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CHAPTER TWENTY

IRENE

“ T hat’s your plan? A circus?” Irene asked, arms crossed, standing beside Blade. Disbelief laced her voice, irritation clear in the way her brows knit together. Blade didn’t answer. He only sighed.

Before them stretched the chaos of a circus, a riot of color and noise. Tents of every hue dotted the square, dominated by a massive yellow striped tent rising against the horizon. Jugglers flung flaming torches skyward, their motions fluid and hypnotic. Actors in painted masks performed tragic farces, their exaggerated gestures drawing laughter from the crowd. Drums and flutes wove a melody through it all, blending with the clamor of voices.

Irene squinted against the sun glaring down, despite the hat pulled low on her head to conceal her face. When Blade remained silent, she turned toward him, irritation sharpening her gaze only to freeze. His face was pale, trembling. His eyes were tightly shut, and his breathing came fast and uneven, as if he stood on the edge of panic. His hands twitched, unable to stay still.

“Are you sure you’re okay? What’s your problem?” Irene snapped, growing impatient. They were wasting time, time they didn’t have. She wanted to bury herself in conversations rather than think about Dax, about the storm of emotions he stirred in her. There was no way she was going to dwell on him or the maddening tension between them.

Blade cut off her spiraling thoughts. “How do I look?” he asked, running a hand over his head.

“Fine? What the hell are you talking about?” Irene answered.

“I just need a moment… I know someone who can help us get inside the Hive during the festivities,” Blade muttered, glancing around nervously. “It’s just… she might still be mad at me for what I did.”

Irene raised an eyebrow. “What, you betrayed her? Tried to poison her? Kill her? Send her to the ends of the world?” she asked. “No!” Blade shot back, looking genuinely offended. Irene sometimes forgot not everyone was as twisted as her and Dax.

“We were a team. Her and I worked together for many years, traveling from region to region. She danced or read fortunes, and I protected her. Sometimes, we’d steal. But when we ended up here in Eldoria, we underestimated how corrupt this city was. We conned the wrong people, and things got dangerous. Jessalyn saved me—I owed her a debt. So, when I agreed to work for her, well…” Blade trailed off before Irene finished for him.

“She didn’t take it well that it was no longer just the two of you and decided to leave?” Irene asked.

“Exactly. And besides, I didn’t want to crush her dreams,” he said, nodding toward the circus. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward.

A tall man in flamboyant clothes climbed onto a platform, calling out, A tall man in flamboyant clothes stepped onto a platform, his voice commanding attention as it boomed through the air. “Gather around, people of Eldoria! Witness the wonders of the Circus of Darius! And now, behold the extraordinary Hezra, with her porcelain hands that will open the doors of your destiny!” The crowd burst into applause.

A girl emerged from the tent, radiant and ethereal. Her porcelain skin glowed under the afternoon light, her delicate features framed by an elaborate high hairstyle adorned with tiny figurines of horses, stars, and seashells. Fiery waves of red-orange hair caught the sun. Her large blue eyes sparkled, and her radiant smile seemed to spread joy through the crowd.

She stepped forward gracefully, rising onto her toes and spinning in a fluid almost weightless motion. The elegance of her movement was mesmerizing, each gesture precise delicate and seemingly unreal. As she landed softly, the crowd erupted into applause, eagerly lining up before her, palms outstretched for their fortunes to be read.

Irene knew instantly that this was the one they had come for. The look in Blade’s eyes gleaming with recognition and a faint smile tugging at his lips said it all. Irene shot him a dark look, and he understood. He stepped forward.

“Hezra?” he called, his voice trembling slightly.

She didn’t turn.

“Hezra! It’s Blade!” he called again louder this time.

Hezra turned, eyes widening in shock. “Step back,” Blade muttered, and Irene took a few steps away.

Without warning, Hezra ran toward Blade at full speed, a sharp scream tearing through the air as she crashed into him, knocking them both to the ground. Her fists rained down on his chest as she shouted, “Coward! Three years! You abandoned me for that old woman!”

Blade didn’t resist; he took every blow in silence. But when her punches slowed, he snapped back, “I protected you! She saved me—I owed her a debt! I gave you a chance to keep chasing your dreams!”

Tears welled in her eyes. “We were a team! You and me against the world!”

Irene groaned loudly. “Well, now you’ve got another chance. Just hear him out!”

Hezra froze, then rose abruptly. Blade got up after her, brushing off his coat. Hezra turned to Irene and greeted her brightly, “Hello!” as if nothing had happened.

Irene nearly burst out laughing. This girl was unpredictable. Hezra adjusted her hair, gave a quick wave to the crowd, and called out cheerfully, “Everything’s fine!” Then she turned back to Blade, her expression hardening. Then she turned back to Blade, flashing a bright, forced smile for the onlookers. “You better have a damn good reason for this,” she said through gritted teeth. “I just ruined my reputation in front of my admirers.”

Blade hesitated. Irene, impatient, stepped in. “Apparently, Blade thinks you can help us sneak into the Hive during the royal ball?”