He looks at me like a crazed man, like a drowning man. And his lips come down on mine, hard. He kisses me with such force I can barely breathe.

To think, after all these years, he still tastes of chocolate.

When he finally comes up for air and looks down at me, his eyes starry and dazed, I give him a sad smile.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper.

He frowns, confused. In a flash I reach up around his head and tie my bloody scarf across his mouth.

His eyes bulge and he tries to struggle, but I tied his hands with a strip of cloth when he was telling me his story.

His expression is raw hurt, longing, and loneliness. The beautiful friendless prince.

I open the carriage door; the street is a blur whirling past us outside.

I wink at him and leap out into the night.

In the early dawn, I stop and pull from inside my coat the Fisherman’s last gift: the tongue of Mor the Peacock. I drive one of my lock-picks into it and push it into the ground; then I light the fuse. It shoots into the air with a scream that will be seen and heard across the city. Men and women stop and raise their heads and it screeches across the sky, exploding into fireworks of light and color, a tiger roaring across the heavens.

Now, at this signal, the Wretched all over the city will descend upon the Tiger’s remaining strongholds. They will attack each one, killing or driving off the Fleshers and freeing the Sisters.

I manage to limp unsteadily down a dark alley, where I see a prison cart. A little boy materializes out of the darkness and stands before it. The horses stop and refuse to go any farther. Javert rises, shouting at the boy to get out of the way. But the boy advances. Other Ghosts appear behind him, emerging from the fog, forming a wall, blocking the street at both ends, a noseless young man at their head. Javert tries to grab her pistol, but the cart driver pulls out a gun of his own and holds it to her head.

Ettie has the lock open in seconds with the hair clips I gave her, and she quickly tumbles out of the cart. The other prisoners follow her, while Javert roars and rails. Orso takes Ettie into his arms and hugs her fiercely. She buries her face in his cloak and throws her arms around him. Gavroche is there at her skirts, and when Orso releases her, she greets Loup with a kiss on the cheek and takes Gavroche’s hand.

Le Maire, meanwhile, goes to address Javert. I can’t make out his words, but his manner is apologetic. She screams at him, shouting that he won’t escape her, swearing to find him no matter where he goes. Tears are pouring down her face, and le Maire is looking decidedly odd as he turns and leaves her.