“I can’t do this.” She collapsed. “They can’t know anything about me.”
“If I can escape a country that wants to hang me from a parapet, you can navigate whatever you’re running from.”
“Not even you can dress this up.”
“I wasn’t one of the greatest Vasomarian playwrights for nothing. Let me try.”
“Try what?” Chantal appeared in the doorway, and Elara wanted to crawl away to some hovel if it meant sparing her disappointment.
“Elouise needs a cover for the next round.” Blai handed over the envelope.
Even Chantal paled as she read it.
“We’ll face it together,” she said. “Let us help.”
They both stared at her, willing to do whatever it took to make this work. Without blinking, they’d taken her in, laughed with her, andtreated her as another one of Nik’s wounded birds. She wasn’t foolish. They both had something to gain from it.
“You’ll hate me,” she whispered.
“Let me be the judge of that,” Chantal shot back.
The ferocity in her eyes was enough to convince Elara that this time might be different.
“My name is Elara Rousseau.”
Chantal’s jaw went tight.
Blai shrugged. “Is that supposed to mean something?”
“Oh no,” Chantal whispered.
“What?” Blai asked.
“I just wanted a fresh start,” Elara whispered.
“I know.” Chantal’s eyes softened. “You took a big risk.”
“Someone explain,” Blai snapped again.
“My mother was a leader during the rebellion.”
Blai blinked at her once. Twice. A third time. Then they laughed and slapped their face with both hands before releasing a long string of Vasomarian that Elara could only suspect would be insulting if she understood it.
“You don’t have to work with me anymore,” she said quickly. “I can run away now, and no one else has to know.”
“Does Nik know?” Chantal asked sharply.
Elara shook her head. “No. He can never know. Please.”
“Of course he can never know!” Blai shouted. “He’s wrapped around the finger of the man your mother tried to kill! The man funding this whole charade.”
“What?”
“What he means,” Chantal said, “is Lafontaine funds Nik, and Nik serves as your Patron. If Lafontaine found out, this would all be ruined.”
Blai rubbed their temples. “What the hell are we going to do?”
“I thought you were the greatest Vasomarian playwright?” Chantal shot back.
