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"But Demi, there are no cabarets in London," Cherie said, her usual know-it-all self

"Not yet there aren’t But just think of it--a theater in London, daiirls ouldn’t have to sleep with the audience if they didn’t want to Perfor their craft We could even trade carnivalleros back and forth with Criot bored" I reached for Vale’s hand and squeezed it "You up for it?"

He rubbed his stubble with his other hand "A disgraced Brigand of Ruin in Sangland, working at a Bludhed "It would appear I finally found a way to h out of his reach that he cannot strangle ned quickly; they would always have their secret language Then Bea took a big breath "Can we coood workers, and--"

"And Blaise is a good boy, willing to learn a trade--"

"And there is no greater costumer than Blue--"

I realized I could finally n Yes

Mel squealed, and they hugged and kissed, Bea’s ar on in here?"

Lexie appeared in the doorway, and then all the dai in, dressed in their cabaret finest I couldn’t help recalling how hard they’d fought, how strong and faithful they had been, as they worked to free their friends And I was just supposed to leave thereedy eyes and eer bitches like Sylvie and Charline?

Hell, no

"Y’all want to coland and work in ave out a lot of refunds that night, as there wasn’t a single showgirl left They all followed me out the front door

35

SIX MONTHS LATER

I leaned back against the plush velvet seat ofthe shining boards of the stage Did I see a loose nail? Surely not Vale and I had helped fix the floors ourselves I would’ve noticed any problee on ht’s always an utter flub Relax, pet"

I bit back a hiss "You’re not hed and sipped bloodwine frolass He looked especially dapper in his city clothes, the top hat and well-cut tailcoat just as s us and his dark hair brushed back into a tidy queue Tish sat beside hiown the city humans preferred, buttoned up to her throat but splashy in black with bright red poppies thatthe heavy cloak deloved hands were intertwined, and although Criminy observed the cabaret’s setup with the critical eye of a ringmaster, Tish only had eyes for him

"I was barely your boss before, Demi Mentor, perhaps But Aztarte knows you never listened, in the caravan or out I suspected you would give poor Mademoiselle Caprice the slip, because it’s definitely what I would have done But it fully poor taste to end up kidnapped in a copper elephant"

"I did escape," I enius" He turned the full power of his grin on me, and I felt as if after all these years, I’d finally won his approval si act?"

Vale grinned "Wait and see"

I was proud of him; he was possibly the first person I’d ever odfather Well, Veruca the Abyssinian in the caravan didn’t take any of Cri Still, they’d hit it off, and I wasan old theater with a rogue brigand from Franchia wasn’t Criminy’s idea of a s

Criminy held out his pocket watch, and before he could coan started off at a sinister gallop, and I ser is that racket? Surely you didn’t" Cri into the rail as he looked down at the spotlight and hissed

"Yep I didn’t think the Maestro would say yes, but I sent the telegra co no one in Sang had ever heard before I knew it, of course It was the opening to The Phanto completely overrun by crazed fans and reporters was the half-mask we’d provided for him and the fact that his name wasn’t listed in the playbill

The banister squeaked under Criers "Can I kill him?"

Tish snorted, pulled Criminy back by the tail of his coat, and shoved him playfully into his seat "You know the rules, buster Never kill anyone at the theater," she said

"That only counts for the audience" Criminy tried to look innocent and utterly failed

"Then that’s the second rule: you’re not allowed to kill the performers, either Besides, he’s a Blud of Freesia So you should probably go down to greet hirinned It was so weird to think she’d ever actually considered running aith Casper It would never have worked out; they were ten kinds of wrong for each other