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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

Twin tear tracks stained Olympe’s cheeks. Camille’s hand went to her pistol. Olympe was standing right on the edge of the summit.

‘You promised it would be my choice.’

For a moment, Camille let the pain and noise and chaos drop away. Her parents always made the hard choice. Even if it meant people would hate her. Her parents would do the right thing.

‘I know I did. But I have to make a choice too.’

She lifted her gun and pointed it at Olympe.

‘I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. But I have to save everyone else. You’re dangerous, and we won’t be safe until you’re gone.’

Olympe froze, entirely focused on the muzzle of the gun and Camille’s finger on the trigger.

‘I trusted you.’

Camille was calm. Her voice soft against the wind.

‘I know.’

She pulled the trigger.

6

In the Crowd on the Champs de Mars

A shot rang out across the Champs de Mars. Robespierre faltered mid-speech as people started screaming.

From the top of the mountain, a figure in white tumbled through the air, narrowly missing the balcony Robespierre spoke from, before disappearing from view.

The crowd moved like a riptide, surging suddenly and violently away from the mountain, while eddies swirled back towards the scene. Ada was pulled in several directions at once, jostled and pushed away from the duc.

Fighting the flow, she elbowed her way towards where he was using his cane to smack people out of his path.

‘Move, you disgusting little man,’ he sneered, prodding a mason aside. ‘What is the meaning of this?’

‘I don’t know,’ mumbled Ada. ‘They were supposed to meet us here—’

‘Oh, for god’s sake.’

Forcing his way through the terrified crowd, he strode closer to the mountain, Ada tagging along behind. Robespierre had gone from his balcony, a ring of guards escorting him out of the public eye. Olympe had fallen into the ditch that circled the mountain like a moat. Some people were peering into it, while others were pointing up at the summit where the shot had come from.

‘I swear to you—’

‘Do not take me for a fool, girl,’ he hissed. His blue eyes had gone steely grey with anger. ‘You think we play? I have given you and Mademoiselle Laroche more than enough chances. I do not know what idiocy you aim at now, but my patience is finished.’

For the first time, Ada felt true horror as the duc towered over her. But before she could speak, a hand closed around her arm. She looked up in fright, adrenaline spiking her chest.

‘Ada, what are you doing?’

‘Papa!’ She tried to pull away in frustration, but he kept hold of her arm.

The duc shifted from rage into cold and calculating displeasure. ‘Get your daughter in hand. Set our plan in action.’

Ada frowned. ‘Papa – what is he talking about?’