Lyrical music weaves through the crowded auditorium. I’m waiting in the wings, but this time my—our—act follows Lena and Leith’s silk dance. The change is a little off-putting, but I agree with Delmar. It fits the storyline better now that there are two of us.
Or there should be two of us. I have no idea where Renner is.
Lena is on a floating platform in the middle of the stage, arms extended, and Leith is suspended below her on a length of pure white silk. I haven’t seen their act in a while, and I’ve forgotten how incredible the twins are.
As part of a unique race that creates their own silk, their exotic ability charms crowds and draws out oohs and ahhs. Silk extends from threaders in Lena’s wrists. It comes out a shimmery blue as she leans over, dangerously far. The silk wraps around a hanging bar similar to my fly bars. When it’s secure, she leaps off and spins in a circle, starlight colored silk shooting from her other wrist.
You wouldn’t expect silk to be so strong, but it is. In mid-flight Lena changes position, flipping upside down, and Leith reaches out to her. She extends a hand to him, silk automatically wrapping around his wrist, and they circle from the hanging bar, his dark purple strand mingling with hers.
I’m mesmerized by the spinning colors and don’t notice Renner until it’s too late.
“Sorry I’m late.” He huffs out a breath. “Had some issues with the dreyhass again. Nasty creatures.”
His minty scent surrounds me, superseding the greasy smells from the concession booths, but I keep my focus on the show. “Glad you could make it.”
“You kidding?” He props an elbow on the wall directly behind me and cocoons my body. “I wouldn’t miss this for the Verse. Not after all those practices you put me through.”
I can’t help it. I turn to look up at him. “I put you through?”
Stage lights flash against his white teeth. He’s teasing me.
Over the last week of travel, we’ve rehearsed every day. Sometimes two times a day. Now that he’s gotten the hang of catching me, he’s always the one who wants to try it “one more time” at the end of rehearsal.
“Tonight is the big night,” I say, gauging his reaction.
“Yeah. It is.” His arm shifts, and I see him fiddling with the new holomask. We both wear them now, and I know he’s still not used to it. But it’s more than the mask that’s bothering him. He looks…
“Renner Cartha.” I turn away from the stage and give him my full attention. “Are you nervous?”
“Me? Nervous?” His voice cracks. “Why would I be nervous?” He straightens and stretches his neck.
“You are nervous.” I lean in, and my voice turns serious. “Are you okay to go on? I’ll do it without you if you don’t feel ready. Delmar will understand.” He won’t like it, but he’ll understand.
“I’ll be fine.” He looks suspicious. “You aren’t trying to get rid of me, are you? Afraid I’ll steal the show?”
I laugh. “That’s literally the last thing I’m afraid of.”
He fakes a wounded motion, clutching his chest. “She may be pretty folks, but she’s cruel.”
“Am not.”
“Oh, you definitely are.”
I turn, mentally pushing away the fact he just said I’m pretty.
The lights dim as Leith and Lena reach the ground draped in silk. It’s gathered every night after the show and offered for sale on the concourse—the high-quality silk always fetches top creds.
“Okay, we’re almost up. Remember what I said about—”
“Please don’t remind me of everything you’ve taught me in the last week right before we go on, Tal. If I didn’t learn it then, I’m not going to learn it now.”
“That’s comforting,” I say as we ready to enter the spotlight.
The music changes, and Delmar recites the next part of the story like a disembodied celestial narrator.
Renner shifts, concern darkening his handsome features.
“What is it?”
He bites his lip. “Nothing.”
“What aren’t you saying?” I lean in.
“Talie, I’m…wanted.”
“Oh please.” I frown back at him. “Are you really reminding me that every girl on this ship thinks you’re irresistible? What? Do you need some sort of ego-boost to get you pumped for the show?”
He laughs, his shoulders hunching with the effort to keep quiet.
“What?”
“That’s not what I’m saying.” He rubs at hand over his face. The holomask shimmers then falls back into place.
“Then what—”
“My face is all over the net. I’ve got the holomask, but I wanted you to know. In case anyone recognizes me.”
“Oh.” There’s a universe full of questions I want to ask, but Del is almost done with his narration, and now is not the time to ask them.
“I just want you to…be prepared.”
“Okay.” The thought of someone dragging Renner off the ship and back to Drawx isn’t something I want to think about, but I’ll be bringing this up once we’re done with our show.
He hesitates then leans down. “Did you say every girl?”
I elbow him in the side, the move all too familiar from our sparring, and smile.
When his knuckles brush against mine, I’m startled by the contact, but I realize he’s doing this for the show. It’s all part of the act. Stilted lovers, drawn together in the stars but destined to part on land.
The auditorium lights go out, and only stars twinkle above us from the top portion of the auditorium where retractable doors have opened to showcase massive viewports.
“Want to kiss me for good luck?” His husky whisper tickles my ear and sends molten lava through my veins. It pools in the pit of my stomach, a burning fire made of forbidden attraction to this frustrating boy. I quench it with truth: this is all an act.
“I’ll pass.”
The lights blare, and I catch his grin right before the holomask sparks back into place, making our features look more like that of plastice dolls than humans.
We step onto the stage, rhythmic music keeping time with our steps. The thin strips of my skirt swirl about my ankles in colors of deep navy and star-white, matching his navy onesuit with pearlescent trimming.
I’m so focused on the new routine, the applause barely registers. We’ve practiced so much I could probably make the moves in my sleep, but it’s the first time in front of an audience, and that always makes me nervous.
I look up as the music pauses. Renner’s exactly opposite me.
Good, he’s right where he needs to be.
I wait two breaths, knowing when the music will swell to emphasize us shooting upward, but despite the distance across the stage, I sense Renner’s mood shift. His shoulders tense, and his gaze focuses somewhere on the crowd below me as our platforms ascend.
I shouldn’t be so attuned to his body language, but when you trust someone with your life, you can’t help but grow close—despite how hard I’ve tried to keep my distance.
He holds his stare before turning back to me.
Trying to be as unobtrusive as possible, I look down and behind me. When I see the upturned face in the flash of a strobe light, I gasp. It’s the same man I saw at our very first performance. The man from Renner’s unit who I thought was staring at him.
Stars. I’ve nearly missed my cue.
Lights find me stumbling to recover as my bar releases in the middle of the stage. I quickly grab the platform fly bar and leap off. I can make up the distance, and I’m not worried about my timing, but what I am worried about is the massive distraction this will be for Renner.
I maneuver my flips and twists like I’ve done them forever—because I have—and make it to the middle platform. While Delmar told me to incorporate Renner in more of the show, we both agreed to keep his part small for now. One catch. That’s all he has to do.
Swallowing, my eyes find his before I flip backward and extend for the next released bar. I reach it easily, this has always been second nature to me, but I see Renner readying himself out of the corner of my eye.
Then I’m back on the farthest platform, reaching for the last fly bar, just as Renner throws himself backward. I admire how easy he makes it look. For all his mistakes during the first few days, his natural athletic ability helped him catch on fast.
I wait for my cue, the music swelling and dipping. I’ve momentarily forgotten about the man, but he surges to mind with one quick glance. Is it by chance he’s here? A super fan? Or did he follow Renner through the Torren System to Web13? It’s only a newly formed colony of miners looking for entertainment, but wherever Delmar senses profit, we go.
It would be unlikely for a Drawxian soldier to come this far on a whim, but maybe not impossible. Renner’s words return to me—he’s a wanted man. All over the net.
My stomach clenches. This man is following Renner.
The music makes my muscles move before my brain catches up. I leap off the platform, hands sure on the fly bar. From here, our timing looks perfect. With Renner upside down, I can’t tell what he’s thinking, but I hope it’s about the performance. We just need to make it through the show. Then we can form a plan. Hide him somewhere. Divert the man off the ship. Something—anything.
I reach the apex of my arc and thrust my legs upward, releasing my hands at exactly the right moment. Feet over my head, I’m tucked in tight to make the rotation fast so I’ll have time to extend and grasp Renner’s hands.
My body shoots straight as an arrow, and I home in on Renner, but he’s not looking. He’s distracted. He’s looking at the man below.
My throat tightens. I know he can still make this work.
Look at me, Renner. Look at me!
He does, but it’s too late. My hands slip right through his.
I’m falling.
And there’s no net.