His question strikes me as far too powerful for me to answer. I barely have space for his words to find a place inside my chest.
But they do.
Oh, they do.
Something inside me shifts. I let go of the gold thread connecting me to him, and I feel the very second his powers siphon back off to where they belong.
He closes his eyes and takes a large inhale, as if reveling in the feeling of being whole again. His eyes snap back to mine as his fingers slip under my chin, raising it slightly so that we’re eye to eye. My heart triples in rate.
“When will you learn, little rabbit?” he whispers much too softly. “You belong with us.”
27
VEIL
“Do you feel ready?”
Grabbing my duffel bag with my change of clothes off the floor, I look over to Gemini and answer his question with a nod and a timid smile.
I’ve been practicing every day for the past week. My body is sore, beat up, and tired, but my physical ailments are overshadowed by the excitement of what comes next. And Gemini has sat in the same corner of the same room, never seeming to grow bored as I fine-tuned my very first contortionist routine.
My debut is tomorrow night on the grand stage, and I need it to be seamless. Maybe performing at the circus was never a dream of mine, but now that it’s part of my reality, it’s hard not to want it to be perfect. I missed this creative side of myself, tucked away ever since I had been called to Pravitia.
Gemini returns my smile as he heads for the door. Opening it, he waves for me to walk out first. “Wait,” he says as he grabs my wrist, pulling me the opposite way from the exit. “Let’s unwind first.”
His cold rings feel pleasant on my skin, and I don’t try to remove my arm from his touch. The reflex has become dormant, and even that small action—or lack thereof—tells me I’m slipping.
The road ahead is a treacherous one. I don’t want to trust Gemini, but I can’t seem to control the bricks being removed one by one from the wall I’ve built around me. We’ve fallen into a routine, and I loathe to admit that it no longer feels like I’m his captive. Instead, it almost feels like we’re … partners.
Then there’s the rising tension between us.
It has only gotten thicker as the days pass and nothing more has happened.
It’s a game. I know it is. But Gemini appears to be steadfast. Unbothered, he continues to casually sleep naked beside me every night.
Then why am I the one who feels like I’m cracking?
The circus is deserted at this time of night. Something about the emptiness helps me concentrate when I practice. Gemini took notice early on and started taking us to Animus after the crowd packed up and left for the night.
I follow him in silence, passing the grand stage until we stop in front of a large net. Gemini turns on his heels, a playful expression splashed across his face.
I give him a flat stare back, narrowing my eyes before slowly lifting my gaze upward to the tightrope high above us.
“Unwind?” I ask sarcastically when my eyes land back on Gemini.
He scoffs disdainfully, clearly bothered by my lack of excitement, but I can still see his cheeriness bubbling under the surface. “Where’s your sense of whimsy, love?”
Before I even have time to respond, he grabs his shirt by the back of the neck and pulls it off. He chucks it to the side,leaving him in only tight leather pants that hang low on his hips. Crouching down, he begins unlacing his boots.
“Shouldn’t you wait till I’ve agreed to this first?” I try to make my voice sound serious, but I can’t hide the smile tugging at the corner of my lips as I cross my arms.
As he continues to untie his boots, he lifts his head, a bleached-blond strand falling over his forehead. “Like most things”—he winks—“I know you’ll eventually give in.”
I act shocked by his answer, taking a step backward as I place my splayed hand on my chest. Our laughs merge in a melodic levity, and I forget myself in the innocence of the moment. It feels much too good, but I don’t care.
I toe off my shoes as Gemini finishes taking off his boots. “Have you ever walked the tightrope before?”
“A few times,” he says slyly before springing back up to his full height.
