Page 55 of Angel's Fall

“They may discussLohengrintoday, after the musical run-through,” Erik said by way of small talk as they came to the stable exit. They were being careful today, in light of everything.

“Oh. That. I hope not,” Christine muttered. “I don’t think they will. Don’t they wait until March for new casting and such?”

“It’s been March for several days. I think,” Erik replied, concerned first by her hesitancy and then more so by the crestfallen look on her face.

“It has?”

“Are you still unsure about the role?” Erik pushed back.

“Yes, but I don’t think it will matter. Couldn’t you convince them to doRoméo et Juliette? I could die again in a part that suits me better.” Christine sighed as Erik stared. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be ungrateful, but... Never mind.”

“What’s wrong? Do you not want it?” He wasn’t even sure what he was talking about – the role or everything they had built.

“I don’t know what I want,” Christine whispered. “I just want to rest.”

“It will be better when he’s gone. Only a few more days.”

“What if it’s not? What happens when there’s some other patron or rival or...” She bit her lips and shook her head.

“We’ll face it,” Erik offered, even as his panic was rising.

“Together?” Christine added. “Were you going to say that? Or will I just be your mask or your soldier again while you wait in the shadows?”

“Where else would I go?” Erik heard himself snap back in horror. “Theywon’t have me in the sun.”

“Theyaren’t the ones who decided that,” Christine snapped, and Erik wondered when this had become a quarrel.

“It will be better when he is gone,” Erik repeated like a spell. Christine frowned but nodded. “We can talk more later.”

Christine said no more as she turned and stepped into the milky light of afternoon where Erik could not – or would not – follow. Did her eyes sting when she stepped out into the cloudy day?

Erik took his customary path back down through the dark. The feeling of someone intruding into his realm was absent today. No one had disturbed any of the traps or triggers near the lake, but how did it fare above? He had no idea how Richard had reacted to the loss of the money from his pocket. That was worth investigating.

The passages and halls were more claustrophobic than ever today. The journey to the managers’ office was so long, even for a shadow and a ghost. Once there, Erik crouched under his trap door and waited for someone to speak, muscles cramping and lungs full of dust as a rat scurried by.

He hated this.

Erik hated being locked below the feet of the living like a corpse in a grave. A worm in the dirt. He hated listening and haunting and watching when it was so easy for everyone to justdothings. He was trapped and, damn it, it wastheirfault, not his. He had not chosen his face, nor the evils mankind had inflicted on him. He was not to be blamed for wanting some goddamn peace. He had spent six years chasing it, alone in the dark! Now he had her, and here he was, hiding in the grimy blackness still.

“I can’t believe you did it!” Erik jumped, nearly cracking his skull as the door above burst open and Armand Moncharmin began yelling. “You went behind my back and contacted that woman, and now everyone is talking about it!”

“Sophie Cruvelli is one of the foremost sopranos on the continent, and her agreement to sing some ofLohengrinin concert is just a trial,” Richard replied without missing a beat, his voice measured and calm, filling Erik with fury.

“We agreed Daaé would sing it!” Moncharmin bellowed on Erik’s behalf.

“There are other singers in the world, including ones who are mature enough to handle such a part,” Richard drawled. “Daaé will get there eventually, but I thought you and your ghost wouldn’t mind me saving her voice and her reputation.”

“So now you believe?” Moncharmin said.

“I have always known that there was someone in this Opera making trouble,” Richard answered, and Erik’s anger grew. “Some charlatan who hides away and steals from honest men. Who kills and threatens to keep his favorite on the stage, as if an opera someone will forget the next morning is worth murder and extortion.”

“And you wish to provoke such a person?” Moncharmin scoffed. “Are you mad?”

“I simply do not care anymore and have decided to make this creature’s life – or afterlife – as miserable as I can. I’m returning the favor he has done for me and so many others.” Richard sounded positively gleeful.How dare he...

“There will be consequences for this,” Moncharmin warned, speaking for Erik once again.

“What can he do? Killme?” Richard laughed again. “I’m not some stagehand. Imatter. He won’t touch me or any of my allies unless he wants all the commissaries in Paris swarming this place. If he’s found, he’ll be lucky if the chorus kills him before he’s thrown in prison. Now, he just gets to suffer until he makes a mistake. Or another mistake. There have been so many—”

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