Page 190 of The Mask Falling

“In such a scandalous mask?” His right hand came to my waist. “Whose invitation did you steal to get in here?”

“Marguerite Besson.”

“I am astonished they bought that. From what I hear, she’s timid as a mouse.”

I glanced toward the aisle. Ménard had vanished again. As we glided seamlessly into the Waltz of the Anchor, I drew back a little to look Cade in the face. His mask was wooden, beautifully carved to resemble a bear. It left only his eyes and a little of his chin on show.

“A bear,” I said. “Because you’re less timid, I assume.”

“Well, that,” he conceded, amused, “but it’s a little nod to my inheritance, too.” He twined his fingers with mine. Though it was warm in the cathedral, he wore leather gloves. “Fitzours. It meansson of the bear. Did you know that the name Mahoney is linked to bears, too?”

“Yes. Vaguely,” I said, after a pause. “Did you look that up?”

“Just something I know.”

We whirled deeper into the tumult of dancers. In Ireland, I had loved to dance with my cousin, but somehow, I had always gotten it wrong at my school in London. I had worked hard to convince my teacher of my grace, to no avail. Still, the steps came effortlessly now.

“It’s dangerous for you to be here, Paige,” Cade said. “Why risk coming back?”

“To do exactly what you wanted. Cut a deal with Ménard.”

“What kind of deal?”

“One he’ll like.”

“Well, he does need some good news. I assume it was you who burned down Sheol II.” When I was silent, he chuckled. “If you wanted to stir the pot, you succeeded. Weaver called Ménard the next day. I don’t know what they said to one another, but Ménard has been in a foul mood ever since, even with Luce. From the look of him, he hasn’t slept in a while.”

“Nashira is in the citadel. That might be why.”

The apple of his throat shifted. “I had no idea,” he muttered. “Now I’m worried. She might be planning to punish Ménard for Sheol II. She wouldn’t think twice about hurting Luce.”

I glanced toward the aisle, where Ménard was nowhere to be seen. “Speaking of Luce,” I said to Cade, “I haven’t seen her so far.”

“She isn’t here. Stomach bug,” he said. “Onésime stayed behind with her.”

That seemed unlike Frère. This was the greatest night of the year, the culmination of a long-awaited victory.

“I’m sure she’ll be fine,” I said, seeing the tension in his jaw. “She has the best medical care in France.”

“Yeah, I know.”

The dance was drawing to a close. As soon as the music ceased and the applause broke out, Cade walked toward the aisle with me. “Ménard is due to make a speech in about half an hour,” he said. “If you insist on talking to him, I’d do it now, or you could be waiting all night.”

“Did you see where he went?”

“Yes.”

I followed him down another dark aisle. For a moment—just a moment—it became a tunnel, flooding with water.

Onésime might be keeping his mother company, but Mylène was the soul of the party, leading several well-dressed children in a game. A minder hushed a tearstained Jean-Michel, who clutched his blanket to his cheek. All of this was unfair to them.

Mylène was the same age as the murdered Spanish princess. She had died in a place like this.

Keeping hold of my hand, Cade led me from the aisle into the heart of the cathedral—between two of its rose windows, where a platform housed an illuminated lectern—and worked his way through a thicker swathe of the crowd. Long tables were laden with food from every nation in the empire, including a range of local specialities from the regions of France. All of this to celebrate the annexation of two countries that might now face a brutal reckoning.

When Cade touched my shoulder, I looked over it to see Ménard, much closer, deep in conversation with two of his ministers. His mask was gold, unadorned except for a small anchor etched into the brow. Leaving me by a column, Cade caught his attention and subtly nodded toward me.

Ménard raised his chin. He took his leave of the ministers and spoke to a suited woman behind him—one of his bodyguards, I assumed—before he walked back toward the front doors, Cade in his wake. I shadowed them.

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