Chapter 34
Marc led us through the door, where we stood in a long, narrow hall that ran perpendicular to the inner depths of the concert hall.
All was quiet and dark, as there were no windows and the only light source was gas lamps that hung from hooks on the walls.
The wallpaper stretched over the clapboard walls had long ago peeled away in strips, revealing the weathered wood.
The floor was once covered in fine linoleum, but many of the squares had chipped or been broken, leading to a patchwork quilt.
All in all, the area behind the curtain was rather dreary.
“What did you think of the concert?” he inquired.
I perked up at his question and bobbed my head. “It was great. I haven’t been to one that big in years, and she sang so beautifully.”
My stomach shifted. “Boring.”
I smiled down at the slight bump in my coat. “You didn’t complain during the concert.”
“I didn’t want to ruin the howling for everyone else.”
I patted the bump. “I still thought it was wonderful.”
“Sing a song for me,” Marc requested.
The wish was so sudden that I stopped dead in my tracks and blinked at his back as he continued a few steps. “Come again?”
He half-turned to me with a smile on his lips. “I happen to think your singing voice is much better than hers. Sing a song to me and prove it.”
I snorted. “But I kind of cheat, don’t I? I mean, there’s magic in my voice.”
He strode back to me and clasped my upper arms. “There would be magic in your voice even if you didn’t gather the elements around you. Now sing for me.”
A heavy blush accented my cheeks. “Here?”
“You’re right.” He grabbed my hand and turned us down a hall to the left that led to the back of the stage. “You need better scenery than these plain back corridors.”
“But should we really be doing this?” I asked him as we hurried up a short flight of stairs and onto the stage.
“Why not?” he countered as we strode to center stage.
I paused on the threshold and looked out at the empty seats.
My mind conjured up a million memories of me singing in that dingy bar.
The concert hall was a lot more glamorous, but the bar had always been packed on the nights I sang.
Now it was like looking out on a desert where once there’d been a forest.
It made me miss my insignificant life.
Marc stood by my side, and he leaned forward to catch my eye. “What will you sing for me?”
I shrugged. “I’m not really sure.”
His eyes flicked between the empty house and me. He slipped in front of me and promptly plopped himself down on the very edge of the stage. “Well? Your eager audience awaits.”
A laugh forced itself out of my mouth. “Is the audience sure he doesn’t have any requests?”
“Just to hear you sing, but be careful not to let your disguise drop.”
I took a deep breath and let it out. “Alright. Here goes.”
I closed my eyes, opened my mouth, and my song floated out.
The acoustics in the hall were fantastic, much better than those in any bar I’d ever sang in.
My voice echoed off the walls and created enough reverbs to mimic a choir.
My magic came out, as well, as the chairs vibrated with the sound, and dust floated out from the floor between the seats to dance beneath the lights like twinkling stars.
I was interrupted by the sudden joining of someone’s lips against mine. My eyes shot open, and I found myself staring into Marc’s face. He wrapped his arms around me and drew me into a deeper kiss.
My singing had left me with very little air as I was. I pressed my palms against his chest and separated us. My breaths came out quick and shallow, and my body felt on fire.
I blinked up at him. “W-what was that for?”
He nodded at the auditorium, where a few mists of dust still floated about. “I didn’t want anyone to notice your magic.”
My heart fell a little. “Oh. I guess that is a good idea.”
Marc leaned back and grinned. “And I wanted to remind myself what you tasted like.”
A heavy blush warmed my cheeks, and I turned my face away. My eyes fell on where we had entered the stage, and I sighed. “I guess we should go see Miss Dolios. We might be keeping her waiting.”
“That might not be a bad lesson for her,” he mused, though he stepped back and took my hand. “But let’s go see what she’s up to.”
“Is someone out there?” The voice came from the wings, and Theo soon stepped into view. His gaze fell on us, and his eyebrows crashed down. “Who are you?” he snapped as he stalked toward us. “What are you doing on Miss Dolios’s stage?”
Marc lifted a corner of the handkerchief tied around his throat. “You invited us, remember?”
Theo jerked to a stop, and his eyes widened. “Master Marc! Miss Larkin! I’m glad to see you’re still here. I’d begun to suspect you had stood me up. Miss Dolios is most anxious to meet you. If you will come this way.”
We returned to the dingy hall and continued down its broken tiles. An exit door stood on our right, but we passed that and neared the rear of the building. Doors on the left led into small rooms with mirrors of various sizes, no doubt for the vanity of their performers.
A door at the end of the hall was flung open, and a man in a heavy overcoat stumbled out. He was about Eldric’s age and wore a pair of thick spectacles. The fellow caught himself before he fell, only to be struck by a large black bag. The contents spilled out onto the floor.
A sharp voice shot out of the doorway and could have speared the wall if it had taken solid form. “What do you know about my throat! About anyone’s throat!” The door slammed before a reply could be given.
“Only everything. . .” the man muttered as he knelt and began cleaning up the mess.
I hurried over and stooped in front of him, where I picked up a few unbroken glass vials. “Are you alright?”
He smiled at me. “Quite alright, my dear.”
“Let me help you.”
“That would be very kind of you.”
Theo and Marc came up behind us, and our guide’s lips were tightly pursed. “We can’t keep Miss Dolios waiting, Miss Larkin.”
“Oh, yes, we can,” Ramaro quipped.
Theo blinked at me. “Pardon?”
“I was just saying this won’t take more than a second,” I rephrased as I plucked the contents off the floor.
Marc stooped, and the three of us had most of the items picked up before a shadow stretched across the floor and over me.
I felt a cold chill run through me and looked up to find Iris Dolios standing in the now-open doorway.
She was attired in a bathrobe, but a gaudy dress stuck out through the two front sides of the robe like a wart.
Her dress was covered in thick color lines of bright browns, puke greens, and even a mix of dark oranges and bright yellow.
It was enough for anyone to feel nauseous just looking at it.
Dolios stamped her foot. “You let him lie there! That fool just tried to scrape everything out of my throat, including my beautiful voice!”
The man picked up his tools of his trade and lifted his chin. “I did nothing of the kind, Miss Dolios, but I can assure you I will do nothing more for you. Good day.” He spun on his heels and marched up the hall, where he disappeared through a side exit.
Dolios scowled at where he had gone before she whipped her head around to Theo. “Find me another throat specialist at once!”
Theo bobbed his head. “Of course, Miss Dolios, but I have brought my friends to visit you. You remember, I told you about this young woman who had a very nice voice.”
Dolios’ sharp eyes fell on me, and she looked me over like I was a one-dish meal when she was expecting three. “Is she? She’s rather small.”
“Impressive, isn’t it?” Marc spoke up as he smiled at me. “She doesn’t need any fat to let that voice work its magic.”
Our hostess closed her robe and narrowed her eyes at him. “What do you mean by that?”
Marc grinned. “Only that I remember you were rather pudgy when we were younger, and I was wondering if that was still true.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “When we were younger? Do I know you?”
Marc’s left eye glowed, and his disguise collapsed. “It’s been a while, Iris.”
Dolios’ mouth dropped open, and she stumbled back. “Marc! What in all the seas are you doing here?”
He clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Showing off this singer. I haven’t heard anyone this good since you sang along the coast.”
She straightened and wrinkled her nose. “That was a long time ago, and coasts don’t pay the bills.” She paused and looked him over. “Who takes care of your skin? You look like you’ve hardly aged a day in ten years.”
“I let the sun take care of it.”
She scoffed before she half-turned to the interior of her dressing room. “I’m sure. Now, come in and let me hear this voice.”