re sticking your nose somewhere it doesn’t belong,” Cubitt said. “I don’t know why this is of any interest to you, but I’d recommend you leave it alone. It’s a matter for the Royal Commission and the authorities to contend with.”
“Excellent advice.” Kane strolled over to the door and unlocked it with a resounding click. “You’re free to go. You’ve been ever so helpful.”
Cubitt rose, face contorted in suspicion. When nobody attempted to stop him, he sidestepped away from the bed, so tentative that it was really rather amusing. “And if I tell anyone you kidnapped me? Plied me for information?”
“Oh, I think we both know you won’t do that. Not with me knowing what I do.”
The man shot Kane one last enraged glance, then slipped into the hallway and was gone. Kane turned to Zaria, finding her directly behind him. Her hair was wild around her shoulders, as if she’d been running her fingers through it. “What were you talking about? What else do you know about Cubitt?”
“Nothing,” Kane said bluntly. “But with men like him, there’s always something they’d rather keep hidden.”
A muscle in Zaria’s neck pulsed as she tilted her head, leveling an accusatory look at him. “Is this why you let me trade myself for Jules? Because you wanted my help finding this Curator?”
“It was a contributing factor.”
“Do I even want to know why you’re determined to find them?”
Kane adjusted his cravat, drawing out the moment purely to irritate her. “Yes. In fact, I’d guess you want to know rather badly indeed.” He let his hands fall to his sides. “If we don’t track down the Curator, both of us will wind up in prison.”