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Back Dangerous Remedy
Chapters (86)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Epigraph
  6. Contents
  7. Paris, June 1794
  8. PART ONE
  9. 1
  10. 2
  11. 3
  12. 4
  13. 5
  14. 6
  15. 7
  16. PART TWO
  17. 1
  18. 2
  19. 3
  20. 4
  21. 5
  22. 6
  23. 7
  24. 8
  25. 9
  26. 10
  27. 11
  28. 12
  29. PART THREE
  30. 1
  31. 2
  32. 3
  33. 4
  34. 5
  35. 6
  36. 7
  37. 8
  38. 9
  39. 10
  40. 11
  41. 12
  42. 13
  43. 14
  44. 15
  45. 16
  46. 17
  47. PART FOUR
  48. 1
  49. 2
  50. 3
  51. 4
  52. 5
  53. 6
  54. 7
  55. 8
  56. 9
  57. 10
  58. 11
  59. PART FIVE
  60. 1
  61. 2
  62. 3
  63. 4
  64. 5
  65. 6
  66. 7
  67. PART SIX
  68. 1
  69. 2
  70. 3
  71. 4
  72. 5
  73. 6
  74. 7
  75. 8
  76. 9
  77. 10
  78. 11
  79. 12
  80. 13
  81. 14
  82. Postscript
  83. A Ship in Le Havre Port
  84. Acknowledgements
  85. About the Author
  86. About Zephyr

Her father’s words stayed with her, as she watched flames dance out of the windows of the theatre. She thought she’d done what Camille wanted. But maybe she’d got it wrong.

Maybe James was getting it right.

17

Backstage at the Théâtre Patriotique

Dorval loomed above Camille, wreathed in smoke. She pulled herself upright, feeling the jangling pain in her ribs and the burning in her throat.

‘I choose,’ she gasped, ‘to tell you no.’

A frustrated sneer crossed Dorval’s face.

‘Stupid girl.’ He stepped towards her – then lurched sideways as someone crashed into him. Camille blinked, taking in tousled blond hair and broad shoulders.

‘James?’

As he grappled with Dorval, a cloak closed around her, and she looked up, startled to see Guil on her side of the wall of fire. She understood how he’d done it, when he wrapped the cloak around himself as well, and bowled them both rapidly through the flames into the passage beyond.

‘Camille.’ Guil’s hands were on her cheeks, giving her a light slap. ‘Can you walk?’

She nodded. He pointed down the passage. ‘I sent Olympe that way. Follow her. You have to get out.’

‘I’m sorry.’ Her voice broke, and she let him take the weight of her in his arms. ‘I’m sorry I made you do this. I don’t think you’re wrong for still believing in your principles.’

The hand on her cheek caressed her hot skin for a moment. ‘Enough of that. You sound far too much as if you’re saying goodbye. No one dies today, didn’t you hear yourself?’ He lifted her so she was standing and almost steady on her own two feet. ‘Now go.’

Wrapping the cloak around himself once more, Camille watched in terror as Guil flung himself back through the flames and into the fight. Fresh air and freedom were so close. But Guil – and James – were still in the heart of the fire. She could see them, weaving back and forth as they traded blows with Dorval, dodging the wild swipes of his knife. She couldn’t help them, she knew she was beyond that. But she couldn’t bring herself to walk away when they were in there.

Guil made another play for Dorval’s knife. But Dorval was fast, and clever. He used his low centre of gravity to anchor himself, grabbing Guil’s foot when it made contact – sending him tumbling. Dorval stabbed the knife at James, who stumbled back, towards the flames. In a move after her own heart, Guil surged up and slammed his knee between Dorval’s legs, sending him crumpling to the floor.

But as he went down, he caught Guil. His blade glittered gold in the firelight, before it sank into Guil’s kidneys. He twisted the knife, then pulled it out to stab the artery at the top of the thigh.