theory around in my head. If he’s right, how would that explain why my magic works better when Morgan’s around?
By the time we get to Archer’s, I haven’t come up with an answer. I pull in after Cal and follow him inside, where we hear voices coming from the eat-in kitchen.
“There’s no guarantee this girl will invite me to perform where she works.” It takes a second to recognize Alice’s voice. She’s almost timid, like she’s afraid.
“All we ask is that you try,” Archer says, and he sounds so normal I can picture him sitting there with one of the little notebooks he keeps in his suit jacket. “Our intel says Eisha is a devoted fan. If you ask, there’s a good chance she’ll say yes.”
Cal and I step into the room before Alice responds. She glances up, and a hard edge flashes across her expression when she sees me. She doesn’t say anything, but her face is full of insults. So that bodes really well for the rest of my afternoon.
“I didn’t expect to see Alice,” I say cautiously as I cross the room and take the spot opposite her. Cal sits to my left.
“Oh, good. You’re here.” Archer ignores Alice’s intense glower and flips through the open folder on the table before him. The same photo of Eisha and the printed social media postings I saw last week are now in front of Alice. “This is your next recruit. David O’Connell.”
“He’s the Caster in Ithaca, right?” I pull the glossy picture Archer slides my way closer. The image shows a young white man with dark hair. It’s a formal headshot, accompanied by a small-print bio. He looks innocuous enough, but according to Cal, this man is also the key to creating a targeted potion that can kill the Hunters.
Archer nods. “He’s a postdoc at Cornell University, specializing in biochemical research. To the Reg world, Dr. O’Connell’s research studies the long-term effects of pharmaceuticals on the body. His real area of interest is less orthodox.”
I nod, scanning through David’s bio. “What is he really studying?”
The detective goes silent for a moment, and when I look up, he and Cal are sharing a look.
“What is it?” I prompt.
Detective Archer clears his throat. “David has been working for years to uncover the scientific origin of Clan magic.”
Alice looks up from her pages on Eisha. “Seriously?” When Archer nods, she scowls. “What the Sister Goddesses gifted us isn’t science. It isn’t something you can put under a microscope.”
Surprisingly, I actually agree with her. Science could never explain what we do. So much of it goes against the laws of physics, and that’s because it’s bigger than science. It’s magic.
But if that’s the case, how can the Hunters destroy it with a drug?
Before the doubts have time to wriggle any deeper into my head, Archer continues. “When you first told me about the drug, I reached out to Elder Keating. She contacted Dr. O’Connell and asked him to work with us to find an antidote. Or, at the very least, create a vaccine to protect those not yet infected.”
He doesn’t mention their plans to use David to wipe out the Hunters, but I don’t say anything. I don’t want Cal to get in trouble for telling me. “Since she asked me to recruit him, I’m guessing that didn’t go over well?”
Archer nods, and he and Cal share another strange look.
“What am I missing? Why won’t he help us?”
The detective rubs the back of his neck and doesn’t meet my gaze. “The Council denied his previous requests for funding. The Elders don’t approve of his research, which is what sent David to Cornell in the first place. He needed resources we wouldn’t give him.”
I’m more surprised David bothered to ask than I am that the Council denied the request. “I assume the Council has already offered to fund his research if he agrees to help?”
“We have,” Archer confirms, “but David hasn’t changed his position. He’s been a bit of a sore spot for Elder Keating. So far, he’s refused to share any of his research with us.”
“And you think the Ice Princess can convince him?” Alice scoffs. “Good luck with that.”
I cross my arms. So much for her timid tone around Archer. “It worked on you.”
“Don’t flatter yourself. The threat of an airborne drug worked on me.” She examines her manicure. “I wasn’t about to let you be the only thing keeping me alive.”
Goddess, she’s the worst. I want to ignore her, but her