“Only just.” There was no hint of humor in his tone.
I tried to move but found it impossible. There were blades surrounding me, some so close that the slightest movement had them kissing my skin. One was stuck through my tank top, barely missing my torso, pinning me to the wood.
Zero grabbed that one and plucked it out of the target before spinning it in his fingers.
“That was impressive, little pet,” he said. His low voice skittered over my skin with goosebumps chasing it, and I choked down a lungful of caramel popcorn.
Fuck, he smells incredible.
“Th-thank you,” I managed.
If I expected him to offer me a hand or do anything remotely nice, he didn’t. He turned his back without a word and walked off, leaving me standing in front of the target.
I carefully extracted myself and spun to admire Zero’s handiwork. My heart shot straight into my throat when I saw a near perfect outline of my body, made of at least twenty black throwing knives. A ragged breath escaped me, and I reached for the side of my shirt. There were two puncture holes from the knife Zero pulled out.
It hit me then just how talented the demented clown was, and just how close I’d come to being skewered. If he’d wanted to hurt me, he easily could have.
From somewhere nearby, a single round of applause broke out.
“Wow, that was impressive!” an unfamiliar voice cheered.
I looked over at Daze, who was still waiting where I left him, and found someone standing next to him. She was short and curvy with shoulder-length blonde curls and a wide smile. And she was still clapping, the sound echoing awkwardly through the arena.
On numb legs, I walked over and stopped in front of them. Only then did she stop her applause, but she still beamed at me with pride.
“Arina, this is Bobbitt,” Daze said, gesturing to the woman next to him. She was a couple of inches taller than me and looked a few years older too.
Bobbitt?The name rang a bell.So, she’s the one in love with Hallow.
My eyes fell to her vibrant outfit—a canary yellow tank top, blue striped pants, and pink flats—before popping back up to her green eyes.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I said, still feeling unsteady. I needed to lie down for a bit and wait for the adrenaline crash I knew was coming.
“The pleasure’s all mine. You can call me Bobbi.” Her voice was bubbly and exaggerated, like a cartoon clown personified. It felt carefully curated, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it was all for show. Part of the costume she donned for the show. “That was quite the performance. No one has ever lasted that long with a blindfolded Zero.”
My cheeks burned hot. “Oh, that? Yeah… I just had to prove a point.”
She bounced on the balls of her feet, and her blonde hair followed suit. Somehow, her wide smile spread even further.
“Ya certainly did that.” She nodded. “In fact, I’m here because Hallow sent me. They were so impressed that they’ve decided to give ya a shot.”
“A-a shot?” My chest constricted, and my eyes quickly jumped to Daze like he could clarify.
All he did was nod. “Welcome to the Knotty Sideshow.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ARINA
Bobbitt talked fast and walked even faster.
After Daze returned my backpack, she shooed him away, so he could help set up equipment. He waved once before disappearing, and then she gestured for me to follow along behind her.
I did without question.
I couldn’t help but be a little disappointed as we left the arena. I’d just gotten comfortable around Daze, and now I was on my own again. Well, I was with Bobbitt, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about her yet. She was sweet and bubbly, the exact opposite of Zero, but I got the feeling something dark lurked beneath her soft exterior.
Daze said she’s just as crazy as Hallow…
