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Only it wasn’t.
“Don’t look.” I clutched my cousin and pulled her head to my shoulder, allowing her to sob. Thomas met my gaze and held it, offering me his strength and allowing mine to fortify him in return. I ran my hands over Liza’s hair, hoping to soothe her and myself with the action. “It’s all right. It’s going to be all right.”
“Everyone remain seated. And calm. The flames are mostly contained to the body.” Uncle swept
his attention over our table; his first priority was to ensure our safety, though I knew he’d want to get to the victim quickly. He looked to Thomas and nodded, silently passing along responsibility before he disappeared into the exiting crowd.
“It isn’t alive,” Thomas said, his voice calm despite the fiery inferno and Mrs. Harvey’s wails. “Look.”
The last thing I wanted to do was stare at the nightmare before us. But my brain slowly slipped into the coolness of a scientist.
“How…” I forced myself to ignore the scent of burning flesh and hair. To look beyond the clumps of Lord knew what that slopped to the ground. I rocked Liza gently, registering the lack of screams or movement while the fire turned the person into a living star. Thomas was right—whoever it was had already been dead before being set aflame.
A kindness, if one could call being murdered, then having your corpse torched, kind.
With a jolt, the body above the stage jerked downward, and those who hadn’t yet made it out the door to safety screamed in horror.
“Lower the ropes again!” Mephistopheles rushed onto the stage, shouting at crew members who must be hidden in the rafters. “Cut it down! Cut it down now!”
Two men wielding swords ran under the burning body, hacking at the disintegrating fabric and dodging burning ashes that rained down on them. It might have been Jian and Andreas, but I was seemingly only capable of rocking Liza and trying to keep my own tears from escaping. Narrowing my world to that one comforting motion held me together.
Waiters and staff shouted for order, but the patrons were beyond their control. Tables turned over. Women swayed and men shoved. It was an absolute horror show as people fought to squeeze through the only two exit doors.
“Smother the flames!” Captain Norwood emerged into the chaos, tossing horse blankets at the people onstage. “Stamp them out!”
Mrs. Harvey held a hand over her mouth, but the lines of wetness streaking down her face betrayed her fright. I wanted to obey Uncle and remain seated and calm, though I also longed to take my loved ones from this hell and shelter them from all the horrible things the world could bring forth. I wanted to bury my face in my pillows and scream until my throat felt raw and my tears had dried up. I could stand dissecting bodies, but watching a person burn was entirely different. Whoever had done this was a monster, the likes of which even Jack the Ripper and Vlad Dracula would hesitate to emulate.
“Oh, God… that smell.” Liza buried her face farther into my shoulder. My own emotions reared up, trying to overtake me, but I grabbed them and shoved them deep within. I could not succumb to them now. Possibly not ever. Everything around us became mechanical in my mind—the only way I could process what was happening and not crumble with grief.
The body finally fell to the stage, the sound like an eight-stone sack of oats crashing to the floor. Most of the damage in the room had only been done to the corpse and the silks that had tied it up. Aside from the sooty water spilling over the stage and puddling on the floor, the dining saloon escaped ruination. My macabre gaze returned to the charred remains. I did not wish to examine it up close. I did not want to believe this was real. But wishes and wants had no place in my heart.
Thomas patted Mrs. Harvey’s shoulder, doing his best to be comforting, though I could see the strain in his own expression. It was hard to shift into that cold calm when the scent of burnt flesh stung your nose and eyes. “Mrs. Harvey? Are you able to bring Liza back to your chambers?” The older woman’s lip trembled, but she nodded sharply. “Good. Everyone’s almost gone and the fire’s out now. You should be all right. I want you both to go straight to the cabin and lock the door. I’ll check on you when I escort Audrey Rose in a little while. All right?”
He spoke calmly, but there was a strength in his voice that made my senses slowly come to. It seemed to have the same effect on Mrs. Harvey. She blinked a few times, then held her arms out to Liza. “Come, dear. Let’s get us some water for a bath.”
Liza loosened her grasp on me enough to look into my face. I’m not sure what she saw there, but she quickly blinked back fresh tears. “You ought to come with us. Please. Please don’t go near that… that stage… please come with me.”
I wanted to. More than anything I wanted to clutch my cousin’s hand and run from this room, never looking back. I’d only ever questioned my love of forensic science once before, and this was testing my resolve again. “I’ll join you in a little while. I promise.”
“No! You have to—”
“There is a blade in my nightstand.” I hugged her close. “I want you to get it and keep it with you until I return. Do not allow anyone in unless it’s either myself, Thomas, or Uncle. Not Mephistopheles, nor anyone from the carnival. Not even Harry. Do you understand?”
I’d meant for my speech to be fortifying, but Liza’s tears spilled down her face, dripping onto the collar of her bodice. “Are we unsafe? Do you believe we’ll be attacked next? I—”
“It is a precaution,” I said. “Nothing more.” I gripped her hand tightly. “Take care of Mrs. Harvey, all right?”
Liza pressed her lips together. I could see the molten core of her harden into steel. She might have bent a little, but she was too strong to break. She gripped my hands back and nodded. “I’ll do my best.” She faced Mrs. Harvey and, though there were traces of fear in the way her hands shook, she straightened up. “Let’s hurry.”
With a final glance over her shoulder, Liza guided our chaperone out of the smoky room. I watched the door a few seconds after they’d gone, gathering up my own inner steel. A gentle touch on my arm indicated it was time to don my own mask—now I would perform the role of forensic scientist. I took one more deep breath, immediately regretting it as smoke singed my nose. I coughed, which only made it worse.
“Here. This might help a bit with the smell and the smoke.” Thomas handed me a damp napkin, then dabbed one into a water goblet for himself. He held the cloth to his face, allowing it to act as a barrier. I did the same, and the itch in my throat eased. Thomas kept his attention on me while I steadied myself. “Better?”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
Without uttering another word, we made our way to the stage and smoking remains. Uncle was already standing over them. “Captain, I need this stage clear of people for the rest of the evening. We must salvage what we can as far as evidence is concerned. No crew.”
Norwood dragged a hand down his face. There were bags under his eyes, indicating he hadn’t slept well. Which was understandable—his magical voyage had diverted from Heaven sent to Hell bound. “Anything you need, Dr. Wadsworth. But we must clean up the tables and linens and—”
