Hotel Magnifique(76)

Hellas came through the door the same moment Yrsa unrolled her surgeon’s kit.

“How is it out there?” she asked him.

“Messy,” Hellas replied.

I wanted to know what he meant.

Yrsa nodded. “Sido, stand at the door by the bar. Make sure no one wanders back here.”

I stumbled when he let me go. At the sound of Sido leaving, something rustled in the corner: a tiny golden bird in a cage.

“What’s she doing here?”

Yrsa lifted a piece of porcelain, a slim finger more delicate than my own. “One outburst and I’ll snap this. You can see what happens for yourself.” She glanced at my sister. “Alastair said a doorway bit off her fingers. Such a shame I wasn’t the one to cut them off.” Her mouth slanted up.

Rage flooded every inch of me. Yrsa pulled a spool of black thread from a lower shelf and rested it beside a pair of blood-flecked pliers, a spoon, a knife, and a candle. She waved a hand over her teacup and the not-milk swirled. One creamy tendril touched her finger. She flicked it down.

Zosa shrieked, flapping at the cage bars.

My nails dug crescents into my palms. “You might think you’re helping the ma?tre’s cause, but you’re nothing more than a curse on this world.”

My words seemed to put Yrsa in a better mood. She hummed while she lit the blue-flamed candle. Slowly, she lifted the knife and held it over the flame, twisting it until the metal glowed red at the edges.

“Up you go. On the table.” She waved the thin knife at me. “Hurry now.”

The table swirled with a mess of wax drippings and dried blood. My legs shook so badly they threatened to give out. I couldn’t crawl up there if I wanted to.

“So that’s how it’s going to be.” Yrsa shrugged. “No matter. Hellas, be a dear and give me a hand.”

If I had much in my stomach it would be on the floor. Before Hellas could take a step toward me, the door swung inward. Madame des Rêves stood there, plum wig and all, Sido at her side.

Yrsa turned toward Des Rêves. “What now?”

“Alastair needs you upstairs. There’s a situation.”

“Well? Spit it out.”

“A crowd is gathering outside the door. Guests are streaming out. The crown already sent an envoy to meet with us.”

“What’s happening?” I asked.

Des Rêves’s eyes snapped to me. “Haven’t heard? We’re in Champilliers.”

My breath left me in one sharp exhale.

Bel.

Fresh tears welled up. I touched my lips and they were still swollen. Bel would lose everything Alastair had given him for this. All those little memories. Bel risked them all to bring me here. My chest swelled. This was for all of us.

I had to find the woman in the painting.

“Stay with the girl. I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Yrsa barked at Hellas, then practically flew from the room along with Des Rêves and Sido.

Hellas shuffled his cards, creating an unmovable barrier.

I wished I could summon some trick to convince him to leave as easily as he plucked cards from his deck.

When he didn’t meet my eyes, I studied his face. It might have been wishful thinking, but he almost looked conflicted. Chances were good he still didn’t care for me, but I hoped he didn’t hate me. When Alastair threatened Frigga, it was obvious Hellas didn’t have the power to spare her. I witnessed his fear. It wasn’t too dissimilar from mine. I knew from experience the lengths people were willing to go to protect those they loved.

In the aviary, when Hellas had thought Frigga was in trouble, I’d seen fear in his eyes. Hellas wasn’t standing here because he enjoyed working for Alastair.

He had to see the similarities between our circumstances, how we were both bound by our siblings. And if that were the case, he probably wanted many of the same things I did.

“There’s a reason Bel brought us here,” I said, nerves swimming inside me. I half expected Hellas leave and lock me in the room, but the Botaniste did nothing but listen. “I—I think there’s a woman in this city who knows something that could help us.”

“Help with what?”

I didn’t mention the ring. Instead, I said, “She might know something about the contracts. A way to void them. You could free yourself along with your sister. But you have to let me out first.” When he raised a silver brow, I added, “Please.”

My hands were ice-cold. I rubbed them up my arms to fill the silence, to do something other than stand motionless. I didn’t know what else to say. I supposed I could beg. I wasn’t above it.

“What would you do if it were reversed?” I said. “If Frigga was a bird and you had the chance to save her, wouldn’t you take it?”

Please let me out, I willed with everything inside me. We’re not so different.

He remained silent for a few more beats then held the door wide. For me.

“What you did for Frigga in the aviary . . . She told me you lied for her when you didn’t have to. If you hadn’t . . .” He sighed through his nose. “Consider my debt paid.”

He would help me.

Noises drifted down the hall, but I didn’t move.

“What are you waiting for?” Hellas asked.

Carefully, I took Zosa’s porcelain finger and tucked it down my skirt pocket so it nestled beside the cosmolabe. I stepped to her cage.