Page 45 of The Devil and His Goddess (Sinners Do It Better #2)
Harper
NERVES SWARMED MY GUT IN an endless storm. I closed my eyes and counted each inhale and exhale. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been this nervous, but that feeling mingled with an even greater sense of excitement.
Finally— finally —I’d be stepping on stage again.
The energy of the waiting audience reached all the way into the wings where I waited for the curtain to draw back. It was opening night for Dancing in the Dark , and the Silverlight home theater had a full house. Not only that, but Aiysha and her family, my parents and brothers, and even the Sinners Do It Better boys and the friends I’d made through them were out there.
They’d all come out to support me.
Perseus’s deep voice finished his opening words to the crowd, and I took a deep breath as applause sounded beyond the curtain. He appeared backstage to give a final word of encouragement to all of us, wearing his black suit with gold detailing. His golden curls were pulled back in a bun, a few strands framing his forehead.
“You guys have worked extremely hard for this,” he addressed his gathered dancers. His green eyes met mine as he finished, “And I am so proud of how far all of you have come.”
My throat constricted, and I smiled softly at him.
He swept his gaze over everyone as the orchestra began the opening music. “Get out there, and show those people what you can do.”
Everyone dispersed to their places. I waited in the wings as the curtain opened, and as the story started in the small village outside of the Dark Woods, I bourréed onto stage and let my heart bleed for all to see.
The lights shined down on me as I gave Psyche life, and in a way, she did the same for me. She and I weren’t all that different in the grand scheme of things, and that was probably why my performance was even more captivating than normal.
Psyche was a girl who loved dance . Expressing herself through the movements of her body was her way of interacting with the world. It brought her the greatest sense of happiness and self. But then her life was uprooted. She was kicked out of her village and sent to suffer alone where monsters lurked.
Only she wasn’t alone.
Malak, the Prince of Demons, watched over her. He loved her from a distance, protecting her when she couldn’t, and offering her a hand when she let him close enough to do so. Through his love, she learned to be whole again.
As the third act began, I swept on stage with my hand in Elijah’s, the two of us wearing our final, celebratory outfits. A black leotard with an elaborate gold design adorning the torso hugged my body. My black and orange tutu had gold, white, and orange sparkles decorating the top of it. The ensemble of colors and designs was like that of a monarch butterfly, which couldn’t have been more fitting for Psyche.
And me.
The two of us had been through hell, yet we rose from that suffering with our wings spread and ready for flight. People had tried to rip those wings from our body, but we withstood the torment, refusing to be broken.
Because we weren’t broken, something that took time to learn. Scarred? Yes. But never broken.
The music crescendoed as I leapt through the air for Elijah to catch and carry me around the stage in an angel lift. It was a display of everything the two of us and our love had overcome in the show. It was a presentation of our combined strength to both the demons and monsters on stage, as well as to the audience below. It was Malak, showing Psyche’s majesty to the world, and as the crowd clapped at the moving performance, those applause infused my bones with pride. It gave me that push to finish the demanding finale with all the power befitting Psyche and myself.
Elijah and I concluded the final act with a shoulder lift, smiling at each other while the court of dark creatures gathered around in a final pose of celebration.
There was a beat of awed silence in the crowd before the audience burst into a jovial chorus of applause and cheers. The curtain closed, allowing the dancers time to get off the stage so that we could take turns reemerging for final bows. Elijah and I leaned on each other, emotional over the successful opening show, as we watched our fellow cast members sweep onto the stage to receive their well-earned praise.
“You ready?” Elijah asked as he squeezed my hand and beamed down at me.
I nodded, too afraid to speak out of fear that I’d burst into tears.
With all of the other cast members lined up on stage, Elijah and I reemerged beneath the lights to take our place at the front of the group. The boom of applause grew as whistles and cheers enveloped us. We bowed together, soaking in the approval of the crowd. Elijah released my hand and stepped aside to wave his hands at me as I bowed alone for the crowd.
The cheers grew even louder, and through the bright lights, I saw the sea of people shoot to their feet in a standing ovation, their claps, whistles, and screams vibrating the very stage I stood on.
I beamed at them, unable to keep the tears from lining my eyes. After what had happened to me, I never thought I’d be back here. I never thought I’d manage to learn how to dance again, whether alone or with a partner.
Yet here I was, bowing in front of all of these people.
I’d clawed my way to this point, fighting everyday to get here. And it wasn’t easy. Even now, I still had days where the memories shook me up. There were days when the dark thoughts threatened to win. There were days when I doubted.
But then I’d reach through the dark where a warm, golden hand always waited to guide me through it.
My gaze swung to Perseus as he joined us on stage. He stood next to me but instead of taking his own bow, he faced me, applauding me along with the crowd. The bright smile he wore seeped into my chest and nestled right into my heart. I knew that no matter what I faced in the future, I’d make it out okay, because I wasn’t alone. I had him .
My demon.
My sunshine.
My peasant.