27

They followed it, stumbling past the abandoned Collector in the dark, past the entrance to the forbidden room, past the door to the Little Theater. Del flew in rapid, excited circles before the Grand Theatre des Illusions, darting again and again at the door.

Rose reached the door before Tom.

Another gigantic wingbeat rattled the entire back of the house. Tom heard the case in the living room toppling over, breaking the glass doors and splintering the wood. Inside it, the porcelain figures would be smashed and crumbled into each other.

'What is that outside?' Rose asked.

'An owl. Another messenger.'

'It's not him?'

'No. It means someone is going to die,' Tom said. 'It means someone should have died already. The performance was supposed to end a little while after they… ' He almost swooned, remembering precisely how Collins had held the glowing nails and used them to rape his hands. 'Stay out here,' he said.

'I'm coming with you,' she said, and pushed open the door. She took two steps in and halted.

The sparrow sailed inside, into light and noise. A crowd filled the seats.