“God in heaven,” I swore, cutting him off. “If she could fix all the ailments troubling the girls at the opera house with witchcraft, she’d be the richest woman in Trianon for it. But clearly not.” I gestured at the ramshackle buildings. “Let her go, Fred. This is nonsensical.”

“Who’s she?” one of the guards asked.

“My sister.”

A lascivious grin split the other man’s face. “Oh, the opera girl.”

I didn’t like the way he said it. Neither, apparently, did my brother. Snatching a fistful of the guard’s uniform, Fred dragged him forward until they were face to face. “Watch your mouth when you’re talking about my sister, you hear?” Then he shoved him away, and looked back at me.

He knew I was lying. He knew I wasn’t here for tea. But he wasn’t a fool, and there was no way he’d blunder forward without first discovering why I’d chosen to defend this woman. Trust me, I silently pleaded. Trust me this one time.

A scowl imprinted on his face, he jabbed a finger at La Voisin. “Last warning, woman. I hear another whisper that you’re dabbling in things you shouldn’t be, and your feet will be dangling above the fire. Understand?”

“Yes.” She gave me a long look before hurrying back into the shop.

“Meet me back at the barracks,” Fred ordered the other two men. Both drifted toward their horses, their brows furrowed and eyes full of questions. But they obeyed, and for the moment, nothing else mattered.

Fred stood stock-still, head lowered and eyes fixed on the muddy street. The muscles in his jaw were clenched tight, his hands balled up into fists. When the sound of hooves faded into the distance, he lifted his head. “You better have a good explanation for this.”

It was an effort to look him in the eye. “I need her help.”

He barked out a laugh. “Her help? Need a love potion? Your fortune read?” Taking hold of my shoulders, he shook me hard enough that my teeth rattled together. “Curses, Cécile, what’s wrong with you?”

“Let her go, Fred.”

“Piss off, Girard.” Fred shoved Chris hard, and my heart skipped at the thought that he might do worse. But it was me he was angry at. “Not only did you make a fool of me in front of my men, you forced me to ignore orders. Orders that came from the very top. Do you have any idea how much trouble I might end up in if I can’t talk my way out of this? Do you even care?”

I bit my lip, my throat burning. “I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t thought it was absolutely necessary.”

“Absolutely necessary?” His shoulders shook with silent hysterical laughter. “Absolutely necessary in this fantastical world you’ve created for yourself?”

“It isn’t a fantasy. You know that.”

“Wrong!” he shouted, flecks of spit hitting me in the face. “I know what you’ve told me. But there isn’t any proof!”