itself seemed to lend a certain magic, as if the audience was really peering into a faraway forest. The glass ceiling, while of course highly unusual for a theater, actually added to the ambiance, creating the sense that the viewer was outside with stars twinkling overhead. James Roth was spectacular, Grayson Riggs was as hilarious as he always was, and Lady Gwendivere played the part of the evil Pelagan to absolute perfection.
Errol made his debut about halfway through the first act, when the net was lowered from the ceiling and he was scooped up inside it. His scales flashed jade, copper, scarlet, peach, as he wriggled and struggled, while the audience oohed and aahed at the colors, and Leo’s entire opinion of the play soured. He caught sight of Agnes, seated on their father’s other side, a half-horrified, half-awed expression on her face, and he remembered she had never actually seen Errol, only that murky photograph.
As Lady Gwendivere cackled and explained to the audience how she planned to keep the mertag all for herself so that the pond by her house would never run dry and she would never go hungry, Leo found his attention wandering to Sera. Was she still in that awful crate, or had they moved her somewhere else to make space backstage? He wondered if she was as nervous as he was right now.
He pressed his palm against the pocket of his tuxedo pants for the millionth time that evening, feeling the comforting prick of the star pendant through the fabric. He and Agnes had agreed to bring only what was absolutely necessary, and even then only what they could carry without alerting their father. Leo was willing to bet the four thousand krogers he had stashed away in various places—the inner pockets of his tuxedo jacket, the toes of his shoes, tucked beneath the waistband of his underwear—that Agnes was bringing the photograph of their mother. Leo didn’t own anything of sentimental value, but he had promised to return the necklace to Sera and he would be damned if he broke that promise.
He had left his favorite pair of cuff links on the vanity in his room for Janderson. With them was a note that simply read, Thanks for putting up with me. He felt the man had earned them.
The first act ended with James setting sail for Pelago to free Errol and Boris from the clutches of Lady Gwendivere and bring them back to Kaolin to save his farm and end the famine destroying the country. The curtain closed and the audience erupted in applause. Xavier stroked the point of his beard and did not clap. He never clapped for his own productions. Leo used to think it a sign of strength and power. Now he just thought it made his father look like an asshole.
The lights came up and Agnes seemed pale and sweaty, like she might throw up. She had to keep up appearances better, Leo thought. If Xavier began to suspect anything, they were screwed. Fortunately, their father didn’t even glance at her as the mayor and his wife, sitting in the booth behind them, had leaned forward to offer congratulations.
“My god, that fish creature was something else, Xavier. I thought Arabella was going to faint.”
“But that tree is absolutely lovely. And the garden—I’ve never seen flowers like those before!”
“I beg your pardon, Father,” Leo said. “But Kiernan told me to check on the creatures at intermission, just to be sure everything was going smoothly.”
Xavier’s eyes glossed over Leo, and began moving toward the throngs below waiting to congratulate him. “Yes, of course,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. Leo shot Agnes a hard look and she stood.
“I’m going to get a refreshment,” she said in a stilted voice. Their father gave no sign that he had heard her—he had already turned back to the mayor. She and Leo made it down to the lobby and he gripped her elbow.
“Get it together,” he hissed. “You look like you’re going to faint.”
“Father knows I’ve been to the Seaport,” she said.
“What?”
“He told me before the show started. Threatened me, really.” She tugged at her dress. “Guess he’s going to be disappointed on that score.”
“Does he know about us working together?”
She shook her head. “He thinks I’m trying to flee my engagement and run off to Pelago.” Her face turned sad. “Poor Errol,” she murmured. “In that net . . . and Boris is so lovely. They’re real, Leo. They’re marvelous