to slip through the cracks, at the very least, your partner deserves to know.”
Show no reaction, no emotion. No matter how well she poked and prodded. No matter how much it hurt. “You talked to Kallia?”
“Yes, some nights ago,” she supplied rather drily. “I thought surely she must think the world of you, to be able to ignore your background. But imagine my utter astonishment when clearly she knew nothing of what happened before. Of Eva, your career. The accident.”
“And you didn’t seize the opportunity to stir the pot? How unlike you.”
A muscle ticked in her cheek. “She wouldn’t have believed me anyway. Only you.”
His chest tightened under a new, unfamiliar weight.
“Then again,” she said, slowing rapping her fingers against the table’s edge. “A Most Dark and Daring Past has a nice, timely ring to it. I’m sure this city would like a refresher.”
How could Eva have possibly been friends with someone like this?
Glaring, Daron shot up from his seat and stalked away, the rage rushing in his veins so forcefully, almost like magic. And fear, slowly stopping him short of the exit. “Why are you doing this?”
“Because when something is broken, you need to tell the truth. And I’d hate to do that for you, because Kallia’s your partner. Which means she’ll find out, one way or another,” Lottie shouted at his back, as he resumed his departure. Away from her, away from everything. “The truth always comes out, in due time. Out of you, and this city.”
To the master’s displeasure, the morning papers spoke of nothing but the show.
Spectaculore Speculation:
Players Entrapped in a Wild Game
MISSING PERSONS
and Comatose Contestants
Magicians Mentoring Magicians
for Magnificent Finale
Each headline ran with a ridiculous note, the images and stories accompanying them even more so. And yet the master read them whenever the news crossed his table. Wading through the scandalous phrasing intended solely to seize readers’ attentions, he saw the underlying truth. The danger beneath the gossip that turned everything into a farce, until they truly believed it was all just a game.
Such thoughtless moths, following the spotlight.
Feeding it.
The master crumpled the paper before throwing it aside. He’d ignored the mirror long enough, the summons from Sire to put an end to all of this, like he should’ve done long ago.
He could’ve waltzed into that city, and wiped the whole game board clean once more. Even if she tried to stop him, even if they sensed him on their grounds, at least he’d have done his duty. Served his only purpose on this worthless land.
And now he was too late. Everything was too far beyond his control, and the countdown had begun.
Four magicians missing. Three unresponsive.
Two more hospitalized.
And then one.
Almost
Almost
Almost
Their whispers ticked in the back of his head as surely as a clock, waiting.
ACT IV
ENTER THE SHADOWS:
THE TRICKS OF LIGHT, THE TRUTH FROM LIES
42
The bleak morning trickled through the windows above as Kallia strode down the aisle of hospital beds. Two magicians, Soloce and Lamarre, remained comatose, their bodies turned by the staff every so often to bring movement to their muscles in hopes of waking them. Only Robere’s bed stood empty. He’d been discharged early in the morning so no one could see the wraps across his face. Similarly bandaged, Judge Bouquet slept soundly in his bunk, mostly due to the nearly empty bottle of heavy tonic consistently replenished at his bedside.
The bitter stench of coffee stirred no reaction from the bedridden men as she walked past, carrying a tray with a freshly filled pot and two cups. Seated by Juno’s bed at the end of the row, Canary perked up. “Bless you, prima donna. I’m in need.”
“Thought you would be.” Kallia set the tray on one of the side tables. “Last night went late, yet here you are.”
Ever since the first night of the circus’s opening, Kallia had freely offered her talents to the Conquerors. Special effects, extra assistance, adding flair wherever it was needed. Even more so now, ever since Juno and the magicians fell. After nights of watching the Conquerors take their stages with Juno missing from hers, it was all Kallia could do.
The girl appeared just as sickly as the other magicians lying near. Her brown hair, tied back and dulled. Her tattoos, last fashioned as long-stemmed feathers pluming against her hands, neck, and face, had faded considerably to a gray tinge. Her eyelids, fluttering every so often. Asleep, though not entirely at peace.
“If she wakes up and no one is around, we’ll never hear the end of it.” The