In the span of a week, Lara had grown fond of Gaston and Barrow. She felt a profound sense of accomplishment for what they’d discovered together. Althacazur had promised her answers. He’d been true to his word, but an undeniable sadness had begun to settle in her. She’d gotten her answers. Todd was dead. After all these years, she now understood her magic, and the gravity of its origins hung heavily. She and her mother were part daemon. She would return home and either succeed in bringing Esmé back to Le Cirque Secret or die trying. In the unlikely event that she succeeded, she’d agreed, however reluctantly, to become the patron of Le Cirque Secret, likely located in the eighth level of Hell for eternity. She’d been the one, all right.

Looking around the table, she decided that she was going to savor everything about this evening. She’d positioned herself next to Barrow, telling him every detail of the circus. He was animated, hardly even stopping to place his order of stuffed lamb with Vadouvan herb salad.

Across the table from her sat Ben Archer. He was her biggest regret. She wanted more time with him.

Finally, Barrow held up his wineglass. “To the Ladies of the Secret Circus.” Everyone clinked their glasses.

Later, Audrey fell asleep, snoring lightly. Lara lay wide awake.

“Will he change his mind?” She asked the question softly for Cecile. “Will I have to spend eternity in the circus?”

He doesn’t change his mind, Lara. I’m sorry.

“Can you go to sleep or something? There is something I have to do.”

Of course.

Lara crept out of the room and down the hall and found room 504. She knocked on it and Ben Archer opened it. He didn’t seem surprised.

Lara held out two hotel wineglasses and a mini bottle of champagne. “This tiny bottle of champagne is fifty dollars and I’m going to drink it.”

“Didn’t anyone tell you not to drink the wine?”

“This is France, Ben,” she said in a whisper. “You do drink the wine here.”

“For someone who is in danger, you sure do run around unaccompanied a lot. Does your mother know you’re here?” He opened the door wide.

“You did not just say that to me?”

He hadn’t closed his drapes, and the Opéra-Comique’s courtyard was lit up. Skateboarders and lovers made use of the steps near the ticket window. The view was magnificent. She heard the cork pop and the sound of bubbles meeting glass.

“I can’t seem to make myself shut the drapes.” He walked up and stood behind her but did not touch her.

“Did I ever tell you where my love of a man in uniform came from?”

“I didn’t know you had a love for a man in uniform.”

“Chief Brody in Jaws.” She chuckled.

“His sleeves were not nearly as well starched as mine.”