“Ah yes… we’ll get to that in a moment.” He bowed deeply, as if Queen Elizabeth stood in front of him, his brown curls tipping over in cascades before he secured his top hat. “I’m so pleased you could join us tonight, Lara Margot Barnes. Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am your host, Althacazur. We’re a little out of practice at Le Cirque Secret, so please bear with us tonight. It’s our first show in front of an audience in seventy-some years. We have some new members of the troupe as well, and they’re excited to perform just for you.”

As he circled—or rather pranced—around the floor, Lara saw a small monkey scamper to him. Mr. Tisdale? As if he could read her mind, Althacazur smiled. “Oh yes, you’ve met Mr. Tisdale. Tis, it seems Miss Barnes remembers you. You made quite an impression.”

Mr. Tisdale waved his small hand at her.

She found herself waving back at the little creature.

“Mr. Tisdale says that it would be very rude of me not to explain ourselves to you first. Well, welcome to Le Cirque Secret. Perhaps you’ve heard of us.” He stopped as if on cue, waiting for Lara to reply.

She nodded.

“Good. Try to interact with us a bit, Miss Barnes. It helps.” He circled the ring like it was a stage and he, a modern-day rock star.

The little monkey’s head followed Althacazur’s every move, seemingly as mesmerized as Lara was.

“So other than the complaints you expressed earlier about including warnings on it”—he rolled his eyes—“did you like my carousel, Miss Barnes? If you recall, you tried to pull it through to your world once?”

Lara nodded. “I did.”

“Oh, it’s one of my greatest creations. It goes back”—he stopped, like a comedian waiting for a punch line, then laughed like a teenager telling a dirty joke—“in time.”

Mr. Tisdale clapped as if on cue. It was then that Lara noticed that he and Althacazur were wearing matching outfits.

“Forgive me, I should explain because the internet doesn’t do me justice. I am the premier daemon of… well, fun shit. Let me be clear. First, please be sure to put the a in daemon. We hate it when it is left off, makes us look like barbarians. The a is so elegant, don’t you think?” He waited for her reply. “I’m also known as Althacazar”—he emphasized the a—“and Althacazure.” He focused on the very French pronunciation of the latter.

“Quite elegant,” said Lara, finally agreeing.

“Do try to keep up.” He put his hand to his chin like he was considering something. “So, what was I saying? Oh yes, I am the daemon of lust… wine… music… sex… everything that makes the world go ’round is in my purview.”