Arthur gave the usher a polite smile, stood up even straighter, and stepped past the curtain.
The private box was a balcony, empty save for two oversize velvet seats facing the stage a story below. The stage lights were bright and the balcony contrastingly dark enough that Arthur’s eyes took a moment to adjust.
But dark or no, there was no mistaking the bodies in the balcony. Three of them: two broad-shouldered white men, as big as Arthur himself, standing behind the farther velvet seat. And in that seat, a slender white man of about forty, hair hidden beneath a top hat and his features sharp in profile, a small pointed nose and chin. The other man also wore a tuxedo and didn’t look Arthur’s way, just watched the stage with his lip curled in distaste.
Arthur stepped in and took the other seat. On stage, a woman in a bedazzled dress was letting herself be handcuffed to a giant wheel while a man in a top hat juggled knives.
The seller’s gaze flicked to him—and then he stiffened. “Lieutenant Kenzie.”
Arthur stilled. “I don’t remember ever telling you I was in the service.”
“You didn’t tell me you were a liar either.”
“What are you talking about?” Arthur said sharply. “I am Arthur Kenzie. I have the funds to meet your asking price for the siphon. If you think to accuse me of lying—”
“Whose magic is in you?”
Rory followed Jade and Gwen as they hurried across the chaos of the entrance hall. Ellis was tossing replica hot air balloons around like baseballs while the model airplanes were zipping around as if they were flying.
“The kids are loving this,” Rory said, unable to stop a smile as the usher’s shouts in French mixed with the delighted laughs of the children.
“And the magic show can take the credit for the act,” Jade said, grinning. “I don’t often get to let loose like this. I doubt Ellis does either.”
A moment later, they were across the room and into another hallway lined with doors. The one at the far end was bright blue, like it’d been newly painted.
“That door is definitely covered in lead paint. If there’s magic on the other side of the door, I can’t see it,” Gwen said quietly, and turned to Rory. “Can you scry this hallway? See who’s been by in the last hour?”
Rory stepped forward and put his hands on the unpainted wood wall next to the door. He closed his eyes, and reached for the hallway’s past.
The little girl is maybe four, tangly curls at her shoulders and a marking pen in her hand. She’s gleefully drawing all over the door. There’s a shout in French, and then a mother is hurrying down the hall, taking the little girl’s hand and pulling her away—
The painter comes the next day, whistling as he paints bright blue over the marker—
The hallway stands empty all day. Ushers peek in, but no one comes to the bright blue door—
Rory came out of the past with a muttered curse. “There’s nothing.”
“Are you certain?” said Gwen.
He nodded. “Door wasn’t painted by paranormals. And it’s May and it’s sunny, no one’s wearing coats or carrying umbrellas. No one’s been back here today but us.”
“Damn.” Gwen suddenly turned on her heel and headed out into the entrance hall.
Rory scrambled after her. The hall was in disarray, model airplanes and replica hot air balloons on the ground and ushers scrambling to pick up tickets and corral curious onlookers.
“Where are you going?” Rory demanded. Zhang’s projection was flickering at her side, like he was darting between two places. “Arthur’s in there—”
“—and we can’t afford to waste the distraction that he’s creating.”
Jade suddenly stopped just before the building’s door and turned toward the air. “Jianwei,” she said softly. “Can you check the ticket booths, see if there’s anything useful?”
“Maybe. Let me see.” A few moments went by. Then Zhang’s projection appeared, flickering again. “The tickets for the balcony the seller is in were delivered to a hotel in the sixteenth arrondissement.”
He recited an address that could have been on the moon for all Rory knew, but Jade and Gwen seemed to recognize it.
Ellis walked up just as Zhang suddenly disappeared. “Where’s Mr. Zhang going?”
“I don’t know.” Jade’s eyes were concerned. “I—”
