“Just remembering Rory’s face when he talked about the pomander’s history.” Arthur kept staring into the falls. “He’s got to top Baron Zeppler’s most wanted list now. I know the New York paranormals are keeping an eye on things, but having no word is difficult.”
“I’m sure,” Jade said, with sympathy. “And I’m sure if Rory had any idea where you were going to be at any given time, he’d send letters. Maybe he could send a telegram?”
At two cents a word, the novel Arthur was longing to read would cost Rory a week’s rent. Even a three-word note would take his subway fare. Arthur wasn’t that selfish. “I’ve tried to call,” he said. “But his landlord just snaps at me and hangs up. And Rory never seems to be at the antiques shop. It’s as if the place is keeping unusual hours these days.”
Jade patted his arm. “He must love your postcards.”
Arthur scoffed. “Coded words, nothing more.”
“Not to a psychometric.”
Arthur’s world did one of its shifts. “What now?”
“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten.” Arthur’s face must have given him away, because Jade broke into a grin. “You did! How on earth do you keep forgetting your innocent angel is actually a frighteningly powerful paranormal?”
“Christ.” Arthur covered his face with his hands, but he was smiling. “He might be reading the past of every postcard and seeing me mail them.”
“Nomightabout it,” she said. “I’m certain he misses you too, but you’re basically sending him moving pictures of yourself every few days.”
“I certainly would have been more creative if I’d remembered.” He straightened, still shaking his head with a mix of fondness and embarrassment. He glanced sideways at Jade, then said the thing that was really on his mind. “His birthday is Friday.”
“The day after tomorrow?” Jade pursed her lips in thought. “The day after the full moon.”
Arthur winced. “We could drive back to New York from here in a day,” he said hesitantly. “But it would be asking you and Zhang to tolerate a long trip after a long night—”
“We’ll do it.”
Arthur’s heart lightened. “You will?”
“Of course we’ll do it, Ace, we care about him too,” Jade said firmly. “Maybe I can think of something special to celebrate.”
“You are such a lovely friend,” he said with feeling, a fresh pulse of affection for her as they stood side by side and watched Niagara Falls.
“Nonsense.” She nudged him with her elbow. “How could I miss the chance to tease you?”
He blinked. “Tease me about what?”
Her mouth turned up in a wicked smile. “Your boyfriend is turningtwenty-one.”
Arthur choked.
“So grown up!” Jade said, far too amused. “Still seven years younger thanyou, of course—”
“No, stop it—”
“But he’ll finally be old enough tovote. That must make you happy, right, soldier?”
“Not another word.”
Chapter Three
They snuck back to the falls the following night, Arthur, Jade, and Zhang in his physical body, outfitted with raincoats and flashlights. The power and thunder of the water falling under the moonlight put goose bumps on Arthur’s skin.
The elevator at street level at the top of the falls was, of course, closed for the night. Zhang kept watch for security as Arthur picked the padlock. Jade, whose telekinesis was precise enough she could start a car engine, managed the lift’s controls as the three of them descended 125 feet to the base of the falls.
“There is a hydropower tunnel,” she said, as they stepped out of the lift onto the viewing platform. “But I think we want to stay as close to the water as possible. I’m not sure how far the veil of power will extend.”
Arthur looked up the falls, a silvery sheen that extended up toward the sky. “Zhang was able to get his projection at least partway into the tunnels earlier.”
