Asmodeus took a long sip from his glass, his grin widening as he looked at Colette. “Well it’s common knowledge that, petty though they are, my first inclination is to let a nice sharp knife reveal to them the error of their ways.”
Colette leveled a disproving glare at him, Marguerite nodded silently to her wine, and Marie’s eyes widened to saucers as she fussed at her skirts hems. “You mean kill them?” she asked in a quivering voice. Murdering people, especially other circus performers, didn’t quite fit into Marie’s view of how the world worked, and she wasn’t sure she liked the sound of it.
Asmodeus rested a hand on the aged wood of his work table as he leaned back against it. “Well yes, little one; in a word, kill.” Glancing back at Colette, he added, “But even I acknowledge that that might not be the answer this time. It’s not such a bad town, and I’d rather not be run out of it. ‘Sides, I’ve got something more fun in mind.”
Marguerite looked up at this remark. “More fun than violence? Why, Asmodeus, it must be some scheme you’ve hatched. Do you intend to win the acrobats’ hearts, and then get into their…”
Asmodeus nearly choked on his wine. Marguerite and Colette exchanged a smirk, while Marie, from her spot on the floor, gave them a quizzical look, unsure of what she missed and whether or not that was a bad thing. Sputtering, waving his arms frantically between fits of coughing, Asmodeus managed to growl his thoughts to them. “We need a way to keep folk out of Hirondelle, whilst simultaneously swelling our attendance.” With a glance at Marguerite, he continued, “I think it’s about time you went shopping; replenish your stores. We’re gonna need something what smells like Lucifer himself, and can be rigged with a fuse.”
A look of understanding crossed Marguerite’s features, and she gave him a sly smile. “I think I may know just what you need.”
Colette looked from one to the other, consternation written on her face. “Yes, well. I’m sure an unholy stench will be enough to clear out Jacque’s crowd, but how does that help us?”
Marie squirmed a little more than usual, thrilled to be able to contribute. “I already thought of that earlier, if you don’t mind me saying. We could retell the tale of the burning cabin! I thought Asmodeus could perform his most dazzling tricks with fire, and Alexandra could predict doom for the Hirondelle, and Marguerite could show how she rescued her animals!”
Asmodeus grinned, and knelt down next to the youth, tousling her hair as he always did. “You’ve got the right idea, but you’re missing a step. Can’t toss the whole steak to the dogs; gotta give ‘em a taste; set them to craving.”
At this bit of wisdom all the ladies looked at Asmodeus with unveiled confusion. Whose dogs? What steak? Asmodeus merely grinned all the broader at his vagueness, reached for his top hat, bounced his favorite cane off the floor of the cabin, swiped it smartly out of the air, and headed for the doors to the deck of his ship. Colette set her glass down on a low table, and stood abruptly. “Asmodeus, that doesn’t really tell us anything! Where are you off to?”
He half turned in the doorway, adjusting his goggles against the setting sun. “I’m off to find Alexandra. Tend to your acts, pull out all the stops, and don’t worry about the audience. Alexandra and I’ll handle it. You just make sure we can smell the swallows out of town, and be ready for tonight’s performance.” With a twirl of his cane, he hopped off the deck to the grass below.
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