Chapter 18 - The Wheel Turns Again
I pounded on the machinery-room door.
"Elise!"
"I'm fine!" she shouted from inside.
That was exactly what people say when they are not fine.
Lucien tried the lock.
"Iron."
I looked at the wall.
Then I remembered Aveline laughing as she showed me the palace escape routes.
Every room has two doors, Blanche. The second one is just harder to see.
I ran back upstairs to the Wheel.
The tribunal crowd scattered as I climbed onto the disc.
"What are you doing?" Edouard demanded.
"Opening a door."
I found the groove Elise had used earlier and pressed my heel into it.
Nothing.
Then I saw three brass studs near the axle.
The queen's cipher numbers flashed in my memory.
Seven. Three. Seven.
I pressed them in that order.
The center panel of the Wheel lifted.
A narrow shaft opened beneath it.
Lucien stared. "My mother knew about this?"
"Your mother knew everything about this palace except how many enemies were eating at her table."
We climbed down.
Inside the machinery room, Henri had Elise near the control gears. He held a short knife, but his hand shook.
"Stay back!"
Elise's eyes met mine.
Calm.
Exactly as I had taught her.
The world can turn as fast as it wants. You don't move.
Henri looked at me.
"She was going to ruin us. Aveline would have destroyed the monarchy over bookkeeping."
"No," I said. "You destroyed it over bookkeeping."
He lunged toward the side passage.
Elise kicked the brake lever.
The giant gear beside him stopped dead, blocking the exit with its iron arm.
Lucien crossed the room and took the knife from Henri's hand without ceremony.
Henri sagged against the wall.
Then, from above us, came three rapid bell strikes.
May you like
The signal for fire.
Vautrin had escaped.
