I float.
I drift.
I linger.
Until, suddenly, I snag on something.
I almost miss it. Almost pass right by it.
I curl my hand around it, like a thin gold thread, andtug.
26
VEIL
The sensation that follows is akin to a rush of adrenaline. It surges from the tips of my toes up to the crown of my head as every single hair on my body stands on end.
My eyes fly open to find Gemini beaming, his wide smile warm, eyes shimmering.
A shocked laugh tumbles out of my lips. “I did it,” I say breathlessly.
Without thinking, I leap toward him, my arms circling his neck in a burst of giggles. The impact of my body on his makes him fall backward onto the floor as his arms wrap effortlessly around my waist.
I push myself up to look him in the eye, and my laugh slowly fades. Our gazes turn serious, and I’m suddenly hyper-aware of my body on top of his.
“How does it feel?” Gemini rasps.
A part of me yearns to break this loaded moment. The rest of me craves the exact opposite. All the pieces of me are at war, and I’m standing directly in the line of fire.
I decide not to move.
I give him a shy grin. “The feeling has many layers to it,” I muse. “I feel my god’s connection inside of me, but then …” I pause, lingering on the foreign sensations, “Then I feel the power I stole from you like a second presence. Almost like a separate entity.” I smile. “How does it feel toyou?”
His expression turns boyish, his gaze moving up and around, as if trying to decipher the feeling. “Quiet.”
I expect to sense something, maybe a prickling at the nape that lets me know if he’s lying or telling the truth, but there’s nothing.
“I can’t tell if you’re lying,” I say, perplexed.
His hands dance up my spine and back down again. “Our powers don’t work on each other, remember?”
“But I thought maybe since I have your power …” I trail off, knowing Gemini will decipher what I mean.
“Power or not, beloved,” he says with a wink, “I’m still the chosen one.”
We fall into another loaded moment as we silently stare at one another until Gemini is the first to move. He gently pushes me to his side so he can jump to his feet, then gives me his hand.
“Now let’s go smell some lies,” he declares with a wide grin.
Still sitting on the ground, I meet his gaze as my brows furrow. “How do I give your power back?” Suddenly, I feel nervous.
He shrugs, wiggling his fingers to signal that he’s still waiting for my hand. “I’m suretheservant to the god of thievery will know how.”
At this time of day,the circus isn’t open to the public, but there’s enough of a crowd for me to metaphorically stretch mylegs and try to test Gemini’s power on those around us. Acrobats practicing high up in the air, a knife-thrower lodging sharp blades inches away from his beautiful assistant, and?—
“Zazel!”
They quickly turn around at the sound of my voice, and I leave Gemini’s side to run up to where they are standing.
