Alchemist's Kiss by AR DeClerck

shoulder.
    “I'm soaked and covered in mud. Let's go home.”
    She smiled, but the sunshine was clouded by worry. He led her back toward the hotel, his mind on many things. Cora. His father. A war. He sighed as he looked up at the blank gray canvas of the London sky. No matter where he went, how far he ran, he could never manage to leave his past behind him. Even now it was barreling down on him like a train car in the Underground.
    “We won't ever leave you alone, Icarus.”
    He looked down at Cora as they stepped up to the door of the hotel. Rain dripped from her nose and splattered over her pale pink morning dress.
    “Every man is alone in the end, Cora. To think otherwise is folly.”
    Her lips tightened. “Folly is to believe that you have to be alone when you don't.” She closed her umbrella and pulled open the door, turning her back on him before he could answer. She left him standing in the rain, a troubled frown playing over his lips.
     
    “I take it you had an eventful meeting with the Grand High Master.” Archimedes looked up from his paper with a frown at Icarus' muddy pants.
    “He's agreed to post men around the city, leaving us free to pursue my father.” Icarus winced as Cora slammed the door to her room. He held his hands to the fire, aware that he was dripping mud onto Cora's favorite Parisian throw rug.
    “And Cora?” Archimedes closed the paper and crossed his legs. “What have you done to her now?”
    Icarus shrugged. “What haven't I done? I can't speak to the woman, Archimedes! Every word I say is misconstrued or serves to make her angry.”
    “You aren't talking to her, Ic. You're talking at her. An unfortunate trait you can't seem to shake.”
    Icarus glared at his friend. “She means well. Her heart is too soft for the work we do.”
    “It's not. She's stronger than us both.” Archimedes argued. He twitched his foot as he stared at Icarus. “You're frightened for her.”
    “I am.”
    Icarus had no trouble admitting his fears. He knew what his father was capable of. Had seen first-hand the kind of horrors dark mages could bring on good people. People who were bright and sweet and full of life like Cora. The thought of their darkness touching her made the hairs on his neck stand on end.
    “You're afraid you'll lose her.”
    Icarus narrowed his eyes. “You go too far, friend.” he warned.
    “You're a coward, Icarus Kane.” Archimedes stood as Icarus strode toward him.
    “You push me, Archimedes.” Icarus clenched his fist as his anger flared.
    “You need to wake up!' Archimedes grabbed Icarus' shoulder, well aware that no matter how angry he got, Icarus would never strike out at him. “This is the time to embrace your feelings, Icarus, not hide them! If tomorrow does not dawn, what will Cora know of you? Will she know how you feel?”
    Icarus broke away and headed for his laboratory. He could feel Archimedes staring at his back. He knew his friend was right. He cared for Cora far more than he'd ever allowed her to know, and he feared she harbored the same feelings for him. He could not imagine ever losing her, and the thought of it made him almost mad. Archimedes, a usual, knew him better than he knew himself.
    He stopped at the door to his laboratory. “When this is over I will tell her.” he vowed without turning back.
    “Let us hope it's not too late.”
    Icarus shut the door behind him and said the words of warding that would lock it against all intruders. He waved his hands for the lights and his office emerged from the shadows. He strode to the window and looked out at the skyline of London. It was growing, his city. Even now the non-magic users were building factories and using science to better their world.
    Science. He hated the word. He knew magic and science were really cousins, but magic came from the soul and science came from the mind. It was cold and without understanding of the world around it, unlike magic. Magic users were connected to the very fabric of