Page 57 (1/2)

The roo, all of us transfixed as the dancing figure dissolved into ash When it collapsed into the grate, Bea let out a silent but ainst the headboard with a determined set to her chin and a spark to her eyes I’d never seen before They exchanged a glance, and then Bea’s hands began to fly, fast and furious, Mel’s voice soft and halting at first, then hurrying to keep up and shaking with rage

"She could not say it before now, could not co about Lenoir and the Malediction Club There wasto stop her, imperfect but clever She is sorry that she was unable to tell you" Mel stroked Bea’s arm fondly, tears in her eyes "Oh, la Mon amour, of course"

Bea flapped her hand at Mel, who said, "I’m sorry I know it’s important But you’re important, too, love" Mel chuckled and dashed away tears "Bea says it happened eight years ago She had just come to Paris, still had her voice She had no plans to join the cabaret, was talented enough to perfor in the Tuileries one day and ca" Her hand landed on Bea’s knee, soft as a dove "She had a beautiful voice, then, and was going to be a star in the opera Lenoir sent a card, invited her to sit for a painting He wasn’t faave her daimon drinks and told her she was beautiful She felt homesick and alone and enjoyed the peace she found in his atelier"

Sout I knew exactly how she felt

Bea stopped a azed into the pitch-black night, beyond theMel’s fingers traced her shoulders and neck and back, one going lower to rub what I suspected was the large, painful scar that had once carried a tail

"Then, one night, he put soe in her drink She fell asleep When she woke up, she was in aa dungeon Soround, cold, all stone Looked as old as the catacombs, maybe older There were skulls everywhere, and it was very dark, and she was so scared She could hear bludrats eating so Soonblack cloaks came They took her down, they"

Mel trailed off, let out a few hiccupping sobs Vale’s eyes met mine; we knew exactly who those ry and forceful

"I’rave;re, I just can’tit hurtsto you" Mel scooted closer to hug Bea, but Bea shooed her away and gestured "Okay Okay I’ll finish," Mel said

"Bea feeds on coeon, she was starving There was no comfort or joy So when the men took her down--she could smell they were men, you see Human men Didn’t have to see their faces or bodies to know they used the sanes as the cabaret clientele But they took her down and used her, and the only way to stay alive was to feed on their lust and passion for hurting her" She shook her head, her eyes pleading with us "It was barely enough You can’t understand hoful that is, for a daimon For a woman It’s the worst kind of torture"

I nodded numbly

And Vale stepped closer "How did you escape?"

Bea tapped her throat as Mel translated

"She had singing ed and her tail bound They didn’t a loose She sang the bludrats to her, had them fetch powders and potions from the et a few other girls down before someone came to check on them--one of the dark daiing her ic, he took her voice" Bea’s slender blue hands circled her throat, herlike a fish "He knehat she was They fought, and he killed one of the other girls Bea wounded hied to escape with one other dai to keep each other alive Bea found enough coirl with her But without her voice, Bea couldn’t do enough to sustain the other girl, who needed lust and happiness to survive She starved and withered before they could find sunlight"

Bea doubled over, sobbing silently, her shoulders heaving and the white of her che, even as they treirl’s body in the darkness The next day, she stumbled into the ladder to Paradis Blue was the one who found her and took her in and found the books on sign language so she could talk I ith her to have her tail removed so she could stay here And e found out Bea was pregnant a few months later, everyone helped out We never knew" Mel pulled Bea close "She wouldn’t tell us where she came from, who Blaise’s father hy she couldn’t talk I had always assumed she was born rave;re I understand why you wouldn’t tell" Because of the ned They would kill Blaise

"Hoould they know?" Vale asked

Bea sat up very straight, eyes burning Her fingers spelled one word Auguste

"Auguste is one of the flesh into strips

"Auguste was the dai A few years after she arrived here and had Blaise, he showed up to sweep the floors and tend bar He never spoke to her But he watched her And he"

Mel’s jaw dropped, and she grasped Bea’s hands "He uses her when he wants to In return for not telling the Malediction Club she’s here Oh, Beatrice Oh, why didn’t you say?"