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I push through the tent just as Sam, our sound man, is passing by.
“Hey! The batons, rope darts, hoops, gasoline, and everything else you’ll need for fire bending is right there. The case also has your name on it now, so when we move, it will be in your staff cubby for set-ups.”
I glance over the range of equipment. “Okay, but Sam? I’ve not done the rope darts, and—” I pause, blowing out a breath. “Wow, is that a fire staff?” I gulp. Shit. What has Perse got me into?
“Sure is!” A voice interrupts my panic, and I turn to face her. “My name’s Ashley,” she says, and that’s when I recognize her.
“Oh shit!”
“Yes, also known as Persephone’s mother.” She drops a duffle bag beside her, and it’s the first time I take in what she’s wearing. Yoga pants and a tight tank. Her hair is down, displaying her long blonde locks and it’s also the first time that I notice the resemblance to Perse.
“Nice to meet you.” I nod at her.
She smiles. “You too. Now, can you tell me what you’re familiar with when it comes to fire bending?” She’s pulling on black gloves, but her focus remains on me.
“Ah, well, nothing. I would watch some of the performers at a small bar in Siesta Key, but other than that, I have no idea.”
Ashley pauses her movements, regarding me carefully. “Interesting. But you know what you’re doing?”
“I do,” I answer, shuffling on my feet. “Is it normal for someone to pick up on it easily?”
She snorts, shoving her other glove on her hand. “Absolutely not. But,” she sighs, but doesn’t bring her eyes back to me. “Let’s get this underway.”
“Hang on.” I pause. “Are you a fire bender?”
Ashley chuckles, leaning down to unzip her bag, but again, not looking at me. As if she’s thinking too hard about something and is afraid that I might read the words over her face. “Not me personally, I did have a good friend who was the queen of fire bending. No one has done it in Midnight Mayhem since her retirement.”
I exhale. “Jesus. I’m really doing this.”
“But do you love it?” she asks, glaring at me with a smirk.
I lick my lips and match her grin. “I do.”
Four hours later, I’m crawling back into bed with sore limbs and a bad stench of kerosene.
“You smell like gas…” Callan snarls, taking a bite out of her toast the next morning.
Kenan is grinning from ear to ear. “How’s our little spitfire?”
“Kenan,” I groan. “Are we really going to try all the pet names?”
Kenan laughs, clutching his tummy. He takes a gulp of his protein shake. “Yes, until I find one. I like spitfire.”
“Well, if it helps.” I turn the blender on for my shake. A shake I need for fuel today because while everyone else gets to chill before the first show tonight, I have practice one more time. I think out of all of the tools, the rope darts and dragon staff are my favorite and what I really excel in, so we’ve decided to stick to those both for this show. I will get two scenes, one for the rope darts, which is only around four minutes long, and the other will be me dancing with the dragon staff, basically rolling fire off my body. “As part of my costume, I wear devil horns.”
Kenan’s mouth drops open.
“And I’m in leather and steel.”
Wider.
“Kenan…”
“Sorry,” he moans. “Fuck that’d look… hot.”
I ignore him. “I’m a little terrified.”
“Why?” he asks, kicking out the chair opposite him so I can take a seat. I sip on my shake.
“Well, Ash is training me. She knew the last fire dancer that they had in Mayhem, so I guess I don’t want to let her, or anyone down.”
Kenan sighs, leans forward and touches my cheek. I flinch away, and he rolls his eyes, well acquainted with my issues when it comes to intimacy any time outside of the show. I form friendships organically, yes, but it does take a lot to push me through to that phase. “Baby G, you were born for this…”
Callan sits down, biting on her toast. “I’m so hungry this morning. Killian is tiring me out.”
I don’t bat an eye.
“Are you coming to the beach today, Saskia?” Callan asks.
Kenan studies both of us.
I shake my head at her. “Nope. I need to practice once more before tonight.”
“Hmmm,” She smirks. “What a shame.”
I push up from the chair and kiss Kenan goodbye, who is already scolding Callan as I walk out of the bus. I don’t know what her problem with me is, or if it even is a me thing or a Killian thing, though I don’t know why. Killian and I haven’t so much as given any impression that we are anything but enemies.
I clutch the items that I’ll need for all of my outfit changes in my hand, taking them to my cubicle in the tent behind the stage. It’s where most of the makeup, hair, and outfit changes happen. I need them there for tonight, not for right now, and I’m excited for the addition of the horns. A touch that Ashley gave to me after our session last night. They’re not big ugly horns, they’re cute ones that clip onto my hair and stay.
