Roman tightened his arms around me.
“This is real,” I choked out. “This is as real as it gets.”
A sickening dizziness overtook me as the ground beneath my feet crumbled away.
The woman made a muffled, keening sound.
Raul gave a satisfied nod to the nearest guard, who swiftly sliced through the bindings at the woman’s wrists and tore the rag from her mouth.
She sucked in a breath—then let out an ear-piercing scream.
At that exact moment, the fire dancers unleashed streams of fire from their mouths, the flames licking through the air like serpents.
“What a performance!” Raul exclaimed, throwing his arms wide. “Isn’t she wonderful?”
The crowd erupted into applause, cheering, “Brava! Brava!”
Raul reached down and ripped her mask away.
Tears streamed down her face, her wails growing frantic. “Please! Please don’t hurt me! I’ll do anything—just please, don’t hurt me!”
Raul tsked, stroking her arm as if she were some pet. “Child, this is all in good fun.” His voice was almost gentle, a sickening mockery of comfort. Then, with a flick of his wrist, a small knife appeared in his hand.
Before she could beg again, he sliced across her wrist.
Blood welled instantly, spilling in dark rivulets down her arm.
Roman tensed behind me, his breath hot against my ear. “We have to help her.”
“No.” My fingers dug into his arm. “If we try to help, we’ll both be up there.”
Tears burned my eyes, my chest heaving as I watched in helpless horror.
Raul made a small gesture, and a guard stepped forward, presenting a gilded goblet. Without hesitation, Raul positioned the chalice beneath the woman’s bleeding wrist, catching each crimson drop.
“What marvelous sleight of hand!” a man in the audience called out.
“It looks so real!” a woman exclaimed, laughing.
Raul raised the goblet to his lips and drained it in one long gulp. A satisfied groan rumbled from his throat as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
The crowd cheered.
I pressed a shaking hand to my mouth, bile rising fast.
The fire dancers seized their batons between their teeth andcartwheeled across the stage, their bodies moving in mesmerizing arcs of flame and shadow.
Then, Raul tossed the goblet into the crowd.
A frenzy erupted as people screamed and scrambled to catch it, clawing at one another as if it were some priceless relic.
I turned to Roman, barely able to choke out the words. “Oh, God, I—I can’t stand this. I think I’m going to be sick.” My mouth flooded with saliva, my stomach twisting violently.
And then, Raul moved behind the woman.
He stroked her damp hair.
Then he fisted a handful of her hair, yanked her head back?—
