Levi has gotten himself into quite a large amount of trouble, the true depths of which I believe as still largely hidden from view. He is far too interested in Miss Holbrook, a fact which I have known since he first laid eyes on her a few weeks prior. He has been open with me about things in the past, even going as far as to tell me that he was taking a step back from the theater—from his job. When I was a girl, Levi had worked closely with my father and with a few of the other dukes. But now he is distant, separating himself from us as if he believes he is too good for such work. And I believe she is the reason why. I believe her presence has created the split that was already slowly occurring between Leviathan and our people. Such a betrayal will surely cost him his life and, if I do not tread carefully, my own as well.

I'd tried to keep my mouth shut, to not bother him on the carriage ride back to the Ballantyne, but I had not seen him in some time and I was so anxious, knowing that there was a clock ticking and that I must secure as much information as I could from him. "Where were you the other evening, when Lucius Abaddon was allowed in my bed?"

Levi's eyes darted to me, his expression growing hard. "Did you do your job?"

"Of course, but—"

"Then why should it matter where I was?"

My heart ached, like it was suffocating, dying inside of me. "He is a frightful man and you left me with him."

He sighed. "I cannot always protect you from what you are, Rosie. Sometimes you must face reality and do what is required of you, just like the other girls."

I wrung my hands together and whispered, "I thought we were friends. I thought you cared about me."

"Did he harm you?"

I hesitated. "He was not kind or...gentle, with me."

Levi did not even glance in my direction as he said. "You were foolish to believe that he would be."

"What has happened to you? You used to care about me, used to protect me. Even when Gressil wanted me dead you stopped it. And now," I had to stop, to swallow, "now you have turned your back on me? Why? What has this girl done to make her worth so much—"

"This has nothing to do with her—"

I shook my head. "The two of you were arguing, I saw you. Please, do not deny it."

Levi swallowed and fiddled with the chain of his pocket watch. "She has nothing to do with any of this." He whispered, his voice low and calm, the first wind of a summer storm blowing through. "These are my choices."

"And what are they then? What are these choices that you are making? For whatever they are, they can lead to nothing good. Not for me."

He looked at me then, really looked at me for the first time that day. "If you had seen the things that I have, Rosie, you would not question me so."

"So it is true then. You are walking away from the cause. You are turning away from Lucius. Why? What has happened to make you change?" My throat burned and I reached for him, trying to take his hand. "He will kill you—"

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, pulling his fingers out of my reach. "My reasons are my own, Rosie. Please, for once in your life, do not push."

"But they most certainly have to do with Miss Holbrook. Does she question you? Do you ignore her worries?"

He sat forward suddenly, his expression grave. "You will not mention her name again. Not to me, or anyone else." He moved closer to me in the carriage, his eyes narrowing as he took me in. "Do you hear me, Rosalie Gressil? I shall not allow it. I don't want to hear her name on your lips ever again."

For the first time in my life, I saw Leviathan as what he is. His anger is something scary to behold, not because it is wrath like other men's, but because it is quiet. He does not raise his voice; instead he speaks evenly and firmly.

I felt about the size of a thimble.

"Do you hear me?" He breathed.

I shrank in my seat. "Yes, sir."

His brow furrowed, but his eyes did not soften. "I do not wish to upset you."

"Merely to frighten me into submission."

He laughed and leaned back in his seat, his hands braced on his thighs. "Yes, because that has worked for so many others." He said, sarcasm lacing his words.

I examined the fabric of my gown. I'd worn my prettiest dress today, creamy yellow silk with charcoal trim and thin, wispy lace panels. It was one of Levi's favorite dresses on me, he'd complimented it every time I'd ever worn in before. But not today, today he didn't seem to see me, not like he had. He was distracted by this girl, by a murderess. How very unfortunate.

I swallowed and looked at him from under my lashes. "You have never needed such things before."

"I am not frightening you."

I quirked an eyebrow and folded my hands in my lap. "Shouldn't I be the judge of whether or not I am afraid?"

"I doubt very much that you are afraid of me, Rosie. Your tongue is still too sharp."

I could not help but smile at that. "I don't mean to be insufferable."

He sighed and glanced down at his pocket watch. "No one said you were insufferable, my dear."

I smiled, the very ghost of our previous relationship, the easy banter I always cherished, seemed to hang in the air between us. But it flickered away, drown out by the memory of Lucius's hands on my body. The way he'd touched me, threatened me. Hurt me. They way he'd smiled, like a hungry wolf, when he told Chester he would be buying another hour of my time.

It was hard to look at Levi, to smile, with memories like that clinging to me. "You have distanced yourself from the cause and, by relation, me."

He pressed his lips together and I could tell I was about to get another scolding. I was grating on his patience, on his kindness.

I held up a gloved hand, still stained in places with his blood. "Do not fuss, Levi, for I have not mentioned what you instructed me not to. I am simply speaking of your personal behavior over the past few months."

"Months?"

I nodded. "Since before Christmas last. You have not been involved at the brothel since before Christmas Eve. I blamed it on the holiday, assumed you were busy with other things. But you never did return after the New Year. Rather, you have allowed the records and supervision to fall to other neph. Neph, whom I might add, are not nearly as fair as yourself."

"I am sure Arden and Chester have not overstepped."

"Chester has not, no. But Arden over-worked me and kept almost all of the money for himself."

"You live at the theater, Rosie, you have no expenses, why should it matter to you if the money is not given directly to you?"

"Because I have earned it myself, not Arden. Why should I pay for his new suit or his expensive cigars? It is my body." I sighed, "All of which is beside the point, I asked about you."

He looked out the window and ran a finger absentmindedly against a small cut on the palm of his hand. It was minute, unnoticed in the worry over the cut on his head. "There is nothing to tell."

"Why are you so distant? Does Lucius know that you have stopped organizing the girls? I can only speak of the brothels I myself have been a part of. I know not of your dealings with the other theaters or with your current associations with the gambling rings—"

He sighed and shook his head in response to my fervent questions. "Nor should you."

I reached across the carriage and took his hands in mine. "Please, be frank with me for I am simply curious as to what you are up to. I could perhaps swap a secret with you as we used to do? One of mine for one of yours?"

He pulled away from my touch and shook his head. "You ought not to meddle, Rosie. This is a dangerous game and I shall not have you as a player in it, not if I can prevent it."

It is far too late for that. I closed my eyes for an instant, suddenly feeling sick with myself. "I only want to understand. Have you switched sides? And if so, how? We are not redeemable—that is the principal rule of our kind. You are as damned as I am."

"I have not changed sides, nor am I unfaithful..." He let the words drop, his expression fogging as he considered what he might say next. After an instant he whispered, "I am only interested in staying out of things. I made a mistake and I am bound to regret it for as long as I live—but I am not bound to continue making it."

"So, it is true that you have stopped working then? You have turned your back on us?"

"I have stopped working, but I have not turned my back on you, Rosie. You are like a sister to me. I would not abandon you, surely after all of this time you must know that?"

"I do."

"Then why do you question me so? Why are you so concerned with what I am doing? It does not concern you. If it did, I would let you know. You must trust me in this."

"Will you at least be at the show tonight?"

"Yes."

"And you will monitor the men that come backstage?"

"Only as much as I can, Rosie. You have to do a job and—"

"But you do not?"

He chuckled darkly and tilted his head against the back of the bench seat. "We are not the same."

"I am not saying that we are." I told him, "Only that I am expected to do a job and to meet a quota and you are simply allowed to pretend to work. You cannot continue like this and expect people not to notice. I have."

"I am exhausted from this argument...from this day."

"You should be since this is your second argument, second fight, in a matter of hours."

"For the last time, Miss Holbrook and I—"

"Were not arguing. Yes, that much you have said." I cut in. "And, before you can criticize me, you were the one to mention her name, not I."

He groaned and changed the subject. "Is there any particular person you would like me to keep at bay?"

"Lucius scares me."

"As he should."

"Then you must keep him from coming to me."

"I cannot make promises like that, Rosie. I would, you know I would, but not with him. If he requests you—"

"You must tell him I am ill."

Something in my voice made his gaze soften. His voice was soft as he said, "He would know it was a lie."

"Perhaps if I were to tell it, but not with you. He cannot sense your lies the way he sense mine. And, what is more, he trusts you."

"I will not promise it. I can't. He is in charge, not I."

"So you would sacrifice me to prove to him that you are still working?"

"I am working." The corner of his mouth twitched.

Liar. I shook my head at him. "Then where were you the other night? What about the shows before or since? Levi you can perhaps fool Lucius Abaddon, but I know you better."

He groaned as he said, "Do not meddle."

"Tell me this then, who are those people?"

"Rosie, I instructed you not to speak of—"

I rolled my eyes. "Merritt Holbrook. Yes, I remember and I have not. Instead, I asked about the others—the two girls." I pointed, remembering, "And the man from the night we met her. Who are they? Clearly they mean something to you for your attitude a few minutes ago proved that they at least have the ability to rattle you. Something I believed nearly impossible."

The carriage was slowing. The impressive marble and plaster structure of the Ballantyne loomed before us. In all of my time working as an actress, I had never entered a theater from the front, only ever from a back entrance.

Sitting in the safety of the carriage, I allowed myself to imagine what it might feel like to climb the steps and be escorted inside by a handsome gentleman the same way other ladies were. This was a fantasy, a dream I'd had and somehow clung to since I was a child and I was first introduced to what my life would be.

Girls like myself rarely enter buildings as grand as this from the front.

Levi's words broke through my reverie. "I will protect you, Rosie. You have no reason to fear."

I turned my attention to him. I did not speak, I just leaned forward and pressed a light kiss his cheek. I wanted to believe him. I wanted him to promise to save me, to keep me away from Lucius. I wanted to tell him the truth about what I was supposed to do, what Lucius wanted from me.

Without another word, he climbed from the carriage and helped me onto the pavement below. I waited as he paid the driver and sent him on his way, and then we separated—he went up the stairs and through the front, disappearing into the glossy, crystalline interior of the theater's entryway.

I waited, just one more second, letting myself dream of what it would be like to be on his arm, to walk inside the Ballantyne as a lady, a respectable woman there to see a show with my gentleman—then I went in through the back.