Page 71 of Dream in Darkness
She raises her hands. “No. I don’t know. Your cousin came to The Sinner’s Circus to deal atra and lost his life. Who's to say you don’t have your own score to settle?”
She is very close to the truth, and it pains me to have to keep up this charade with her, but even if I back down, someone is completing this mission.
“Why did you kill Tyrus?” I can tell the question threw her off balance. It’s a tough one—one I’ve been avoiding as long as I could, but I need to know the truth.
“I didn’t kill him.”
“But your organization did. And you were there, you took part in it—why did he have to die?”
She sits down on the bed beside me and sighs. “Tyrus was working with The Legion, supplying them with atra. They were going to use it to attack Raph and the carnival, so Luc had us take them down. Just Malo’s faction. There’s a smaller faction of Legion here that simply want to seek change within the government, and we leave them alone.”
“So you guys killed him.”
Yasmeena nods, her mouth twisting. “Reina took him out.”
I nod in understanding. It’s honestly better than Reina did it. I think I like her the least, and it’s somehow easier mentally on me, knowing his killer wasn’t someone I’ve grown fond of. “My father had a deal with Luc. We agreed not to work with The Legion, so Tyrus was breaking orders.”
“That’s the running story.”
I cock my head. “What do you mean?”
“I investigated further, and from the contacts I spoke with, it did seem like your Alpha was aware of Tyrus’ involvement with The Legion. I believe Cain Lupine used this as a cover up, so as to not get in trouble with the king,” she explains.
“Does Luc know?”
“Nope. Draven advised me to keep this a secret. He was afraidof how Luc would respond and wanted to avoid further retaliation from your father.”
Little do they know, my Alpha has been planning his retribution for years.
She squeezes right above my knee. “I know he’s your Alpha and your father. I get it, I really do. You’re bound by duty and family, and I respect that, but please, look further into your father’s actions. Look at what your pack has done.”
“I will. I promise.”
Yasmeena stands and puts out the lantern, leaving me in the dark. “Don’t become whatever monster they want to make of you. Forge your own path.”
Movement No. 27
Tempest
There’s an almost electric feeling in my chest as we wait backstage to perform in The Sinner’s Circus. Baelor moves to the center and performs his act. I see him cut open someone’s flesh before I have to look away, the entire thing is a hard watch. There’s the clanking of a knife dropping to the floor, and the tangy, metallic smell of blood permeates the air.
Yasmeena and I are sitting next to each other, but we haven’t spoken since last night. I hope she knows that I’ve taken her words to heart. I don’t intend to ever let Pack Escalus harm her people, and I would never use my power against anyone.
If that’s what my Alpha does, I plan to put an end to it with my reign. I just need time to figure everything out. I have to talk to the other pack leaders. They might be new to Haeresis, but surely someone has answers about my father’s proceedings.
I wish I could speak with Tyrus. They said he died defying our Alpha’s orders, but now I’m not so sure. Why would that have been his dying decision? I think Yasmeena might be telling the truth, and this entire thing might have been formulated by my father. Everything is beginning to add up.
I need answers.
Baelor bows, and Raph walks to the center of the ring, hisvoice booming over the speakers. “Our final act tonight is perhaps the most daring one of all. Two species, both alike in dignity, in fair Haeresis, where we set our scene. Of these different peoples, whose grudge we seek to mend, may these two acrobats perform, putting the war to an end.”
Laughter breaks out, with some of the audience applauding, while other members groan, hiss, and growl. My heart rate spikes at the dissonance. This entire show is poetic and beautiful, and yet I cringe as we walk out from backstage, through the fog and into the spotlight. I still haven’t gotten used to all the attention being on me like this, but I try to push those feelings down and just enjoy the moment.
I’m doing this for you.It’s the thought that crosses my mind as I look at her one last time before we start, and I hope she can read it in the small smile that graces my lips. I want my people to be safe, of course, but we’re stronger. We would survive an all-out war with the felion. I might have agreed to this on my father’s orders, but I put all of my strength and effort into tonight, for her.
We walk out into the center of the ring. The scents of chalk and sweat permeate the air, but the only thing I can hear is the rush of my blood, and the crescendo of our beating hearts. The lights are warm against my face, the audience blurring into a dark, breathing mass below.
Kneeling on opposite ends of the bar, the big top goes quiet. I can’t see the audience, but I canfeelthem as we’re lifted further into the air. Her weight shifts before she moves. She slides closer to me, as slow as the ocean tide, and our knees touch.
