The next day arrived with the kind of aggressive haste that made me wonder if time itself had gotten impatient and decided to skip a few hours just to mess with my already frayed nerves, like the universe had looked at my carefully constructed schedule and said "you know what would be funny?" before hitting the fast-forward button with malicious glee.
When evening finally rolled around—dragging my anxiety and excitement along with it like unwanted party guests—the renovations Llyod had orchestrated were complete, transforming our ramshackle theater into something that looked almost respectable.
The lobby practically glowed now, the plush red carpet no longer threadbare in suspicious patches, the dark oak walls polished until they threw back reflections, and those pale yellow stars hanging from the ceiling had been repositioned to create actual constellations rather than the previous "someone sneezed while hanging decorations" aesthetic.
The artificial moonlight streaming through the windows—still as impossible and beautiful as ever—painted everything in shades of silver-blue that made the whole space feel like stepping into a dream someone had trapped in architecture.
Guests began flooding into the lobby like water rushing through a broken dam, their voices rising in a cacophony of excitement, curiosity, and that particular brand of noble judgment that suggested they were cataloging every detail to gossip about later.
Julius had planted himself at the front door with all the determination of a man defending his castle from foreign invaders, except instead of repelling them he was greeting each arrival with theatrical bows and elaborate hand gestures that likely violated several laws of physics.
I watched from my position near the concession stand—currently manned by one of Atticus and Dregan’s crew, a stocky fellow who looked deeply uncomfortable in the formal vest we’d forced him into—as nobles, wealthy merchants, and even a few adventurous middle-class folk stepped through the threshold and immediately stopped, their eyes going wide with wonder as they took in the lobby’s impossible beauty.
The fake stars twinkled overhead with choreographed precision, the moonlight seemed to shift and breathe as though alive, and the whole space radiated an elegance that absolutely shouldn’t have existed this deep in the slums.
"Absolutely stunning," a noblewoman in emerald silk breathed, her hand pressed to her chest as if she were trying to physically contain her reaction. "Julius, darling, you’ve outdone yourself! When you said you were running a theater I expected... well, certainly not this!" She gestured around with her fan, the motion encompassing the entire lobby in a sweep of painted silk.
Julius blushed—actually blushed, his cheeks going pink in a way that made him look about fifteen years younger and significantly more adorable than a grown man had any right to be.
"You’re too kind," he stammered, his usual theatrical confidence momentarily derailed by genuine emotion. "I simply wanted to create a space where beauty could exist despite our circumstances, where art might flourish even in—"
I snickered. The sound escaped before I could clamp down on it, and several heads turned in my direction with varying expressions.
Some of the nobles looked at me with cautious fear—recognition flickering behind their eyes as they placed my face from either firsthand experience or stories they’d heard about "that brat who destroyed Elvina’s entire existence in the most public way possible."
Others regarded me with something approaching respect, nods of acknowledgment that suggested they appreciated the spectacle even if they found it horrifying.
A few simply looked confused, clearly trying to figure out why someone dressed in a relatively modest black dress was standing in a theater lobby looking like they owned the place despite being property themselves.
I gave them all a little wave—fingers wiggling in that deliberately cute way that either charmed people or made them deeply uncomfortable—then quietly slipped through the crowd with practiced ease, my small frame allowing me to navigate between bodies without drawing too much additional attention.
The main theater beckoned, and I had things to check on before this whole elaborate scheme either succeeded spectacularly or collapsed into disaster, because those really were the only two options and I refused to acknowledge any middle ground.
I pushed through the doors into the theater proper and immediately headed backstage, my boots clicking against the wooden boards as entered behind the curtains.
Brutus stood near the back corner of the room as he watched Hodor and Orion with the intensity of someone who absolutely wouldn’t hesitate to break bones if either of them got ideas about escaping.
Willow was running through last-minute drills with the prisoners, explaining—for probably the fifteenth time—that yes, they would actually be fighting to the death, no, it wasn’t a metaphor, and yes, we were all completely serious about this arrangement.
Llyod leaned against the far wall with his arms crossed, his brown hair swept to one side in that effortless elegance, watching the proceedings with an expression caught between professional assessment and mild amusement.
Outside the theater, Grisha was coordinating with Nara’s security bunnies while Nara herself was manning the ticket stand in the lobby, her bunny suit probably causing several heart palpitations among the arriving guests.
I made a mental note to check on her later because leaving Nara unsupervised around wealthy people felt like tempting fate.
I nodded with determination, opening my mouth to address the assembled chaos when rummaging sounds erupted from somewhere to my right—frantic, enthusiastic, accompanied by what sounded like someone knocking over a prop bucket.
Before I could investigate, a figure launched itself at me with the aerodynamic efficiency of a very determined projectile, and suddenly I had an armful of Felix, adorable as ever and dressed in what could only be described as a clown costume.
Full costume. Rainbow ruffles, oversized polka-dot pants, a tiny hat perched at a jaunty angle on his blonde curls, and face paint that someone—probably Willow based on the artistic competence—had applied with careful attention to making him look both silly and somehow still heartbreakingly cute.
I burst out laughing—full-bodied, shoulder-shaking laughter that made my ribs protest and my eyes water.
"Felix!" I gasped between giggles, holding him at arm’s length to get a better look. "You look like someone’s fever dream about circus performers! What— why—who approved this costume?!" I tugged at one of the rainbow ruffles, which honked when squeezed because of course it did. "You’re supposed to be backstage support, not the main attraction!"
Felix’s face split into a bright smile, squeezing me tighter in response, his frame practically vibrating with excitement.
No words—he never used many words, preferred to communicate through action, expression, and the occasional perfectly timed gesture—but the joy radiating from him was palpable enough to make my chest ache with affection.
I ruffled his hair, careful not to dislodge the tiny hat, and adopted my best stern expression despite the smile I couldn’t quite suppress.
"You’re lucky you’re adorable," I said with mock severity, booping his nose and making the face paint smudge slightly. "Otherwise I’d have to fire you for costume violations. Very serious business, costume violations. People have lost entire careers over less egregious fashion crimes." Felix giggled—a sound like bells wrapped in silk—and I felt my stern facade crumble completely. "Alright, alright, you win. Keep the clown costume. But if anyone asks, you dressed yourself and I had nothing to do with it."
I straightened, addressing the assembled crew with renewed focus. "Listen up, everyone! The guests have started arriving, which means we’re officially on a timer. Finish up whatever you’re doing—Willow, make sure the prisoners understand their marks; Brutus, keep being intimidating; Llyod, I need you to verify the stage mechanisms one more time because if someone dies from faulty equipment before they can die dramatically in combat, I’m going to be very annoyed."
I paused, scanning their faces. "This is it. Everything we’ve worked for, all the chaos, planning, and slightly illegal activities—it all comes down to whether we can pull off this insane spectacle. So let’s make it count."
They nodded in unison, a synchronized movement that would’ve been impressive if it weren’t slightly unnerving, and immediately returned to their tasks with renewed intensity.
Felix gave me one final squeeze before bouncing off to help Willow with prop organization, his rainbow ruffles making soft honking sounds with every step.
I exited from backstage and made my way back through the theater’s main hall, taking in the rows of seats that were rapidly filling with bodies, the air thick with anticipation, expensive perfume, and that particular energy that always preceded something significant.
Julius stood near the front row, and when he spotted me he immediately gestured with an elaborate bow and flourish toward a single empty seat positioned between a cluster of nobles who looked important based on the quality of their jewelry and the smugness of their expressions.
I waved my hands frantically, already seeing where this was going. "Absolutely not," I said, my voice firm despite the smile tugging at my lips. "You’re taking that seat, Julius. This is your theater, your—"
"It was your
I paused, weighing my options, then sighed with theatrical resignation and formulated a compromise that would probably cause problems but felt absolutely worth it in the moment. "Fine. We’ll do this another way." I pointed at the seat with commanding authority. "Sit."
Julius started to protest, his mouth opening with what was probably going to be a very eloquent argument about propriety and guests of honor, but I fixed him with a glare that I’d perfected over weeks of dealing with people who thought they could argue with me—the kind of look that suggested continued resistance would result in consequences both immediate and profoundly creative.
He sat.
And the moment his body settled into the plush velvet, I plopped myself directly into his lap with the casual confidence of someone who’d stopped caring about conventional seating arrangements somewhere around the third near-death experience.
Julius let out a squeak—an actual, honest-to-gods squeak that made several nearby nobles turn to stare—his face erupting into a shade of red so vivid it could have been used as a warning signal for ships.
His arms flailed in the air for a moment, clearly unsure where to put them, what to do with his hands, how to exist in this suddenly very complicated situation, and I glanced over my shoulder with a teasing grin that made his blush deepen further.
"Comfortable?" I asked sweetly, settling back against his chest and feeling his heart hammering through the layers of fabric between us.
"I—you—this is—" Julius stammered, his usual eloquence completely destroyed, before his hands hesitantly came to rest in my lap, fingers trembling slightly against the fabric of my dress. "You’re terrible," he finally managed, though his tone carried more affection than actual complaint.
I tilted my head back to look at him properly, my expression softening just slightly. "Are you certain about this?" I asked quietly, my voice pitched low enough that only he could hear. "About all of this?"
Julius’s brow furrowed with confusion. "What do you mean?"
I gestured vaguely at the theater around us, at the crowd, at the absurd situation we’d constructed. "You used to be so innocent when we first met," I said with gentle teasing. "All wide-eyed optimism and genuine belief in the goodness of people. Look at you now—running a theater that features death matches, harboring criminals in your basement, consorting with succubi, orcs, and various other disasters. What happened to that sweet nobleman who blushed at mild innuendo?"
Julius chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest and vibrating against my back. When he spoke his voice carried a wisdom I hadn’t quite heard from him before.
"That nobleman," he said with a small smile, "learned that innocence without experience is just ignorance wearing a prettier mask. I’d rather be corrupted by beautiful chaos than preserved in naive purity." He squeezed my hands gently. "Besides, you’re the one who taught me that surviving this city requires being willing to do terrible things for good reasons. I’m just following your example."
I opened my mouth to respond—probably with something snarky and deflective because genuine emotion always made me uncomfortable—but before I could form words, the lights began to dim.
The conversations around us hushed into expectant silence as shadows crept across the theater, swallowing the audience in gradual darkness until only the stage remained illuminated by that impossible artificial moonlight. The seats had filled completely while we’d been talking, every single space occupied by bodies leaning forward with anticipation.
The show was about to begin.
And gods help us all, I had absolutely no idea if we were about to witness triumph or spectacular disaster.
Probably both, knowing my luck.
But either way, it was going to be memorable.