Page 27 of Angel's Fall

“You make it sound stupid when you put it that way,” Raoul grumbled.

“That’s because it was.”

“Having the keys gave me confidence,” the young man huffed, reminding Shaya all too much of Ramin as a schoolboy when Shaya had been the one to catch him trying to sneak out of lessons to attend a fair.

“You’re lucky you only found me,” Shaya reprimanded.

“He wouldn’t kill me. Christine would not allow it.”

“And you truly believe this woman has the capacity to control him or keep him at bay while you two – what? Play with your hearts the way children play with balls? While you also try to uncover his secret?”

“Christine is an innocent victim here,” Raoul repeated for what had to be the third time that morning. Shaya wanted very much to protest, but it would do no good right now to tell the boy how wrong he was.

“Of course,” Shaya settled on saying.

“Now that you are willing to help, we can find the fiend!” Raoul went on, fire in his face.

“When will you hear me, Monsieur? It’s not that easy,” Shaya sighed. “I’ve been watching Erik for years, trying to find a way to draw him out in the open someplace he’s vulnerable.”

“You said you have some hope now of a way in” Raoul pushed back, still caught on the confession Shaya had made of the hidden door he’d seen Erik enter in the third cellar, part of a set forLe Roi de Lahore. “We have to go there!”

“And fall right into one of his traps?” Shaya laughed back. “No, it’s too dangerous.”

“So you’re a coward then?” the Vicomte scoffed, lightly pounding on the table between them so that the empty coffee cups clattered.

“Do not mistake me, boy. I have seen horrors that you could not dream, all created by Erik’s hands. I have seen men driven out of their minds by his inventions. I’ve seen him kill in the blink of an eye.” He watched as the Vicomte’s ruddy complexion became ashen. “I watched that monster corrupt and destroy my own brother. I waited years for justice, because I knew if he killed me, there would be no one left to hold him in check. Do not presume to lecturemeon cowardice.”

“I’m sorry,” Raoul muttered, avoiding Shaya’s eyes. “That must mean you understand how much I need to save Christine and destroy him. I just want to do something!”

“We need to find a time when we know he’s distracted by your little songbird,” Shaya countered. “Do you think she would tell you when they have these lessons of theirs?”

“I believe so. Then you’ll show me what you can, down there?”

“I’ll try, but you must listen to my every instruction. You’re a naval man, aren’t you? I will be your captain and I will expect complete obedience, for the sake of your very life.” Shaya watched as a muscle twitched in the boy’s jaw.

“Yes, Monsieur.”

“One thing I will tell you now, if you are stupid enough to go back down into his domain alone again: keep your hand at the level of your eye.”

“Is this some Eastern superstition?” the boy scoffed, and Shaya fought the urge to box his ears.

“Did you hear nothing I told you of his executions in Persia?” Shaya snapped. “The Punjab Lasso can kill you before you even know it’s coming. It’s a whip, it goes around your neck and garrotes youunless you stop it with your hand.”

“Oh,” Raoul said. Shaya wondered how Erik hadn’t killed this fool already. “I’ll remember.”

“Do try. Now, I think you’re late for an appointment.” The boy jumped and pulled out his (impressively golden) pocket watch and swore softly. “Will you be escorting Daaé home?”

“If she lets me, but I guess if she goes off to him...” The boy looked so young and unsure all of a sudden. Shaya very much didn’t want to tell the poor, besotted fool that Daaé had snuck from her flat the night before after Raoul had left her there.

“Let her. It’s best. Then find me and we’ll begin.” Raoul nodded and turned to the exit before looking back at Shaya.

“You think she’s safe? That he won’t hurt her?” Raoul asked with genuine fear in his voice. “Everything you’ve told me... I fear for her even more now.”

“He won’t hurt the thing he wants to keep and control. You and I are in far more danger if that makes you feel better.”

“It doesn’t. Goodbye.”

Shaya watched the handsome young noble leave the café. Once again, the memory of Ramin surged into his mind. Shaya’s brother had been older than this green boy when Erik’s evil cut his life off, but he’d had the same headstrong determination. Ramin had also thought the one he was so infatuated with had a chance of being saved, like Raoul did with Daaé. Ramin had been wrong, but Shaya found himself hoping that Raoul was not. If there was hope for Daaé to be torn from Erik’s clutches, there was hope that he could make Erik suffer all the more.

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