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noramoya · 5 years ago

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#ThrillerLiveCloses #ApprovedByMJon2009

“Right now our world has been turned upside down, with a pandemic that is changing our way of life. It is affecting us all, financially, emotionally and socially. For me it has resulted in THRILLER LIVE closing prematurely (and permanently) in the West End, as all theatres around the country have been shut, in the public’s best interest. Myself and the rest of the team totally understand and respect that we must all practice social distancing, working together to beat this virus. But yesterday was a very sad day as I joined the cast, crew and other creatives at the Lyric Theatre for one last time. We wanted to come together to say goodbye to each other at the theatre that had become our home for the past 11-years. Ironically we were just two more performances away from becoming the 11th longest ever running show in the West End. Still to be 12th, and the longest ever running show at the Lyric Theatre is an incredible achievement. Another thing the coronavirus has shown us is that we never know what is around the corner and we shouldn’t take what we have for granted. Through hard times, we get to see what matters most and what we really need to value.

One of our cast members said that leaving the Lyric Theatre was like losing a loving partner. And that is partly true, in that sometimes you don’t appreciate what you have until it is gone. But I am sure that each and every one of the Thriller Live cast and crew will go on to great new ventures, just as previous associates have. It’s been an INCREDIBLE journey which has formed great friendships, partnerships and even relationships with babies to boot! For me it seems that things have gone full circle. For it was 30 years ago today (20th March 1990) when I first met the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, and he inspired me to see a world of endless possibilities. He showed me humility, kindness and a laughter like I’d never heard before.

We were at Record One Studios where he was free and at his creative best, producing the ‘Dangerous’ album. Watching a genius at work, who since the age of 5 had been perfecting his craft to become the world’s greatest ever entertainer was a true privilege. And then came an invitation to lunch at Neverland. That was the most memorable weekend ever. I’d never seen a landscape and home so beautiful. A place where Michael could dream peacefully, and one could lose themselves in magical abandonment. Which I did playing on the arcades, riding on the funfair and watching movies in the theatre. Just before I left, as I walked out the oak door, Michael said come back anytime. And I did, at least once a year - return to Neverland, as did many lucky fans, and various charitable organisations that Michael opened his doors for, because he loved to give, help and see others happy. That was the Michael Jackson I knew - a humble, innocent soul, who also happened to be one of the greatest artists of all time. There are many, many other stories that I have shared over the years, and fans and friends will know. Each one of them still as colourful in my mind now as it was when I first lived them. I thank Michael for those memories, and even though he is gone, it has never felt like a goodbye.

From all of us at “Thriller Live”, we want to Thank everyone who came to see the Show in the West End. We are Grateful that we could keep Michael’s Legacy and Music alive through the production and cá look forward to continuing touring the world in years to come. Now here follows a long, long list of thanks to just a few of the many people who made the show possible in the West End. There has been literally hundreds of people involved on and off the stage, so apologies that I can’t list everyone, but each of you are just as important in making this show a special part of West End history ! Producers Paul Walden & Derek Nicol, Mark Strange – General Manager, Ginette Sinnott – Head of Marketing, and everyone else at Flying Music (past and present) – thank you for believing in the show and all you have done to make it a worldwide success.

•Gary Lloyd our amazing Director & Choreographer. I could write a book about his character and talent, so please go read his own ! John Maher our meticulous Musical Director extraordinaire. • Every single band member past and present including Damien Cooper, Oliver Latka, Ryan Alex Farmery, Adam Kovacs and Mike Bradley - the greatest compliment you can pay these guys, is that some audience members still ask if the show is ‘live’. Yes! Applause when screen goes back and our musicians are revealed ! • Yasmin Yazdi, Jo Dyce, Rose Wild and Aisling Duffy – our fierce Resident Directors and Assistant Choreographers whom over the years have put hundreds of cast members through their paces. • Sharon Speirs and Caroline Stroud, our two long running and outstanding Company Managers over the past 11-years. And thank you to others who stepped in. • Nigel Catmur – Lighting Designer, Chris Whybrow – Sound Designer, Jonathan Park – Set Designer, Rob Jones and Catherine Teatum – Costume Designers – thank you for making this show look and sound so great ! • Our hard-working crew – Dawn Harvey, Paul Bond, Glenn Jenkins, Sophie Kemp, Kelvin White, Bill Dimeo, Matthew Giles, Alice Johson, Sara Markwick, Gemma Tucker, Melissa Cooke, Karli Can Heerden, Inca Jaackson, Rosie Woods and Jo Conlon – thank you for being there every day and making the show possible. • Not forgetting dozens of former crew members from Becky Potts and Jessica Plews to Craig and Kate Garratt and many, many more. • A big shout out to Haydon Eshun and John Moabi, our longest running West End cast members. These two guys are stage legends, whose performances did Michael proud every single night. • Respect to Kevin Wilson PR for keeping our name up in lights and doing it always with the utmost enthusiasm. • Thank you to Debbie O'Brien Casting – the talent we have seen over the years has been incredible including Zoe Birkett, Hayley Evetts, Maria Lawson, Samantha Johnson Carter, Cleopatra Madonna, Britt Quentin, Alex Buchanan, Jerome Singer, Trenyce Cobbins, David Jordan, MiG Ayesa and so many more outstanding vocalists ! • We have also been blessed with hundreds of amazing dancers since 2006 and through to the end of this West End run. They, with the singers and musicians are the life blood of the show, which relies, not on massive production, but pure heart and soul to deliver the energy, authenticity and chemistry that was part of Michael Jackson. • Thank you Nica Burns at Nimax for giving us a home for 11-years, and all the staff at the Lyric Theatre for looking after us, and over 2 million audience members throughout the years. • Massive appreciation to Kerys Nathan, our original Director & Choreographer from 2006-2008. You’ll always be a part of the show. • Thank you to every single cast member from the original West End cast featuring Ben Forster, Roger Wright, Denise Pearson, Ricko Baird, Kieran Alleyne, Layton Williams (OFFICIAL), Sterling Williams, Lewis Davies, Kamilah Beckles, Christabelle Field, Elliot James, Earl Perkins, Emily Rumbles, Dannielle Rothman, Sean Williams, Ashton Russell, Ross Sands and Jordan Darrell, to our last with – Wayne Anthony-Cole, Vivienne Ekwulugo, David Julien, Miles Anthony, Florivaldo Mossi, Lauren Gore, Filippo Coffano, Leslie Garcia Brown, Deavion Brown, David Devyne, Mitchell Eley, Ike Fallon, Eliza Hart, Gabriela Hernandez, Amelia-Annie Layng, Arnold Mabhena, Rishard-Kyro Nelson, Oskarina O'Sullivan , Shola B Riley, Triple Calz, Cannon Hay, Isaiah Mason, Ishaan Raithatha and Messiah Unusudimi. • To everyone on our suspended touring production, and all those before which has seen us visit over 34 different countries, thank you, thank you and thank you again. We will see each other hopefully soon as we continue this journey. Until then stay safe, and don't eat too many pies, there is only one costume budget. •Apologies too many not named above, some whom I greatly admire and some whom I am proud to now call friends, you are all in my thoughts.

Lastly, and most importantly – thank you to MICHAEL JACKSON ! “THRILLER LIVE” is your Music, your Artistry and your Magic ! Thank you for your Inspiration , Love and Humanity . 🙏🏼

Dreams do come true — Adrian Grant .

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mtjester · 7 years ago

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Chapter 13: Infiltrating Urothal Castle

Chapter can also be read on the Witch King blog.

Inhabiting a body that was far larger and more muscular than her own proved to be a challenge for Sydney, especially when navigating the narrow, winding streets of Urothal. She did her best to seem inconspicuous, but at every corner she was knocking something over or invading somebody’s space, which was a feat considering the small number of people that were still walking about in the night. By the time she had finally arrived at the servant’s entrance of the castle, where food and goods were brought in for the Warden and his court, she had been accosted by three separate people and called a variety of imaginative names, few of which she actually understood. She stopped outside the door, already mentally exhausted. Nobody was there to greet her like she had expected there would be. She looked around, at a loss, and leaned against the stone walls of the castle in the most innocent way she could manage.

Minutes ticked by, and nobody passed. The moon crept over the walls and threw silver light over her dark skin. She brushed her mane of dreadlocks over her shoulder. As heavenly as it felt to be physical again, she couldn’t get used to the body’s impressive muscles. Sighing, she slid to the ground.

She didn’t know she was dozing off until the door clicked open, startling her almost out of her skin in the most literal sense possible. She looked up. The fool was easy to recognize as a fool; decked out in colorful motley and boasting a painted face, he was dressed almost too stereotypically as a jester, and he had a sly glint in his eyes that, when turned towards Sydney, struck her as almost manic. He examined her with probing shamelessness, taking in her posture and her expression. His eyes crinkled as he smiled.

“What haunts you friend? You seem quite still. This time, how many people did you kill?” he asked. His voice was shrill and nasally.

“What?” Sydney asked, lifting herself to her feet. “I haven’t killed anyone.” The fool’s smile widened and his eyes narrowed in a way that was almost menacing. Sydney drew back slightly, and she remembered what Eshun had said. Thinking of a rhyme, she added, “There is another reason I have come...?”

“And what might that be, my good friend? Pray tell, what help would you have me lend?”

Sydney inhaled, combing her mind for the exact phrase Eshun had told her to repeat. She recited, “By the cover of this solemn night, our poor victim must take flight.”

The jester’s smile broke into a grin. “Of course I knew that. I received your letter. You understand I must confirm the sender. Follow me, let’s not delay! You must be gone by break of day.”

“Okay,” Sydney said. He shot her a playful look and slipped through the door, gesturing for her to follow. They walked through an enormous kitchen and into a dark hallway, lit by torches set at distant intervals. The jester set off down the hallway, walking with a tight, constipated gait that had to be forced. As Sydney followed, she noticed that the light from the torches was not produced by flame but by the same bright, white light emitted from the tower above the castle. The light was not in the least bit uncomfortable while she inhabited Eshun’s body, but she could imagine how hot it would feel if she weren’t.

“This way, please, and make no sounds. In these halls, mistrust abounds. If we are stopped, I’ll do the talking, and if you’re smart, you’ll keep on walking.”

“If we’re separated, I don’t know where to go,” Sydney said. “And, uh...so I’ll stick with you...even though it’s slow.”

“Pff!” The jester released a hearty laugh that rang down the hall, and Sydney stiffened, bewildered. “Keeping trying, child, you’re much too cute, even in the body of this huge brute!”

“How did you know that I’m not that old?” Sydney asked, her bewilderment increasing. “I look like a man...so tall and, uh, bold. Shit.”

The jester grinned at her but didn’t answer. Instead, he picked up his pace, speed-walking with his tight gait around a corner and down another hallway so quickly that Sydney had to adopt a clipped trot to keep up. He led her through a maze of sharp turns, narrow stairs, and long hallways with many doors but no windows. Soon, the doors disappeared, and at the end of one such hallway, he stopped. He threw his arm across Sydney’s stomach as she came to a halt next to him and gestured for her to look around the corner. “Look there, my friend. What do you see?”

Sydney glanced in the direction he was pointing, where three men in purple uniforms stood loitering around a doorway. “I see...guards?” The jester looked at her, waiting for her to continue, and she said, “Um...three?”

“Very good, your eyes are keen. You see the door upon which they lean?”

“Yeah,” Sydney said. He waited. She exhaled and rolled her eyes. “I see the door, but...what are you asking for?”

“Beyond the door and up the stair sits in waiting the unhappy heir, forced to be our glum guest. There is the object of your quest.”

“How do I get there with those guys standing guard? I, uh...I think my quest will still be quite hard.”

“Indeed it will! Wait here—you’ll see. In a moment’s time, your path will be free.”

His smirk broke into a wicked grin, and Sydney’s face fell as he reached into his pants. She looked away as he dug around, resisting the urge to bury her face in her hands. This rescue mission was not what she had hoped it’d be. She jumped as she heard a quiet fizzing noise break the silence next to her, and to her alarm, the fool was holding between his fingers a set of bombs. Before she could say anything, he threw them at the guards. The men only had enough time to realize what the small balls were before they detonated. Sydney ducked behind the corner as shrapnel and dust flew past.

“Are you crazy?” she hissed, looking around the corner. Dust and smoke hung heavy in the air, and nothing moved. “You—did you just kill them? Oh my god...holy shit...”

“Fear not, my friend, they only rest! Make haste, and may your path be blessed.”

Sydney’s pounding heart jumped into her throat as he turned to walk down the hallway from which they’d come. “Where are you going?” she asked. Without answering, he rounded a corner and disappeared from sight.

Sydney’s breath grew shallow, and she couldn’t tell if it was the scorching particles in the air or the horror pulsing through her body that was making her lungs and face feel so hot. She slid to the floor and closed her eyes, setting her forehead against the cool stone of the wall and trying to gain control over her swimming head. “Shit,” she said, pushing the heel of her palms into her eyes. Gathering her willpower, she opened her eyes and slowly peeked around the corner, forcing herself to take deep breaths. Her heart drummed painfully against her ribcage as she noticed tattered, red-stained uniforms beneath the haze. “Shit, this is crazy...”

She closed her eyes again and took deep breaths. In her mind, she pictured herself walking through the forest behind her house, where she went to clear her head of stress in preparation for one of her parent’s social functions. Inhaling, then exhaling, she filled her mind with trees and sunlight. Someone in her mind seemed to be whispering to her, but she couldn’t decipher the words. An image of the ocean surfaced, and then a tower, bringing with them a comforting sense of calm that pressed with frail coolness against her panic. She inhaled, exhaled, and opened her eyes. She needed to do what she had to do, and she would do it the same way she took care of business at home: by ignoring her emotions and forcing herself through it. With a grimace, she pushed herself off the floor.

She did not look directly at the ground as she walked to the door, instead using her peripheral vision to avoid the obstacles at her feet. The area smelled of gunpowder and burnt meat. Trying to keep herself from retching, she reached out to open the door. It was locked.

“Are you kidding me?” she said as a wave of distress washed over her. She grabbed onto the heavy iron handle and pulled, bringing her foot up to the wall for extra leverage. It would not budge. “How am I—if I have to search for a key, I’m going to—goddamn it.”

In a sudden flash of light, the door went up in flames. Sydney stumbled backwards with a yelp and tripped over something malleable, falling to her butt. The fire was impossibly hot, and the face of the guard on the floor was turned towards her, unblinking. Her mind lost track of what was happening as she scrambled away, somehow finding her way back to the hallway. She huddled on the floor, burying her face in her knees. The roar of fire slowly died down, and her hammering heart seized as something heavy fell to the floor with a loud bang.

The adrenaline and panic coursing through her body made her shake. She tried to control her breathing, but she couldn’t. Closing her eyes, she waited.

She vaguely noticed footsteps descending the stairs and a murmured exchange of voices. Someone rummaged through one of the bodies, fumbling with what sounded like a clasp. Sydney opened her eyes and lifted her head, listening. The voices were familiar. Still too shaky to stand, Sydney leaned over and peeked around the corner. Agdis and Avaloki both stood outside the door. They were dressed in beautiful white gowns with golden trim, over which were draped brightly colored wraps, and Agdis was covered in so much intricately beaded gold and copper jewelry that he seemed to shimmer in the light that filtered in from the stairway. Avaloki still held onto her tattered bag, although her ax had been taken away. She knelt by one of the bodies on the floor, removing the belt that held the guard’s sheathed sword. Agdis already held one sword, looking both apprehensive and repulsed.

Sydney opened her mouth to speak, and after forcing her constricted throat to cooperate, she said, “Avaloki.” Both Avaloki and Agdis jumped, and Agdis reflexively removed the sword from its hilt.

“Who calls?” he said. Sydney waved, but the dark skin of Eshun’s body melted into the shadows. She grimaced and spoke instead.

“Sydney. I’m on the floor. Out here.”

Avaloki looked at Agdis. “That isn’t Sydney’s voice,” she said, just above a whisper.

Against her waning panic, Sydney’s frustration felt almost painful. “I’m in someone else’s body,” she said. “I couldn’t get in here otherwise.”

“You possessed somebody?” Agdis said with a mixture of alarm and outrage. Avaloki stood up and walked around the corner, almost tripping over Sydney.

“Why are you on the floor?” she asked, kneeling down next to her. Sydney felt her lip quiver.

“God, it was the worst,” she said, shaking her head. “This guy helped me get inside, and then he just killed those guards without—and then I tried to open the door, and it caught on fire, and—shit, Avaloki, I wanted to help, but I fucked up...”

She must have looked more distressed than she thought, because she had hardly finished before Avaloki drew her into an awkward hug. Avaloki’s arms barely circled Eshun’s larger frame, but the touch was nonetheless disarming and Sydney felt the aftermath of her panic break into wretched despair. Tears gushed from her eyes. In gasps, she tried to say how terrible she felt for the dead guards, and Avaloki shushed her and patted her back.

After a few moments, she noticed Agdis was standing next to them, waiting for her to calm down. A stony expression was on his face. When he saw her look at him, he said, “Those were three of the most proficient Guardians in Urothal’s court. How did you say you managed to kill them?”

Sydney wiped her eyes and nose. “The guy killed them. The jester. He helped me get in.”

“The jester?” Agdis asked, his eyes widening. “Where is he?”

“He left, right afterwards.”

“We’re better off for it. We would do well to avoid him. We should hurry and leave, in case he decides to come back for us.”

“Is he dangerous?” Sydney asked, beginning to struggle to her feet. Avaloki gave her a small smile and stood first, offering her hand, which she gratefully accepted.

“Yes,” Agdis said. “All jesters are. They forfeit themselves to the gods in ritual and serve the gods only. They answer to no King. Nobody truly knows the mysteries of their cult or the extent of their power, but their unpredictable nature has earned them a certain reputation throughout the kingdom.”

“Then why do you keep them in your courts?”

“The insight they derive from the gods is valuable, and we fear the damage they could do elsewhere. Do you know the way? We must hurry.”

Sydney bit down the rest of her questions and looked down the hallway, feeling her heart sink further. “Maybe.”

“Lead us. And do not cause any more unnecessary damage.”

Sydney nodded and turned, but not before she saw Avaloki swat Agdis out of the corner of her eye. She paused and looked at them over her shoulder, and Avaloki patted her on the back with encouragement. After a beat of uncertainty, she took Avaloki’s offered hand and began to walk.

All of the hallways looked the same. Sydney tried to remember which way she had turned while following the fool, but her confidence was slowly draining. After rounding several corners, she stopped.

“I have no idea where I’m going,” she said.

“We can tell,” Agdis replied with a tight note.

Sydney glanced around another corner and then back down the hallway from which they’d come. Like many of the other hallways, it was lined with doors. She narrowed her eyes, thinking. “Let me see something,” she said. She walked past Avaloki and Agdis to one of the doors, and, as quietly as she could, she turned the knob and cracked it open.

The room was a narrow bedroom, furnished only with two beds, two side tables, and a pair of dressers. In each bed, a servant slept, disheveled from the day’s work. One of them snored. Across the room, near the ceiling, was a small, square window, just big enough for Avaloki and maybe Agdis to fit through. It wouldn’t be large enough for Eshun’s body.

Sydney stared at the window for a moment and looked over her shoulder at Agdis. “Hey, prince,” she said just above a whisper. She nodded into the room, gesturing for him to come. He walked to her and peeked through the door, and Avaloki followed, pressing against them to see. She pointed at the window. “Can you make that bigger?”

He shook his head. “The walls of the castle have been reinforced by every Guardian in the court to prevent my escape. They will know instantly if I tamper with their wards.”

“Seriously?” Sydney said with a muted groan. “I was really hoping that would work.”

“Can we fit?” Avaloki asked. She turned to eye Agdis, sizing him up.

“Even if we can, we can’t very well force ourselves through without waking up the servants.“

“I can take care of that!” Avaloki whispered with a burst of excitement. She reached into her bag and removed a leather pouch and a long pipe covered in small etchings and designs.

“What are you doing?” Agdis hissed as she reached inside the pouch and pulled out two or three pinches of tobacco. She ignored him, pressing the tobacco into the bowl with her thumb and lighting a small flame at the end of her finger. She lit the tobacco evenly, puffing on the mouthpiece. Once it was lit, she covered the bowl with her index and middle fingers and drew in a mouthful of smoke, closing her eyes. After a moment, she opened them and released the smoke. Her grey eyes shimmered.

The smoke glided into the room and settled on the two sleeping figures. They fidgeted as it snaked into their lungs, but soon their breathing deepened. Avaloki looked at Agdis, whose face was dark with displeasure. “You can go see if you fit now,” she said with a sheepish smile.

Without answering, he opened the door and strolled in. Sydney was taken aback by his boldness, but Avaloki followed suit, entering the room as though there weren’t two sleeping people inside. Confused, Sydney slipped in and closed the door behind her. She stood next to Avaloki, who sat on the edge of one of the beds, smoking her pipe. Agdis walked to the window and tested its width.

“I believe I can fit. Barely,” he said.

“I’ll go first,” Avaloki said, jumping up and slipping her head through the opening with her pipe in hand. “It’s a long way down...” she said. She looked at Agdis.

“What?” he asked, frowning.

“Could you make me a hammer?” she asked. “Please?”

He pressed his lips together and exhaled quickly through his nose. “I am not a smith.”

She looked over the ledge again. “It’s going to be hard to climb unless we can make footholds.”

“Could you make a tree or something?” Sydney asked him. “Aren’t you the most powerful mortal human in the land or something like that?”

He shot her an irritated look, but after a moment of thought, he moved past her. He tapped Avaloki on the shoulder, signaling for her to move, and looked down. “Hand me the leg of that side table,” he said, gesturing vaguely into the room. Avaloki jumped to follow the command, holding the table with one hand and knocking a leg off with a swift kick. She handed it to him, and he tapped it twice with a finger. It caught fire in his hands, turning to ash. He whispered into the ash and sprinkled it out of the window.

Sydney tried to lean past him to see the ground, but there wasn’t room for her. She listened instead. Nothing happened. “Maybe the stone on the road was too hard,” she said with a frown.

“Wait.”

Sydney glanced at Agdis and back out the window, listening carefully. Avaloki leaned against her to try to see as well, her pipe in her mouth. After a moment, they heard the sound of the stone buckling. A hearty cracking and whipping rushed up towards them, and Sydney saw the branches of a tree grow past their window.

“Amazing,” Avalovi said with hushed awe.

“Don’t waste time. Go,” Agdis said, moving out of the way for her. She nodded and slipped through the window, landing on a branch outside that pushed against the walls of the castle.

“What should I do?” Sydney asked as Agdis shimmied his hips into the opening. “I can’t fit.”

Agdis paused. “No, you can’t,” he said. He thought for a second and looked up into her eyes. “You must find your way out. I will help divert attention and misfortune away from you in any way I can, but it is up to you to navigate this labyrinth. Stay where the servants live and operate, and you should find an exit.”

Sydney’s heart sank, but she swallowed and nodded. “Okay, sure, got it. But, how are you going to help? I thought you said they had wards up against you.”

“The wards are set on the physical building itself, not on the space inside of it. No one can prevent me from setting favorable outcomes for you unless they are stronger than I am and know of my intentions,” Agdis said. “And there is no single Guardian more powerful than I am in this court.”

“Wow, okay,” Sydney said, lifting an eyebrow. “I guess that’s reassuring.”

“Yes. Now go,” he said, and he turned his attention to the window. Sydney watched him struggle to wiggle his torso through the opening until she was sure he would fit, and when he was out of sight, she turned back to the hallway.

Picking a direction, she set off. She followed the hallways until she found a staircase, repeating the cycle with the hopes that it would bring her back to the ground floor and hopefully the kitchens she first entered. The hallways and staircases were strangely spaced, different on every floor, and she found herself roaming farther than she would have liked into the castle. The doors appeared less frequently. The hallways grew wider. When she turned a corner and found herself looking out a window at the darkened Urothal, she knew that she had taken a wrong turn.

“Why is this place so big?” she muttered. “Does the Warden really need such an enormous castle?”

“What’s this, what’s this? Lost and alone? Why haven’t you captured your prince and flown?”

Sydney’s gut sank to the bottom of her abdomen. She immediately recognized the voice. Turning around, she locked eyes with the jester, who leaned against the corner she had just rounded.

She wiped her face clean and tried not to appear nervous. “Uh, about that, I did okay,” she said. “The prince is gone, so I’ll just be on my way.”

“And a long way it is! I’ve been following you,” he said, sliding closer to her. “So lost, I see. That will not do.”

“I’ll be fine!” Sydney said, holding her hands up and taking a step back. “Really. Uh, I’m just taking my time.”

“Hmm.” His lips curled into a smirk, and he slipped around her with a twirl. “The apothecary lies,” he said, “so let’s see about you. I’m interested to know what an outsider would do. You’d better be witty and have a sharp tongue; it’s always a pity when a spirit dies young.”

Before Sydney could react, he brought his fingers to his lips and released an unnaturally loud, shrill whistle. The sound seemed to bounce off the walls, and Sydney choked back a curse.

“What are you doing?” she demanded. He smiled and waited. “You’re ruining—do you know what you’re ruining?”

He laughed and turned as two guards ran around a corner at the other end of the hall. “I wanted to introduce my new friend to the staff! They’re not very smart, but they’re good for a laugh.”

The guards slowed as they approach. Sydney could see their eyes flick from her to the jester and back to her. “Apothecary,” the closest guard greeted with a nod of her head. “Is this clown giving you trouble again?”

“Uh...” Sydney said, heart racing. “Yes.”

“Who can blame me? It’s what I do. It would be boring to just let him through,” the jester replied, sending Sydney a sly wink.

“Were you on your way out, Apothecary?” the guard asked. “Or are you on a visit? Is there someone we can help you find?”

Despite the blood pounding in her ears, Sydney carefully maintained a neutral expression, scanning the guards’ faces for clues pointing her to the best response. She could tell from their slight smiles and open eyes that they knew her—or rather, knew Eshun—and that they even liked him. But she didn’t know enough about Eshun to pretend to be him. All she knew how to do was guess what people wanted to hear and let them hear it, a skill she had perfected during social functions with her parents. She inhaled as quietly as she could and smiled.

“On my way out. I’m done with my business,” she said, trying to ignore how fake her smile felt.

“Was it the Warden’s son again, if I may ask?” the male guard asked, but the other guard smacked him over the head.

“That’s not for you to know,” she said with a frown.

“Uh, no, just a...servant,” Sydney said. “No one important. Has...the Warden’s son been sick...again?”

“Not since your last visit,” the male guard said, rubbing his head. “The Warden is eternally grateful for your help.”

“Sure, it’s no problem,” Sydney said.

“Are you feeling all right?” the female guard asked, furrowing her brow. “You seem...strange.”

“Ah, that is, uh...” Sydney said, her eyes flashing to the jester. His smile widened. “The Wicked Period. It’s been bad for business. I’m just tired.”

“Oh, right,” the guard said with a nod. “I imagine it must be a difficult time in your trade.”

“Yeah. All those spirits, and people getting sick,” Sydney said, glancing again at the jester.

“He knows the Rogue Prince, were you aware?” the jester jumped in. “That seems a good reason for him to care.”

“You know the prince?” the guard asked with arched eyebrows.

“We’ve met,” Sydney said, barely catching herself from stumbling over the words. “During a trip I took to...the monasteries, where he lived.”

“Oh,” the guard said, mildly surprised. “I thought you only traveled south of here.”

“I get around,” Sydney said, shrugging.

“He’s a disagreeable person, isn’t he?” the male guard said.

“He...can be, yeah,” Sydney said, “but he’s mostly alright.” She was surprised to find that she meant it.

“Well, for you, perhaps. You seem to get along well with most people,” the female guard said, smiling. “Maybe you should join the wedding party, since you know the prince and the land so well. The Warden would likely approve.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Sydney said with a weak laugh. “But I’ve got work to do. You know, with the Wicked Period and all.”

“Of course,” the guard said, nodding. “We’ll leave you to it. It’ll be over soon, with the King’s blessing.”

“Yeah,” Sydney said, lifting a hand as the guards turned to leave. She breathed a deep sigh of relief as they turned the corner.

“What a show, what a show!” the jester cheered after barking out a laugh. “You are much more amusing than you know. But a good actor you don’t make; should we try another take?”

“No! No. No other takes,” Sydney said, rounding on him. “The only take I want is for you to take me out of here!”

His face froze and he lifted his eyebrows, and she sensed something menacing in the widening of his eyes. She drew back a bit, immediately regretting her outburst. “Out of here?” he repeated. “Here is now, now is here. Now is me, and me is...what?”

“You’re...?” Sydney said. “A...jester?”

“A fool is I, and so are you. But something more important am I to you. Help, you fool, me is help! And you are both fool and ungrateful whelp. You want out? I’ll take you out. But mind my fun, or lose your route.”

“Right, okay, I’ll mind your fun,” Sydney said, resisting the urge to rub her eyes. “Just, please, can you just...not kill anyone?”

“Consider it done!” the jester said with a laugh, and he took off down the hallway. Sydney followed, focusing on his feet. As they continued to turn into larger and more ornate hallways, a purple carpet appeared in the middle of the floor, leading their way. He took her down a wide, spacious staircase to the front entrance of the castle, where guards watched her pass with curt nods. She focused on her breathing and returned their nods with as neutral an expression she could manage. The fool pranced to the door and heaved it open for her with a wide, toothy grin.

“You are no poet, but that’s fine by me,” he said as she slipped out past him. “A talentless dolt makes for good company. Goodbye forever, dear fool and friend! May the gods grant you a happy end!”

He swung the door shut before Sydney could come up with a reply. Sighing, she turned away and began to follow the castle wall in search for Agdis and Avaloki, who she found hiding beneath a bush outside of the kitchen entrance.

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