“I now ask that the audience direct their attention to the ceiling of the big top, where our next act will take place,” Ivy proclaimed. “Become enthralled by the fiery blaze of our next act, and observe the power of the Diamond Empress.”
The warmth of the spotlight was on me, and it reflected off my dazzling outfit, making the entire area around me sparkle. I lifted my hands, and two fireballs ignited in both of them. The platform I was sitting on caught ablaze, burning brightly as the flames licked my form. The swing began to move back and forth at Charlie’s Air magic, swinging like a trapeze as I manipulated the flames around me. His powers secured me in my seat, so I kept my balance and didn’t fall.
“See how the fire touches her body, but she doesn’t burn!” Ivy exclaimed. “Observe as she manipulates the flames to her will!”
I pushed the fireballs together to create a stream of flame. They forged into one, and I manipulated the fire to morph into a unicorn, which galloped above the crowd, before shifting the flames into a dragon. The fiery dragon beat his wings, and embers trailed down from above as the vampires looked upwardnervously. They didn’t like fire, as it was one of the things they were vulnerable to. It was important for them to know they couldn’t fuck with me.
I left the Fire dragon to fly around the room on its own as I took two batons at my sides, lighting them aflame. I swirled them around in complicated movements, tossing them into the air and catching them as they were still burning. It was a simple baton sequence I’d learned in cheerleading, but it was impressive, because the flames licked all along my arms and hair as I tossed the batons, leaving my body unharmed.
I took one of the flaming batons and inserted the end of it inside my mouth. The flames burned across my lips, and I blew out a breath. A plume of flame erupted from my mouth, one that was large and aimed toward the audience. The flames ended before they touched anyone, but still, the vampires could feel their heat, and they were astonished.
As the crowd was still gaping in amazement, I shifted the Fire in the room to change colors. The red dragon became blue, and sapphire flames burned around me as I showed off my specialty to the crowd.
“The Diamond Empress is the only caster in the world who is able to create blue Fire— a cool substance, one that is created of both Fire and Water, an energy that even the most powerful creatures are vulnerable to, in this world and the next! Nothing can survive its touch!” Ivy said.
I could feel Salvatore’s covetous eyes roam the edges of my blue Fire. He definitely wanted magic that could kill anything he desired, and my blue Fire was it.
“To aid her in her performance, the Diamond Empress will be accompanied by her husband, who is none other than the Elven Prince,” Ivy shouted.
Even so, I could tell their tone was nervous— if any part of the circus could go wrong, it was this one, because Charlie’s appearance could set everyone here off.
I extinguished my flames, and the fiery dragon turned into nothing more than smoke. Whispers of shock traveled all around as Charlie walked into the arena below me. None of the mobsters could believe that the Majestica heir was right here, in a literal den of vipers. A few of the underbosses looked up, waiting for Salvatore to give them an order, but Salvatore shook his head. The show would go on.
“The Elven Prince and the Diamond Empress will now perform acrobatic tricks from above,” Ivy added, and my trapeze slowed to a stop. “Now, let me be clear. The Elven Prince is completely blind; he has no sight, no ability to see where his partner may be. They must be in perfect tandem for this not to become a tragedy.”
An aerial silk, created out of an illusion by Kallie, suddenly appeared at my side. It was hooked to the top of the tent’s infrastructure and would hold our weight. Charlie flew up to hover beside me. He wrapped the silk around his arm and torso, then reached out the other to grab me around the waist. Charlie held me close to him, and I felt our rapid heartbeats beat together as one. Charlie used his Air magic to swing us around the arena in a circle, twirling our bodies as the silk twisted with the gusts of wind. The crowd sighed in awe as the two of us spun in the air, flying over the arena in beautiful patterns formed by Charlie’s magic.
We scared the crowd when Charlie pretended to drop me. There were a few screams, but Charlie caught my wrist at the last second, and I used momentum to swing back upward. His magic pushed me around until I was back against his chest again, in the place where I belonged. He was holding me, and we were flying, and everything seemed so beautiful. I clung to Charlieand looked up at his gorgeous face as our bodies wound around each other and our breathing synchronized.
“I love you,” I said, and I kissed him. He kissed me back, and we soared together with our mouths forged. It was so romantic I could die right then.
“The epitome of true love,” Ivy drawled dryly, in a way that was meant to say;Ava, that wasn’t part of the act.
I didn’t want it to end, but we had to stop flying sometime. The aerial silk lost the momentum it had and slowed down. Charlie deposited me back onto the trapeze that was still hanging in the middle of the arena, then hovered himself back to the earth.
Ivy raised their arms as they cried, “Now, for the most dramatic part of the act! A trust fall, from the height of the big top! The Diamond Empress will count on her husband to catch her as she falls. If he misses, it will be her doom!”
“How will he catch her if he can’t see?” A vampire cried from the audience— he actually sounded worried. I suppose these vamps weren’t all heartless.
“The connection between the Diamond Empress and the Elven Prince is very strong,” Ivy swore. “But its strength will be tested today.”
This was much taller than where Marcus had jumped from, but I trusted Charlie with my life. I let myself fall backward, and I spread my arms out wide as I plummeted downward. Cries rose from the audience as I fell, and my hair whipped across my face.
Then I felt Charlie’s Air magic buffet me as I neared the ground, lessening the impact as I fell into his arms. Charlie cradled me against his chest, and the crowd went wild.
“A perfect landing!” Ivy cried. “Please give a round of applause for the Diamond Empress and her Elven Prince!”
Charlie didn’t bother to stick around as the crowd cheered, but immediately went to carry me out of the arena.
“You all right, pidge?” Charlie asked.
“Never better,” I said, and I kissed him again. He nuzzled against me. I wished we could go home right now to get some private time in the Sanctuary. I felt desperate for his attention, and Charlie knew it, too.
“Soon,” he promised as my thoughts passed him by. When we were outside the big top, he set me onto Oberi’s back. She’d changed into a unicorn at this point and was waiting for the next phase of the plan.
The crowd sounded like it was complaining through the next act. Oberi maneuvered me closer to the tent, and I poked my head in through a flap to see what was going on.
Chancey was up, and it didn’t look like the vampires were impressed by his strongman demonstration. He was lifting a car with one hand, but the crowd was booing and throwing disposable cups of blood at him. One splattered onto his shirt, and Chancey let out a string of curse words.
