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“Not to worry, dear; they’re all still employed by yours truly. This is a temporary stop for the Moonlight Carnival. We’re heading to Paris next. I’ve got them spread out, going to other shows, learning new tricks we might improve upon. It’s always best to study your competition, then obliterate it.”
“So you’re paying them to spy for you.”
“Spying, learning”—he shrugged—“really, what’s the difference? Anishaa’s been studying that Wild West nonsense Buffalo Bill Cody’s got set up.” He blew out a breath. “She’s become friends with one of his gun-wielding performers. An Annie something or other. Now Anishaa wishes to target practice with Jian. I supposed she could breathe fire while shooting, might be some sort of way we can spin it. What do you think of a fire-breathing sharp-shooting dragon?”
“I—”
“Not to interrupt,” Minnie said, stuffing her arms into a heavy overcoat, “but I must be on my way. It was lovely meeting you both.” She smiled at Thomas, then kissed each of my cheeks. “If you’re ever near 63rd Street, do pop in for a chat. I’ll be working at the pharmacy counter there while I take my course. I’d love to see you again. I just moved here from Boston and it would be wonderful to have a friend.”
“I should like that,” I said, hoping I’d be able to keep my promise.
Mephistopheles waved her off as she left. “One more woman running off with another man. I’m losing my touch.”
“Have you considered you might be a Thorne in their sides?” Thomas asked. “You certainly can be a pric—”
“Thomas,” I whispered harshly, pinching the inside of his elbow.
“How clever,” Mephistopheles said blandly. “You’ve made my name into a pun. What other comedic brilliance will you think of next? I wish I could say I missed this”—he motioned between himself and Thomas—“but that sort of lying doesn’t pay my bills.”
“Nor do the gemstones on your suits,” Thomas muttered.
“Are you still jealous about my jackets?” Mephistopheles grinned.
“For the love of the queen,” I said, interrupting before they really got into it. “If we’re moving on to more stimulating subjects, have you heard about the murder in New York?”
The cool, cavalier persona Mephistopheles had adopted was gone the instant his boots smacked the ground. He stood so abruptly, his chair knocked over. “Oh, no. No, no, no, my dear. It was lovely seeing you, lovelier still if you’d left that one at home”—he jerked his chin toward Thomas—“but I can’t involve myself in any more of your brand of debauchery.”
“My brand of debauchery?”
“Death-defying is wonderful. Death on its own is wretched for my line of work.”
“Please,” I said. “Just hear us out.”
Mephistopheles crossed his arms. “Tell me why I ought to.”
“I need you,” I said, hating that I was desperate enough to utter those words.
He didn’t so much as blink for a beat too long. When he finally did, his lip curled devilishly as he slid Thomas a taunting look. “Ah. I see I haven’t lost my charm yet. Most women I meet say the same thing, usually whilst scantily clad. Should we remove a few of those pesky layers? It’ll help clear my mind. Get me in the mood for charity.”
“Only if you’d like me to strangle you with them.”
“Still so violent I see.” He lifted a shoulder. “I’m sure you make Thomas a very happy man. I always imagined his tastes were a bit depraved—what with all those dead bodies.” Thomas plastered on a grin of his own but remained silent. Mephistopheles narrowed his eyes. “Did you two actually fall in love surrounded by corpses?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. We—” I shut my mouth. Distilled down to its most basic element, Thomas and I had continued a flirtation in the laboratory. It could be argued we did fall in love while carving the dead. The thought was disturbing.
“You’re both twisted and gnarled in ways too gruesome for even my mind.” Mephistopheles grinned as if reading my thoughts. “You truly are perfectly matched.”
“You’re avoiding my inquiry,” I said.
His smile vanished as if it had never been there to begin with. I couldn’t stop myself from shivering in place. He was talented with casting illusions, almost too talented.
“Am I? I thought I’d been perfectly clear.”
He ushered us out through the back doors of the theater, sticking two fingers in his mouth, whistling for our carriage. A shadow peeled off the wall, lurching toward us. I closed my eyes briefly, worried I’d imagined it. I opened them and it was gone.
My heartbeat continued to race despite the fact that there wasn’t anyone lurking in the darkness, waiting to attack.
“While I hate ending our little rendezvous, you’ll have to solve whatever mess you’ve gotten into this time on your own. I’m truly sorry, Miss Wadsworth, but I must look after the Moonlight Carnival. We were lucky to recover from
