the mayor looked close to knifing him, but now, his brow creased pensively down at the empty stage beneath him. “This is … just not how I thought any of this would play out.”
“That’s the best thing about show business. Nothing ever goes as planned. But with everyone’s cooperation, we can guide this ship back on course. Correct?”
He peered out at the others with his bright snakelike eyes, and in the end, the mayor simply nodded. Decided.
Unease pricked at Daron. Wrong, this all felt so wrong.
“Demarco?”
Erasmus had stopped the mayor from pulling the trigger, but he wasn’t the only one in the room with access to the gun. If only they knew he didn’t want the Patrons in Glorian any more than they did. The thought of Aunt Cata breaking down the doors of the Alastor Place, asking every question imaginable until she pieced it all together, speared nausea into his gut.
Daron nodded.
Relief swept the entire room.
“That’s a good chap. I’m glad we all have an understanding.” Erasmus clasped his hands with vigor, pacing down the stage. “We’ll continue on. Though, with a few changes in light of our current limitations and last night’s interesting turn of events…” He tossed a sympathetic smile to Daron and Kallia. “We’ll proceed to the mentor round.”
Cold shot down Daron’s spine. He thought he’d be long gone before this part of the game.
The mere idea of him on stage again.
Performing magic. Teaching it.
He would be exposed before he even stepped into the spotlight.
The image took root in his mind, tormenting him. He looked warily around to see if anyone else shared in his discomfort. Most of the judges were exchanging subtle looks with the contestants sitting in the rows across from them.
Alliances, already forged.
Figures. Daron’s fist tightened over his knee. Just like that, he was back in his amateur days, an unpolished magician left to the wolves. He’d had Eva, of course, but he’d been new to the wild game of show business. He’d been branded an outsider as soon as he pulled up a chair at the judges’ table, and they would only shun him more if they knew.
Glorian was having some sort of effect on him. His magic, once gone, was slowly returning. Or so he thought. His power felt nothing like it had before, just an energy he couldn’t control after having gone for so long without.
He almost preferred having no magic at all.
Mayor Eilin and Erasmus began listing off pairings, each one hitting him with dread. He knew, even before they’d started, which magician he’d be matched with.
“Excuse me,” Daron interjected, half-rising from his seat. “I don’t think I—”
“Patience. You’re next.” Erasmus assessed the list with a sound of delight. “You’ll, of course, be working with Kallia.”
A couple of the men around him chuckled, almost with pity.
Finally, Kallia spoke, a bitter edge to her voice. “What do you mean, ‘of course’?”
“Can’t you just see it?” Erasmus wistfully clutched at his heart. “The hero and the damsel, joining forces—not that you’re a damsel, darling. But the crowd will simply eat it up. And we need them hungry again once we’re back on stage.”
“Exactly.” The mayor smirked. “No need to shy away from the spotlight now.”
Kallia’s eyes slitted, daggers sliding from their sheaths. Ready to stab.
The same resignation weighed Daron back into his seat. After last night, their names would always be thrown together. The ever-watching audience loved a good story, and of course, Erasmus would capitalize on it.
Daron ran a hand over his face as the last names were called. Through his fingers, he caught a glimpse of Kallia—already rising to leave like the others, only they had their new mentors in tow. She turned without gracing him with a look, and something twinged inside him.
Of course she didn’t want to be paired with him. He wouldn’t want to be paired with him. She would probably argue to forgo a mentor altogether, having no patience for somebody so overly apologetic, who criticized without being asked, who’d venture all the way to her door only to—
“Naturally you’d be trying to hide in plain sight.”
Daron jerked in his seat, lowering his hands to find Kallia standing beside him. She wore a long, dark green coat buttoned at her waist, and tan pants tucked into boots. Today, her hair was half-pulled up by a loose tie. Usually, she kept her hair free and over her shoulders.
He hated how he suddenly knew that.
“Excuse me?” He straightened, forcing a cool expression over his face.