Page 28 of Protect Me
“What do they do that’s so dangerous?”
“She ties him to a board, blindfolds herself, then throws daggers at him. With Kleo and I, we can at least dematerialize out of the way, but her—”
“Dematerialize?”
In a blink, he disappears. I stop moving and turn in a slow circle.
“Dematerialize.”
I whirl on a grinning Brad as he leans against the wall behind me. “That is awesome.”
“Never met a fae before?”
“Not one who could do that.”
He shrugs. “We’re full-blooded fae.”
Most of the fae I’ve crossed paths with have been hybrids. Either part human or some other supernatural. “Can I ask what brought you here?”
“Can I ask you the same thing?”
“Needed a place to stay while I get my life together,” I reply. It’s not entirely untrue even if I left out the abusive fiancé and power abuse.
“Fair enough. Well, Kleo and I have been here for nearly two decades. She was sleeping with a member of our old House, and it turned violent. I got her out of there, brought her here, and we haven’t looked back.”
“I— I’m sorry.”
“It is what it is. We all have our stories. Some are tragic, some merely opportunity. But everyone here in the circus has their reasons.”
“And now you throw sharp things at your sister.”
He chuckles. “Kleo is a tough personality. Spend some time with her and you’d probably like to throw sharp things at her, too.”
“What about you? Rumor has it you’re multi-talented. Lyra and silks.”
“Rumor, huh?”
“If you’re going to live here, you might as well accept it now. Rumors are part of the territory.”
“Fair enough. Yeah, silks are my jam, but I can do lyra too.” Now it’s my turn to glance at him. “That doesn’t make you feel threatened, does it?”
He laughs. “Well, you’re just a get-right-to-the-point kind of girl, aren’t you?”
I shrug. “Beating around the bush is a waste of time.”
“So true.” He smiles. “Not a threat at all. Unless you’re a whiz with a blade.”
“Nope, knives are most definitely not my thing.” I shudder.
“Whew, job security,” he declares, and I shrug off the darkness and smile at him. “In that case, Helen-of-multiple-talents, I think you’re going to fit right in here.”
“Thanks,” I tell him.
“Thankyou.I get to go back to my normal routine.”
We turn a corner and step through an opening that I realize all at once is the Big Top. I stop short, taking it all in.
The area is huge with several different stations set up for practice. Cones and platforms offer sectioned areas—one for each act of the show. Overhead, a large canopy blocks out the harsh sunlight. The sides are open to the fresh air, allowing a light wind to sweep through the space.