He took my hand, heading to the exit. “Just trust you have the best partner for it.”
37Nyte
Astraea had a colorful vocabulary of curses for me and a talent for keeping herself smiling for the crowd of eager onlookers around a banquet table. I tightened the strap on her left wrist, which secured her to the wheel, and could hardly contain my grin when her eyes shot me with daggers, but her face was deceivingly pleasant.
“Why can’t I strap you to this thing instead?” she hissed under her breath.
“I will certainly not object to you tying me up next, Starlight.”
“You might when I pierce a dagger through your chest and leave you there.”
My thumb brushed her cheek. “Your violence turns me on.”
I chuckled lightly at her quick scowl. The hall was full, and the entertainment took turns in the center of banquet tables closing us in from the front and sides. I’d barely caught a glimpse of Vermont, but what I did uncover was that he had a wife or mistress by his side and a son on the other. It made my blood boil to think of what he might have wanted with Astraea, if not as a bride, and it was enough for me to want his head on a pike.
I gave Astraea a once-over assessment, deeming her firmly secured. How marvelous she looked. A delicate prey in my trap. “This is how Jose and Calista do it. Besides, I have better aim.”
Her feet were on two narrow planks jutting out of the wheel, and her ankles were strapped to it. Then she gripped two wooden batons attached to the wheel with her wrists bound. Perfectly secure for when it would start spinning. My task was to awe the crowd, throwing daggers at her in dangerous proximity.
Astraea scoffed. “That is a challenge we’re revisiting.”
“I look forward to it.”
I wanted to claim her pouting mouth, but I refrained, turning to walk back the distance to begin. As I did, I surveyed the tables again, taking in more of the gathering. Everyone was adorned with robe-like clothing of white and gold, some with armor, though it was more stylistic than practical. They were abright contrast to the bold colors of the circus members, making us even more of a standout spectacle.
Vermont was a skinnier man than I’d expected, sickly so, if I had to guess. Yet his dark eyes were cold and his posture remained dominant. He had cropped dark hair and wore a gold circlet over his deeply tanned skin. The woman had a dark brown complexion with gold painted on her body. Her tightly curled dark hair was complimented with golden rings through various braids, and she appeared like a goddess. Their son, I presumed, appeared entirely uninterested in the feast and entertainment thrown in his honor, his elbow propped on the arm of his chair as he held his lazy head against his knuckles. His hair was cut very short, and he wore a less elaborate circlet over his brow. I’d learned from Balthezar that his name was Kairos Lionel.
As I spun back to Astraea, the attention of the room started to pull toward our show about to begin. Astraea’s grip tightened on the wooden beams, and she managed one last glare at me before Trevor and Silvia approached the wheel to make it spin.
“You owe me,”she said through our bond after her first full turn.
“I’ll be quick. Ten daggers. Then you’ll enjoy your solo performance to finish the night’s entertainment.”
I threw the first dagger as easily as drawing breath, but the crowd gasped at the lethal weapon hurtling for the beautiful woman. It struck near her left foot.
“You can do better,”she taunted.
“I’m just warming up.”
The next two I threw in quick succession, earning a louder murmur from the onlookers. They struck the wood on opposite sides of her right hand.
“I’d be bored to death if I were a spectator,”she said.
My next hit between her legs.“If you really want outrage from the crowd, I could strike you.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Is that a dare?”
I threw another two at either side of her hips quickly, followed by two so close to each of her ears she would feel the kiss of the metal. The crowd was far too easily impressed.
Pulling out a blindfold, I met Astraea’s surprised look before I tied the material over my eyes. Juggling my last two daggers in one hand, I folded my other arm behind my back.
“Now you’re just showing off.”
“You wanted more thrills.”
“If you miss…”Astraea trailed off; the taste of her fear was delightful.
