The Cerulean (Untitled Duology, #1)(111)

He swallowed, trapped by her sapphire gaze.

“No,” he said. “You didn’t. But you changed me. And I . . . I’m grateful for that.”

Then he bowed low, as he would to a Kaolin woman of high birth. But Sera was so much worthier than that. He felt his face go red and he straightened, feeling like a bit of an idiot. But she looked pleased.

“Is that the way Kaolin people say goodbye?” she asked.

“Er, no. It’s the way they show respect,” he explained.

“Ah.” He could see her filing it away in her sharp mind. Then she bowed to him.

“Did I do it right?” she asked.

“You did,” he said, unable to suppress his grin. “Oh!” He reached into his pocket. “I brought it back like I said I would. It will be yours again once we’re all safely on our way to Pelago.”

The pale stone gleamed in his palm as he held the necklace out. Sera took it, tears filling her eyes.

“Leela,” she whispered, cupping the pendant in her hands.

“Five minutes to places, folks!” a voice called from the other side of the door. “Five minutes!”

“I’ve got to go,” Leo said. She handed the necklace back to him. “I’ll see you at the Seaport.”

She nodded. “The Seaport.”

“Good luck, Sera.”

She shot him a rueful look. “I do not need luck. I have Mother Sun watching over me.”

“See if she can look out for me and Agnes, too, while she’s at it,” Leo said. He would take all the help he could get at this point.

Sera’s smile shone brighter than her sun crown. “She will.”





40

Agnes

“WHERE’S YOUR BROTHER?” XAVIER ASKED AS THEY took their seats for the second act.

“He came to tell me the girl was having a bit of a fit,” Agnes said, repeating the line they had practiced the night before. “He’s staying back there to keep her calm.”

“Let’s hope he is capable of that,” Xavier muttered. Agnes felt it best to keep her mouth shut. She was not the liar Leo was.

The lights dimmed and the curtain opened. She barely heard the lines being spoken onstage. Was Sera up there behind the top curtain right now? She hoped they could really trust this Francis person to leave her unchained on the swing. And besides that, would Errol actually be capable of breaking the glass ceiling?

Agnes would not be around to see any of these questions answered. She waited and waited, fighting the urge to fidget, her hands clenched so tightly around her clutch that her fingers were starting to go numb.

At long last, Grayson Riggs appeared onstage, unsheathed his sword, and challenged James to a duel.

“Father,” Agnes whispered. He waved her off. “Father,” she said again more insistently.

“What?” Xavier snapped.

“I’ve got to use the restroom.”

“You can wait until the show is over.”

“No, I must go now. It’s . . .” Agnes steeled herself. “It’s my monthly cycle, Father.”

All the color drained from Xavier’s face. She might as well have just confessed to murdering someone.

“Go,” he said without looking at her. She hurried out of their box and rushed down the stairs to the foyer, wishing she could throw her arms up in triumph. How easy Kaolin men could be manipulated by a simple mention of “ladies’ matters.” When she’d relayed her idea to Leo, the look on his face was proof enough that it would work.

The foyer was deserted except for the waiters cleaning up glasses and dirty plates and crumpled napkins. Agnes pushed through the doors and hurried past the hulking Pembertons, fanning her face as if to indicate she only needed some air. The dress did not allow for much movement, and she teetered in the stupid high heels Leo had made her wear until finally she reached the corner and turned.

Her brother was nowhere to be found. He was supposed to be at the end of the block, but the block was empty. And not just of Leo, but of anyone. There were no people—but more importantly, there were no cars. She looked behind her and realized the block in front of the Maribelle was the same. She lifted her skirt and walked as quickly as her shoes would allow, passing two Pemberton guards beside the stage door and keeping her face averted.

“All right, miss?” one of them asked.

“Yes, I’m fine, thank you.” Her voice was high and breathy, and she did not stop walking until she reached the corner. The block behind the theater was empty too, but to her left she saw that it was because the police had cordoned off the area. There were crowds filling the surrounding streets. Her father must have someone in his pocket at the police department. There was no other way to explain the presence of so many officers.

But that didn’t give her any clue as to where Leo was. She crossed the back of the theater, but there was no sign of him. What should she do? She didn’t believe he had simply left her—once she might have assumed it, but not anymore. He was as invested in this plan as she was.

She walked down Fifty-First Street back toward Loxman Avenue and the main entrance to the theater. Perhaps she should try and find a car herself. She’d nearly reached the corner when Leo came running down Loxman from the north.

“There you are,” she said. “Where have you—”