Chapter 17
I found a seat next to Sylvain, whom Tienne abandoned once Auberon insisted she sit with him in the better seats towards the front of the room.
“Can you smell it?” my brother asked furtively.
“What?” I whispered. Luckily or wisely, Sylvain chose seats to the side of where the stage was set up, so there was no one next to me and a vacant chair next to Sylvain.
“The sickness,” he answered, annoyed. “Therese’s performers.”
I jerked my head to the stage and watched as the silk curtains Therese used for all her theatrics parted and several female performers emerged dressed ironically and morbidly as peacocks. There was a gray pall to them, but I was unsure if it was their makeup, the lighting, my unfortunate view, or the illness.
“Therese wouldn’t risk bringing disease to court
