The silence hangs between us, but then, they both suddenly stand in unison, their hands clapping together in a loud applause. Relief floods through me, my shoulders relaxing as I realize that I have clearly won Madame over. She climbs the short steps, approaching while still clapping, and when she reaches me, she firmly squeezes the tops of my arms.
“You are magnificent.” She says with a big smile.
I cling to the silk, feeling its soft texture wrapped around my hand. “I haven’t danced in years, so I may need to train more,” I admit through heavy breaths.
My gaze meets her, and I swallow before asking the question that is on the tip of my tongue. “So, does this mean I am hired?”
Her face falls as she glances over at Eli, who is still seated, before returning to me. “You are, yes, but unfortunately, I cannot employ your—”
“If he is not with me, then I will not perform here. Maybe another circus will take us both.” I cut her off firmly.
She raises an eyebrow at my brazenness, watching me as I continue past her. “Thank you for taking the time to watch me, Madame.”
“Wait.” She snaps out the word.
A sinister smirk spreads across my lips while I have my back turned to her. As my expression turns serious, I face her and she closes the small gap between us, her jaw fixed tight.
She scans my features before finally giving me a small nod in approval. “Okay, but—” Her eyes shift to Eli at a distance, her tone adamant as she continues. “I will not be held responsiblefor how he is treated here. He will have to prove himself and quickly adapt to how we operate.”
As I ponder her words, a sense of confusion washes over me. I may not fully grasp their meaning, but one thing is clear: I will not stand by and let anyone bully Eli, no matter who it is. Even though I do not feel romantic love for him, I still owe him a debt of thankfulness for showing me kindness when he didn’t need to and when no one else did.
Suddenly, Madame turns, shouting toward Billy. “Billy, take them to one of the empty double-trailers.”
Her gaze locks onto mine, and a bead of sweat forms on my brow as she addresses me again. “Come and see me in a few days; I will explain the dates we open the circus. Settle in for now. The next show is this weekend, so your training will start at once. As for pretty boy, I will find something for him to do to earn his keep.”
I give a small nod and smile. “Thank you, Madame.”
“What is your name?” She tilts her head to the side in question.
“Noir.” I answer with my chin raised.
A big grin spreads across her aging face. “Absolutely perfect. You are going to fit in just fine here, Noir.”
She averts her gaze from mine, striding past me, and I watch her movements until she exits the tent.
I turn my attention to Eli to find him standing beside Billy, holding my clothes in his arms, waiting for me. While feeling a sense of satisfaction, I release the silk from my hand before making my way toward them, eager to get dressed and see where we will be staying.
When we step outside, it is dark, the stars are twinkling above us in the clear night sky. I take in the scene before me as we find ourselves at the back of the circus, surrounded by a sprawling landscape of trailers scattered as far as the eye can see. It shows the sheer number of people who must work and live within this community.
Lights hang like little bulbs from trailer to trailer as we navigate through and we get suspicious glances from a few people as we pass them, as if we’re intruders.
Suddenly, Billy comes to a stop, his hand gripping the door of a large white trailer and after giving a silent gesture, he steps aside, allowing us to enter. Eli casts a brief glance at me before taking the lead, crossing the threshold and I follow behind him while he flicks on the lights, filling the space with a soft, welcoming glow.
I look around the cozy living room, admiring the white and cream interior with its small kitchen to the left. As Billy closes the door behind us I continue to scan our new home, excitement building inside of me. It may not be perfect, but it is a huge improvement from the truck and motels we have had to deal with. As a thrill courses through me, I spin around, eager to see more. I quickly make my way down a narrow corridor, flinging open doors as I go and when I reach the one at the far end, I swing it open.
I flip on the light switch, noticing it’s the bedroom complete with a double bed that sits in the centre, two matching bedside cabinets and a double wardrobe. A grin spreads across my face as I leap into the air, sprinting forward to bounce onto thebed like a child. As Eli enters the room, I fall back onto the springy mattress, bouncing lightly as I inhale deeply, relishing the comfort of the softness beneath me.
“Can you believe we finally have somewhere to stay, E?”
When he stays silent, a crease forms between my brows and I prop myself up on my elbows, meeting his intense gaze with a questioning look.
His jaw tightens slightly before he starts to pace around the room. “It’s okay I suppose, but why didn’t you listen to me, Noir?”
I sit up fully, watching him closely. “What?” I ask, my tone full of confusion.
“You were practically fucking naked in that Circus. Your scars—”
Defensiveness surges within and I spring to my feet from the bed.
