Hotel Magnifique(28)

I rubbed my face. Thinking about any of it now wouldn’t do much good. If Des Rêves wasn’t outside the room, she was on her way. If they sent me back to Durc before I could get to Zosa—

“Please let me out,” I begged Red.

Her mouth tightened to a slash. “I’m not allowed. The only way out is to find the exit and end the game.”

“How? I can’t read the language the clues are written in, and the guests aren’t in any hurry.”

“I’m sorry, but you’ll just have to wait.”

“And be caught by Des Rêves? Fired?” I glanced around. “Can you at least tell me where a door might appear?”

She sighed. “I’m not allowed to tell you where the exit is, but I will say it’s not a door.” Her gaze flicked up to the inside of the teapot’s spout above us.

“That’s the way out, isn’t it?”

Her lips pressed together.

It must be. “But there’s no way to get up there.”

“There will be once everyone solves the clues.”

“What if we can’t?”

She lifted her thimble and tea gushed out. “Either Des Rêves will let us out or we’ll swim.”

I wanted to scream. I looked around. There had to be another way up, but the walls were slick and the room was narrow. Then a thought struck.

“I figured it out,” I said. I’d seen guests rocking a room. I shoved my shoulder against one wall, then rushed over and pushed on the opposite wall. “If we all push in unison, we could tip the room over and crawl out the spout.”

“It’s my job to make sure guests follow the clues to the exit,” Red hissed. “I’ll be in trouble if they don’t.”

Whatever trouble she might find herself in couldn’t be worse than me getting sent back to Durc.

Ignoring her, I shouted, “Everyone push!” But the guests weren’t listening. I couldn’t tip the room on my own.

An older guest turned to me. “You’re not very convincing.”

His words gave me an idea. I cleared my throat. “The sooner we tip over the room, the quicker you can all collect your prizes.”

“Prizes?” a woman asked.

Red glared at me.

“Fantastical prizes,” I said. “Better than a firework display in your palm. And”—I paused for dramatic effect—”you get to take them home with you after checkout.”

Eight pairs of eyes widened.

I couldn’t help but smile. “Don’t just stand there. Help me rock the room.”

Red didn’t join in, but the rest of us moved in unison, heaving palms against one wall, then the other. The weight of tea sloshing back and forth added to our efforts. Soon, the entire room tipped sharply to one side. “Lean on the wall.”

This time they listened. We pushed. Everything tilted, then tumbled over. Tea shot up my nose. I landed on the floor, sputtering.

Tipping over the room caused the walls to vanish. The entire game had disappeared.

Red sat in a wet heap a distance away. People gathered. I scanned their faces. Des Rêves wasn’t here yet, thank god.

Next to me, the guests sat in a blubbering pile. I hobbled up and lifted the hem of my sodden skirts. I curtsied. “Congratulations. You may all collect your prizes in the lobby.”

A hand grabbed my arm.

“This way. Now.” Béatrice dragged me toward a potted palm, face twisted in rage. “Before she sees you.”

Then I heard it.

Heels clicked. An orange wig bobbed above the rooms. Red sat across the puddle. I hesitated.

“Leave her,” Béatrice said. “There’s no time.”

She was right. We ducked behind the palm just as Des Rêves rounded a nearby room, Hellas at her heel. They didn’t see Béatrice or me; their eyes were too glued to the mess.

“This game wasn’t supposed to end like this. What did you do?” Des Rêves bellowed.

Tears rolled down Red’s cheeks. She hugged her knees, terrified. But Red didn’t tip the room herself. Surely she wouldn’t be punished.

Béatrice dug her fingernails into my palm to keep me still.

“I don’t have an ounce of time for this.” Des Rêves’s eyes narrowed at Red. “Hellas, take that girl to the ma?tre.”





“I forbid you to speak.” Béatrice dragged me along the service floor, then up a flight of stairs.

“It was an accident. I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to enter a g-game.” I hugged my arms across my dripping frock as a shudder ripped through me. “Will the ma?tre really punish that suminaire?”

“What do you think?”

My shoulders sagged.

On the second floor, Béatrice knocked on a slim door. When no one answered, she ordered me to wait while she left, returning moments later with Bel in tow. My stomach clenched at the sight of him. He shook ice from his hair, nearly as sodden as I was, as if he’d been outside all morning.

“You asked me to watch over this girl, but it’s impossible when she does reckless things,” Béatrice said.

Bel looked me over. “What—” he started to ask.

“She entered a game.” Béatrice cut him off. “A suminaire was taken to the ma?tre.”