“He’s a devourer of souls. Sucks the life right out of poor wretches like me and you. Well, not me. But you. AnddefinitelyCamila and Gabriel, if you don’t do everything I say.”
Her fighting stalled.
Ángel grinned. “That’s my girl.” He placed a deck of freshly painted cards in her palms.
He rolled back his shoulders and beamed. “Time to put on a show.”
Ángel swept into the Big Top and a spotlight found him instantly. The crowd went wild for him. They screamed his name. He bowed and then faced her, held up by Jade in the wings. He extended his hand toward Esmeralda; then Jade thrust her into the BigTop.
The audience roared.
“Paloma! Paloma! Paloma!” they shouted.
“They love you, kid!” the ringmaster yelled.
Her pulse raced as his hand squeezed around hers.
“Paloma! Paloma! Paloma!”
The screams were so loud. The lights were so bright.
Run, she told herself.Turn around and run.
But what about her friends? What about Keara and the comandante and Ignacio?
How could she get out of this? There had to be a way.
“Paloma! Paloma! Paloma!”
Somehow, she and Ángel had made it to the very center of the ring, joining the other two performers left in the Running. She tried to meet their eyes, or scream a mumbled warning, but neither looked at her. They were too busy waving at the expectant crowd.
Ángel twirled her in a dizzying circle before seating her on the hoop she’d used during the second challenge. The moment her bottom was on the ring, the hoop soared upward.
She frantically clasped onto the ring with both hands. Her muscles flexed at once. The weight of her wings too great a burden.
The ringmaster’s voice echoed over the eager crowd. “Get ready, friends, fans, and fiends, it is time to watch the great Paloma Blanca spread her wings!”
Chapter 40
Ignacio
Ignacio raced through the mirrored archway that led into the Big Top. His reflections chased after him from above. In the mirrors, his lips pulled into a smile so high, it reached his temples. His eyes glowed like Tezcán’s.
The god’s voice rumbled through the air, “It’s a shame I cannot be everywhere all at once, or I would have gladly devoured your friends’ soulsandenjoyed the show. But this is better, I think. I do so love watching shining stars light up the night sky before I swallow them whole.”
1st of November, 1919. D+P: Age 16
Dovie. I saw you when you came back to the manor this afternoon. You looked…I don’t particularly know. Haunted? Do you want to talk about it?
I was on an assignment from your father.
You know I will not speak to you about such things. So please drop it.
You can speak to me about anything. You can trust me with your secrets.
It is best to keep us and what I do for your father separate, don’t you think?
Sure. I like that you called us US. Does that mean we are an US?
