Alice pushes her glasses up on her nose and turns on her lawyer voice. “If you let Bree and Sel and all of us go, and help us meet with Lucille, I’ll tell you something happening in your business right now that violates much more than the terms of our agreement for entry. Something that’s costing you customers. And money, probably in the thousands. Maybe more.”

The crowd murmurs in low tones. Valec regards her for a long moment. “I swear to hear you out, and if I find your information as valuable as you say, I will release you and your friends.” He shakes his head. “But you better make it good.”

He urges her closer. Alice walks forward and cups her hand around Valec’s ear. “Quiet as you can make it,” he murmurs, and Alice nods. As she talks, his eyes grow wide in shock, then narrow in anger. “And you saw this yourself?” She nods again. When she’s done, his eyes roam her features, looking for any sign of a trick. Then, without saying another word, he darts to the side of the stage and drags the silver-haired bartender out by her upper arm.

“Is it true, Miranda?”

Miranda’s face is painted with a mixture of surprise and horror. “Is what true, V?”

“That you’ve been stealing vials of aether.” The roof falls into a hushed, stunned silence. I can’t imagine anyone being foolish enough to steal from Valechaz.

She shakes her head frantically and Valec tuts. “It’ll be better for your health and safety if you hand them over now.”

Miranda swallows audibly, then dips her fingers down the front of her corset, pulling out three shining vials.

Valec takes them from her hand without breaking their gaze.

He sighs heavily. “Well, this night has taken a turn.”

35

ONCE THE ROOF is cleared and Miranda removed by Alonzo, Alice and William come running to me while Valec himself releases Sel.

Alice reaches me first. “Are you all right?”

I blink. “Sort of.”

Valec snorts from across the roof. “You’re fine.”

William steps forward and tilts my face so he can get a better view. “You’ve been crying.” He turns to Valec accusingly. “What did you do to her?”

Valec raises his hands. “You are a suspicious bunch, aren’t you?” He points at Sel, who stumbles out of the cage. “I didn’t make her cry, he did!”

“What’s that mean?” William asks.

“It means Valec removed Sel’s mesmer on me,” I say.

“His mesmer?” William frowns. “On you?”

Alice glares. “What mesmer?”

“He’s been tricking me. Hiding his descent in an illusion so I couldn’t see him changing.”

William’s face pales. “You couldn’t see it?

I shake my head. Of course it was just me. All of those times William and Sel had bickered over a simmering frustration I didn’t understand.