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“It’s been two days,” I said, still not looking at him. “Do you honestly expect me to master tricks when bodies keep appearing?”
Mephistopheles barked out surprised laughter. “I don’t deal in honesty, but you’re a sharp delight, Miss Wadsworth. Shame you won’t allow me the honor of cutting my heart in half.”
I turned, finally meeting his stare. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
“Well, I’m not sure I believe you,” he said, regarding me carefully. “Which means you’re doing much better than I’d anticipated with your lessons.”
“Sleight of hand can hardly be applied in a situation such as this.”
“Can’t it, though? Words themselves are tricky, wicked things.” He grinned as if he’d uncovered some truth I hadn’t hidden particularly well. “Anyway, what I mean is every rose can draw blood as much as delight. Yet we do not hesitate to inhale their fragrance, do we? Danger does not detract from appeal; it increases it.”
He bent near enough that his breath was a whisper of warmth on my skin. Gooseflesh rose. In fear or excitement, I couldn’t discern.
“I am unafraid of being pricked when the reward is so sweet. You, however… what is it that you’re afraid of?”
For some reason Thomas’s face flashed across my mind.
Mephistopheles stepped closer. “What do you fear the most? Certainly not death. That you’re intrigued by.” He placed his arms on either side of me and I involuntarily tensed. “Ah. Bars caging you in? Now that’s something you’re terrified of. If you want a life of freedom, simply take it for yourself. What’s stopping you?”
My heart beat so quickly I feared it might cease. “Is this part of tonight’s lesson?”
“This?” He angled his face near my ear. “This is a bit of friendly advice. You cannot live your life following someone else’s rules. Would you like to explore ot
her avenues of science? Perhaps forensics aren’t the only thing you’re passionate about. You might enjoy putting your skills into engineering.”
I tried to keep my breathing steady. He might be acting interested for show, but he saw the truth of me. A truth I didn’t even think Thomas had discovered. It made me want to simultaneously hug him as well as kick him. I was intrigued by mechanical things, my father had crafted toys and I’d always wished to learn how to make them myself. Father had taught my brother, but never indulged me, since I was a girl and it wasn’t a “proper feminine pursuit.” I’d been given more dolls than I knew what to do with, but gears and bolts… that had been what I’d truly wished for.
“I want to speak with Jian,” I said, breaking the strange moment. “Take me to wherever the performers are and let’s make up whatever ruse you’d like.”
“I’m not sure it’s a wise decision after tonight’s events.” All the teasing in his face disappeared. “The performers have decided to deal with their stress in their own special way. It might get a bit sloppy.” He pulled out his pocket watch. “Likely it’s already beyond sloppy.”
“Cassie’s not with the other performers,” I pointed out. “Perhaps Jian is not engaged in whatever debauchery you’re suggesting the others are doing.”
“Actually, I’m fairly certain he’s the one passing out the liquor.” He stared off into the dark water. “I hope Andreas hides his swords again. Things got quite interesting last time he drank his mood away. The Green Fairy is a tricksy mistress.” He leaned against the railing next to me and glanced in my direction. “Do you believe he’s capable of murder?”
“How can I possibly answer that when I haven’t been able to speak with him more? If you’re serious about solving these murders, then bring me there now.”
“Of course I’m serious about that. If this carnival fails, I have to go back to my old life. And I’d rather jump into the sea than find my way into another gilded cage.”
I searched his face. Perhaps he and I weren’t so different. “Where are the performers?”
He raked his gaze over me, though it wasn’t in his normal roguish way. There was something swift and almost analytical about it. He pushed himself off of the railing. “If you insist on attending this gathering, you’ll need to dress the part.”
I brushed down the front of my velvet cloak. The dress underneath was a bit plainer than the evening gown I’d worn earlier, but there wasn’t anything wrong with it. I frowned. “I want to blend in.”
“Which is exactly why you need to get rid of that boring thing. You’ll be a ragweed in a bed of wildflowers.” He crinkled his nose. “Sometimes you need to stand out in order to blend in.”
“That makes absolutely no sense.”
“But it soon will.” He pulled out his pocket watch seemingly from thin air again, grinning as I shook my head. “Lesson number two begins now.”
Vintage absinthe posters and labels
SIXTEEN
LA FÉE VERTE
PERFORMERS’ PRACTICE AREA
