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I slumped back into my seat, trying to force a pinched smile as the woman and Laurent made their way to the stage.
In a burst of crimson rose petals, the woman’s simple dress ballooned into a soft white gown, the petals adhering to the bodice. The audience hollered and cheered as Laurent and the woman arrived on stage, the pair practically flying when he began to dance on the center ring floor. A rainbow flitted across the air, arching high above them and, all the while, I couldn’t help but wonder how he was doing all this. It almost seemed as if… as if he were employing magic. But, of course, that was impossible.
Magic didn’t exist.
The band broke into a lively tune and Laurent and the young woman spun gracefully across the ring, the woman’s flowing hem flying out around her. It really seemed as if their feet weren’t even touching the ground. There was no doubt about it, Laurent was quite a showman. He had an uncanny ability to totally captivate an audience, and I had a sneaking suspicion the audience would agree that he, alone, was worth the price of admission.
Lost in admiration, that’s when I noticed it.
The dark ink tattoo I’d seen on Laurent’s wrist earlier was now glowing. As he pulled the young woman around in a spin, the odd mark transferred from Laurent’s wrist to the woman’s. The transfer was so subtle, I was sure no one else in attendance even noticed it. Most of the audience were gazing at the couple as they floated over the stage, seemingly on a cloud.
And yet, now this woman was marked with the same tattoo that had existed on Laurent, only his tattoo was missing. It was almost as if he’d transferred his mark to her.
Was it just another illusion?
It had to have been because I couldn’t understand how it was possible, otherwise.
When the music ended, Laurent pulled the woman back to his chest, gently lifting his mask to place a kiss on her forehead. He twirled her to the end of his outstretched arm, then dropped into a deep bow as she stooped in an awkward curtsy before he gestured for her to return to her seat.
The crowd erupted with applause as the spotlight left Laurent on stage and followed the woman back into the audience. When she arrived at her seat, her ballgown magically dissolved into the simple beige dress she was previously wearing. Despite that amazing optical illusion, my eyes were riveted on her wrist, which still had the glowing insignia. Just before the spotlight headed back onstage, I saw the glow on her wrist darken, the glow receding until all that was left was a black mark.
I grabbed the edge of my seat, leaning forward to get a better look, but the spotlight moved back to Laurent, leaving the woman in darkness and me unsettled. For some reason, that mark seemed very familiar. It tickled a vague memory somewhere in the back of my mind, as if I’d seen it before. But where?
I didn’t have an answer for myself.
As the rest of the crowd clapped and cheered in an uproarious frenzy, I sat back, my arms crossed tightly over my chest as I forced myself to breathe deeply. Laurent was obviously an amazing illusionist. I shouldn’t have allowed myself to get so caught up in his act. Because, that was decidedly all it was—an act.
Then why did I have a sense of impending doom in my stomach? As if that mark meant something. As if it’s always meant something.
I watched the spotlight return to Laurent, where he stood in the center ring, as he humbly took a deep bow and the crowd continued to serenade him with their enthusiastic applause.
***
The show came to an end in what felt like the blink of an eye. Modestly speaking, it was a sensational overload of lights, colors, and astonishing talents. As the crowd dispersed and the curiosities began filing to the back of the tent, I leapt off my bench seat and followed them, practically bouncing from all the excitement.
My mind flashed back to that strange marking on the woman’s wrist I’d witnessed, but I couldn’t give it much more thought because I felt a push from behind and, subsequently, tripped over my own feet. I cried out, bracing myself against the tent wall as I collapsed in an awkward heap on the ground.
“Whoops! Sorry.” One of the twins giggled as she stepped over me.
“You should be more careful, Mariah,” the other twin snickered, neither of them offering me so much as a hand up. They linked arms and sauntered off, leaving me to pull myself and my ego off the ground.
The shove, of course, had been intentional. Taking stock of myself, I confirmed I was okay. A little dusty and embarrassed, but uninjured. Even so, a second later, strong arms wrapped around me and hoisted me to my feet.
“Oh, I knew them brats was gonna try somethin’,” Halfrieda huffed, brushing my clothing off as Valida fixed my hair, which had gotten tussled in my fall.
“I… I only just met them,” I sputtered. “What could they possibly have against me?”
“Oh, zose two are greener zen Balthazar. Zey always act out ven a new, pretty face enters zee scene.”
I had no idea how to deal with such a situation. No one had ever bullied me before. I’d come from a small town, a cohesive farming community where everyone was friends with everyone else. Most of the people I’d met so far were the same way, well, except for the twins. And except for that strange, old woman… but she was either a ghost or a figment of my imagination so, either way, she didn’t count.
Back to the twins: maybe they were just testing me, trying to see what I was made of, trying to decide if I could be pushed around.
Laurent drifted in from the side, signaling my new friends to join the rest of the curiosities. He was no longer wearing his mask, but the top hat was still in place. He kept his pace slow, making sure everyone moved ahead, clearly wanting to talk to me—alone.
“I’m sorry the twins did that to you, Bindi dear. I’ll be sure to have a word with them.”
“That won’t be necessary.” My cheeks burned when anger replaced my embarrassment, but I kept my voice cool as I responded. “I can take care of myself.” I didn’t want to appear weak, as if I needed someone to defend me. I could only imagine that would just fuel the twins even more. No, this was a situation I had to take care of myself.
