Page 63 (1/2)

"Oh, hell, no If Vale has to carryyou to reconsider The Malediction Club is destroyed Mortmartre has never been safer" Madame Sylvie dismissed my words with the flap of a powdery hand "You’ll make your fortune!"

"I already made one" She looked away, a little"And just because we put an end to the Malediction Club doesn’t entleood show There will always be predators in Mortfully, and she cleared her throat "This place is like a Venus flytrap And I’m done"

"How much is she owed?" Vale asked

Charline tapped a foot and studied the ceiling, and Madauess We must deduct the costumes, the board, the laundry, the elephant she destroyed, the blood--which was a very fine vintage and not easy to procure"

"They talked about you, you know" Everyone turned in surprise to focus on Cherie She spoke quietly, as if her throat was still bruised froround "I heard the gentleirls, how Sylvie knew just what the club wanted and always delivered on tis, she looked like a murderous doll, the way she bared her teeth at the dai?"

Sylvie’s color slipped, the hu briefly with dark spots like thuust "You’ll have your francs tonight, and you’ll leave before show time, before you poison the others with your lies I’m a businesswoman, not a nun"

Charline just shook her head "Such promise," she said "All lost"

"It’s not lost" I s the hell out of here"

I spent the rest of the day in bed,Vale and Cherie stayed with me, but a rainbow of anxious faces ca hair out ofmy arm I heard the word merci so much that it chased entle on my shoulder "Bébé, it’s time"

I was able to sit up, at least, and I found Cherie waiting on a steamer trunk by the door, where Blaise’s blue face peeked curiously through the crack When I s behind him and heaved it onto the bed

"What is this?"

"Fro and bit ue They weren’t just francs; they were mostly silvers She must have been terrified that ould spread the truth about her or exact our own vengeance Truth be told, it wasn’t sitting ith o on at Paradis If they could find another way to line their pockets, they would

"All this is mine?"

Blaise nodded "You’re the most famous act in Mortmartre, mademoiselle"

"Not anymore"

Mel stepped into the room, with Bea just behind her "So it’s true, then? You’re leaving tonight?"

They were both in full costume and makeup, so very different fro clothes and natural skins, painted with blood These daiave up

"I can’t stay here" I hefted the bag of coins; it took two hands "And I don’t have to"

It was still so strange and wonderful to hear Bea’s voice "But where will you go?"

I opened the bag and stared at the pile of glinting lanced up at Vale, he looked as if he was about to burst out laughing

"What’s so funny?"

"I’ for your answer, bébé You can do anything you want, and I can’t wait to hear what it is"

I plucked a silver froht it neatly

"I want to go back to Sangland" They all stared at o on a little long, just to see who inhaled first It was Vale "And start a cabaret"