“I—"
Before I can answer, Marcus appears on my other side. “The guards said there was a beam of light connecting you to him. Is that true?”
“I don’t k—"
“I heard his chest was glowing,” one of the acrobats says, joining the growing crowd. “And his eyes turned to amethysts right there in front of everyone.”
More performers gather around me. Everyone is talking at once. Asking questions. Demanding answers.
I hold up my hands. “Please, I don’t know what happened. I was doing my performance. I didn’t see anything. You know more than I do.”
“But you must have seen something,” Lyre presses.
“I was performing. Then there was pain, and heat, and…” I shake my head. “I almost fell. By the time I came to my senses, the guards were already dragging us both away.”
“What did they do to you?” Marcus asks, his eyes filled with concern.
“They questioned me. That’s all. Then they let me go.” I force another smile. “It was nothing. Just a misunderstanding. I had nothing to do with any of it.”
“A misunderstanding that will make us some good coin,” one of the strongmen says with a laugh. “We’re sold out for the next four nights!”
The group erupts in excited chatter about the extra performances, the increased pay, and all the attention.
“Isla, did you…?” Lyre starts to ask.
“Please excuse me. I need to eat. Master Roland wants me practicing soon, and I don’t want him angry,” I tell them. “The same goes for all of you.”
That gets their attention. No one wants to face the tent master’s wrath.
I take the opportunity to walk away, going as fast as I can without actually jogging. I sigh out of pure relief when no one follows me.
I reach the cook fires and find Bess stirring a pot. She looks up as I approach, her round face breaking into a smile.
“There she is.” She waves me over. “I was hoping you’d come by this morning. How are you feeling?”
“Tired,” I admit. “But I’ll manage.”
She gives me a look of concern as she fills a bowl for me. “Here you go. Eat up. You need your strength. I put a little extra honey in the porridge today.”
“Thank you. I’m starved.” I take the bowl and find a quiet spot away from the fire. I swallow a spoonful of food. The porridge is thick and sweet, flavored with not just honey but dried fruit, too.
I practically shovel the food into my mouth, it’s so good.
Bess sits down beside me with her own bowl. “So,” she says, touching her shoulder against mine. “What happened at the castle? You must have been so scared.”
I swallow my mouthful of porridge. “They threw me in a cell. Then they questioned me. But they let me go when they realized I had nothing to do with…with whatever it was that happened.”
“Did you see him…the fae?” She leans in, lowering her voice.
“Which fae?” I ask, even though I know exactly who she means.
“The one with the marking. The one they say might be the Shadowfae King.”
I nod slowly. “I saw him twice. Once outside the tent, when they were dragging us to the castle, and then once down in the dungeons.”
“And?” Her eyes are wide. “Did he look like the king?”
I shrug, stirring my porridge. “I’ve never seen the king, so I can’t be sure.”
