however you wished. To go wherever your feet could take you.
It was only too easy to imagine how such a life might’ve changed her.
To have had the glory of choice over the promise of power.
“Careful.” Kallia’s lips formed a bemused line. “That almost sounded like a compliment.”
“What can I say, getting to know a person can be a lot like eating bread,” he said. “You have to really butter it up for it to—”
Kallia thwacked him in the chest, which rumbled with a rare show of laughter.
Idiot.
As they crossed over to the next sidewalk together, she took his arm once more.
30
Without the show, the people’s attentions shifted all too easily to the dark purple circus tents. They arrived without warning, dotting the plain streets of Glorian like scattered jewels. A few children dared to poke at one, and swore an animal growled from within. Others whispered that they heard the sharpening of knives, the distinct hissing of snakes. Still, passersby couldn’t help but linger near them.
“The Conquering Circus officially opens to Glorian tonight. About time, too,” Kallia had informed him earlier as they neared the Prima. For blocks, they’d passed nothing but curious spectators hovering near the tents. “Did you ever come across them in your travels?”
“Not really. I’d heard of them, but we rarely crossed paths on the circuit. I was always onstage, they were—”
“Outside. For the general public.” She snorted. “Snob.”
“That’s just the way things were.” He gave a rueful grin. “And that’s all I’m going to say on that.”
“You were the one who brought up your stage days, not me,” she countered, squeezing his arm. “Besides, it couldn’t have been all bad.”
No way was he taking the bait. “No. Questions.”
Daron was sure her rule would’ve posed a huge barrier between them, but unsurprisingly, it became more like a game. A challenge. If anything, he discovered more about Kallia from the questions she wouldn’t answer.
Where did you live before this?
Who taught you magic?
Did you work anywhere previously?
She had a past. That was easy enough to parse. She moved through each day like it was one more mile away from somewhere else. But he never pushed, and neither did she. Details might slip here and there, but his old life rarely came up. And he was grateful. Without magic, those glory days were only days. He’d made peace with it a long time ago, until Glorian. Until magic had trickled back into his system.
Yet he no longer felt that power from the night of the second performance, and didn’t dare try tapping into it again. He didn’t know how, so unused to power all of a sudden. Unsure how to wield it.
If this truly was the magic Eva spoke of, the uncertainty of it was torturous alone. Each day with Kallia, that same torture rose, fearing she’d soon figure it out.
“Fine, remain mysterious.” Kallia casually peered down at her fingernails. “Back to the circus … if you’re not busy tonight, would you like to meet for the grand opening?”
His insides clenched instantly. He’d always asked her to meet him. Never the other way around. “What—why?”
Kallia’s face didn’t so much fall as crinkle in vicious irritation.
“No, no, no,” he said quickly. “Sorry, I-I didn’t realize you’d want to meet outside of … this.”
This.
Mentorship, alliance. Whatever it was. He didn’t know the name of it anymore.
“I know. Hard to believe when I’ve already filled my Demarco quota for the day.” She rolled her eyes. “Look, you don’t have to come. I just thought you wouldn’t want to miss—”
“I’ll go,” he cut in, “Do you want to leave the Prima together?” His heart beat so loudly in his ears, it was a wonder she couldn’t hear it.
A grin slowly caught like fire across her lips. “No, you’re going to meet me there.” She waved her fingers before turning toward the hotel doors without him. “You’ll know where to find me.”
Her words stayed with him until nightfall.
Which was how he found himself exiting the Prima—in a freshly laundered coat, his hair combed back—with the stream of hotel guests taking to the streets. The sidewalk lamps flickered, aided by the glossy silvered-fire torches interspersed between tents.
Everyone beside him was draped in thin fancy coats to those in patchy jackets and fingerless gloves. The night was brisk, but no longer frigid. As if the shared, bubbling excitement had warmed them and the sky above.
Daron looked up at the night, freckled with stars and ribbons of mist. He inhaled, catching the sweet scents wafting over from