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“ZEMI...PSST. IT’S TIME to get up.”
“Hm?” I squint my eyes against the morning sun and peer up at Sirocco leaning over me with her locs in a ponytail.
“Get up sleepy head. You need to get some breakfast and get ready to train with the others.” It takes me a minute to remember where I am and what’s going on, then I pop up excited.
Yes, today is the day that the Lost Souls are going to start training me to be like them. I’m going to learn the routine for the prince of Zaphyre’s birthday performance!
“I’m up!”
“Good, breakfast is in the kitchen.” She says over her shoulder as she exits the room. I look around to find Sol and Jubilee aren’t in their beds either.
I skip to the bathroom and get ready for the day, tying my curly black hair into a ponytail. I go back into the room and take some clothes out of my trunk. Luckily I packed away two training tunics in my bag before leaving Hivena, and Sol happens to be my same pants size and offered me some extra clothes. Although the length of the pants are much shorter than I’d like.
I change into them and head down the hall into the kitchen. The only one in there is Emitt, sleepily munching away at his breakfast. I look around at the empty din and dining area.
“Where is everyone?” He looks over at me and smiles.
“Oh, good morning. Looks like you’re a late sleeper too. The others have gone to the tent already to practice and rearrange some of the routine.”
“Oh.” I’m actually not that late of a sleeper. It’s just the journey here has worn me out, and I’m still catching up on sleep. I wish they would have woken me sooner, I don't want anyone to think I just sleep in all day. I want them to know that I'm useful.
I walk behind the counter and grab some breakfast from the pots and pans sitting on the stove. Some kind of mixed greens with a nut dressing, some eggs, and sourdough bread that I promptly slather with my stash of royal jelly I got from the Ringmaster.
“Help yourself to seconds and thirds, we always make plenty. Being a Lost Souls performer can be a physically demanding job, you're gonna need the energy.” I smile and nod, sitting next to him while I munch on my breakfast.
The way the food sits in my stomach like the first meal I had here with the Lost Souls, I can immediately tell that Emitt used his healing magic in it. Compared to all the snacks and treats we had at the festival last night, this food feels like a rejuvenating and nourishing shot.
I can also tell the difference in my energy levels as the royal jelly settles in my veins and I silently thank the fact that the Ringmaster grows euphorbia flowers in his temple.
Honestly, if it wasn’t for him, I don’t know how I would have survived. I probably would’ve gotten to a point where I wouldn’t even have the strength to get out of bed, let alone be a performer. Without the royal jelly, the Lost Souls camp could have easily become a place where I was coming to die in peace, rather than a place I was going to live.
Once my stomach is satiated, we both set out to join the others behind the cabin. I enter through the flaps of the tent under the cool canopy and gasp in awe at the strung up lights wrapped around the support beams, illuminating all of the equipment the Lost Souls are using to perform their exquisite tricks.
“Keep steady Jubilee!”
“I’m trying!”
Pierre, Jubilee, and Jabari are working on some type of trick where they use their water and fire magic at the same time while walking the tight ropes.
“Your water keeps dousing my fire!” Jubilee gruffs annoyed.
“Well maybe if you didn’t put so much force around it and almost burn down the tent I wouldn't have to!”
“Hey, Zemi over here!” Scirocco waves from the side of the tent where she’s running a group of acrobats through a series of warmups. I jog over and she introduces me to the new faces. These must be the other performers that were off performing in other places. They’re very friendly. I already knew Naomi, Dante, and Veronica.
“Alright Zemi, the Prince of Zaphyre’s birthday is not too far off, so let's find you a spot and teach you the routine.” I nod excited. All of those years practicing in my bedroom has led to this very moment. I hope I can keep up.
Scirocco takes us through a sequence of stretches. At first, it’s hard to tell that any of the aerial dancers and acrobats have any magic. That is, until some of them contort their bodies as if they don’t have any bones. Scirocco’s ability allows her to perform stunts even the bravest soldier of Hivena wouldn’t dare attempt. She’s agile and inhumanely quick.
She and the others break down the performance so I can keep up, and after a couple of hours of practice, I really start to get the hang of it.
“I think you might be ready for the silks.” Scirocco beams. I nod excitedly. I’ve always dreamed of working the silks since I saw the Lost Souls perform for the first time when I was young. I tried making some of my own by sneaking fabric out of the fitting room and hanging it from my bedroom ceiling, but that didn’t turn out so well.
I let Scirocco take me up on the silks and she shows me how to swing and hang from them safely. As I’m hanging upside down after just unwinding myself from one of the silks, I look around in elation as the brightly colored tent whirls around me. The weightlessness of my body, the sounds of the other performers, it’s everything I ever dreamed of.
Tears spring to my eyes and blurry vision. This is exactly what I’ve wanted. This is what I’ve yearned for. I can’t believe I made it here to the Lost Souls.
My tears fall past my lashes and through my hair, when I suddenly hear Dante and Rowan call out to the entrance from below.
“Who are you?!”
“And how did you get here?”
The air in the tent drastically changes. A hushed tone blankets over everyone and I climb down from the silks to see what's going on.
Other performers stop what they’re doing and look over towards the newcomer that just walked into the tent too. He doesn’t say anything, just looks at us confused and frightened as he stares at everyone and all the equipment.
Rowan pushes his way through the crowd and approaches the haggard looking man who looks like he ambled into the middle of the forest on foot. That’s crazy, has he not heard the stories of how dangerous the forest can be walking alone?
“Who are you and how did you find us?” Rowan asks again with more sternness in his voice. The man stares at him, then, for a second, I could have sworn his eyes drifted past the crowd towards me. It causes a shudder to rake across my skin.
“I...I...I don’t know.” The man stumbles, clearly weak from his journey here. Rowan turns to the group.
“Good work today everyone, let’s take a break and reconvene later.” He motions for Jabari and they both escort the older man out of the tent. As soon as they leave, the others break out into whispers of concern and wonder. I look around them, then turn to Sol.
“Why’s everyone so shaken up?”
“This land is protected by the Ringmaster. No one is able to find us on their own unless led here by someone who already knows where it is. There’s a barrier placed over the Cyan Forest that repels people away and makes it too daunting for them to want to explore too far. Strangers rarely venture into the forest, let alone find us here.” I nod slowly, looking after the tent flap where Jabari and Rowan escorted the man out.
That reminds me of when Scirocco first drove us into the forest. I was uneasy and scared at how dangerous and dark the forest seemed. But once we crossed a certain point it’s like the entire atmosphere changed. The forest wasn’t scary anymore. It felt calming. That must have been the Ringmasters barrier.
I feel sorry for the older gentleman who stumbled across us. He looked like he was half in a daze and barely conscious of what he was doing.
We finish practicing for the day and break in late afternoon. Although all I wanted to do was keep practicing to make sure I master the routine, Scirocco really hammered in how important it is to not work myself to exhaustion. Especially on my first day.
“That was some great work you did, Zemi.” Scirocco grins, wrapping an arm through mine.
“Yeah you're a natural! You’re not only tall and statuesque like a goddess, you can move like one too!” Sol beams. I blush.
“Thank you.” I don’t know about the goddess part, but that means the world coming from trained Lost Souls who’ve been honing their crafts for years.
But one thing still nudges at me. No matter how good I am, the Lost Souls still have an aspect of their craft that’s...otherworldly. From the fire eaters, to Sol distorting and manipulating light. Even when I was back in Hivena and I put together my own performance for the royal feast, those performers all had something magical about them that really made their performances...unique. They had magic I don’t have.
The royal jelly does help in putting some oomph into my movements. It’s not like I’m completely without magic, but it’s also not magic that I can control and call on at will. It’s just there because I’ve eaten royal jelly since I was a baby, which has magical properties. Not because I have some untapped power that I can call on and control. Even the stamina and speed of the acrobats is almost inhumane when they’re messing around. They can go as fast or as slow, and as long as they want. I know for a fact that they’ve slowed down the routine significantly just so I can keep up.
I clear my throat, a little embarrassed to be asking this.
“Do you guys think I could ever be as good as you guys? Even without magic?”
They turn to look at me and smile.
“Of course! You’ll get there.”
“Yea, and it’s like the Ringmaster has always told us, everyone has magic flowing through them, we just have to access it.” I give them a small smile, feeling encouraged by their words. Maybe one day I’ll be able to harness some magic and stand in my full capabilities as a Lost Soul.
“But you’re not going to access them just moping around.” Emitt says, emerging from the forest trees like a hiding squirrel. Sol jumps.
“Don’t sneak up on us like that!”
“The first round of business to access your magical abilities is, you gotta loosen up.” He laughs, ignoring her. “I’ve got just the thing.” He jogs off down a cleared path and Sol follows.
“Wait for me! Woohoo! Swimming party!”
The other Lost Souls that we’re walking from practice come from behind the trees and jog after them too, laughing and jumping.
I look to Scirocco who smiles at me, then we follow suit, chasing after the others and following their hoots and hollers down a dirt path until the sound of rushing water grows louder and the smell permeates the air.
We run until we find ourselves at the waterfall Scirocco and I passed by on the way here the other day. It glitters and looks even more beautiful under the peak afternoon sunlight.
Immediately everyone starts stripping off anything heavy and jump into the water in various forms of undergarments, swimming their way towards the waterfall.
“Come on Zemi!” Veronica and Sol call from the water. I smile, taking off my shoes before jumping in after them. The cool water sends a jolt to my system, but feels refreshing nonetheless.
We splash around, swimming and laughing and playing games until the sky darkens to vibrant hues of orange and pink.
I’m not sure if an impromptu swimming party can really help me tap into magic like Emitt said, but it was fun nonetheless.
Time seems to stand still as we pull our heavy bodies out of the water, still laughing in exhaustion, and dry off before making our way back to the cabin starving. I can already smell the food cooking in the kitchen as we climb up the porch steps and enter the house.
Warmth covers me and I catch sight of Rowan and Jabari talking to the man that wandered into our camp at the dining table. A blanket is wrapped around him and a mug of some warm beverage is in his hands. Big pots are simmering and boiling on the stove in the kitchen.
Rowan and Jabari must have started dinner while everyone was at the waterfall.
I watch them curiously out of the corner of my eye while trying to be discreet. The others do too, and I can't help but stifle a laugh at how not subtle Pierre and Emitt are being.
Jubilee smacks them both on the arm. We try our best to give the three men space and disperse to wash up for dinner, but no one could deny their curiosity for how this strange man wound up in the Cyan Forest right into the Lost Souls camp on his own.
After quickly washing and changing into some fresh clothes, I head back towards the kitchen to see if the food is ready, only to falter in my tracks as I hear Scirocco and Rowans voice trailing to me from down the hall.
“How did he find us? Is he a threat?” She asks worriedly.
“No, I don’t think so. He seems just as lost and confused as we are. But one thing is for sure, he’s one of us.”
“A Lost Soul?! He can wield magic?...Did he say anything about how he wound up here?” There was a pause before Rowan continued.
“He said he felt pulled here. Like some type of vibration was calling him. And although he didn’t know where he was going, the pull felt safe enough to follow.”
Scirocco pauses.
“That’s strange, I’ve never heard of anything like that happening before.”
“Me neither. Tomorrow I’ll bring it up with the Ringmaster. Maybe he’ll have some insight on what to do about this peculiar incident. At first I was worried that the protective shield over the Lost Souls was waning or something, but it might be something else altogether. Until then, Jabari and I will keep a close eye on him and give him a warm place to stay for now. Judging by what he’s told us, he doesn’t come from much. His story’s no different than any of ours.”
My heart aches at that statement.
I wait until they finish their conversation and walk further away before I head out and join everyone else for dinner. The tone is light and cheery, but the tension from having an unknown person that came from nowhere in our presence was hard to ignore.
*****
OVER THE NEXT WEEK I woke up and joined the Lost Souls in the tent to practice the performances during the day, and hung out with them gardening, hiking, and sometimes venturing out into the market of Zaphyre in the evening.
The days go by smoothly and I get stronger and stronger each day. My body seems to revel in the new conditioning, considering I used to train everyday when I was in Hivena. My muscles must have missed it, and the flow of royal jelly to my system is a massive energy boost.
I just finished one of the sequences up on the silks when I decide to have some fun and do a trick I’ve been dreaming of since I was a girl. I always thought it would be fun to climb to the top of the silk and twirl down in a spiral effect. I tried asking Veronica if they had a move like that and she couldn’t think of any to her knowledge, nor did she know where to begin on how to do it safely. So I’ve been practicing it all week, and I think I have it figured out.
Instead of unmounting with the rest of the aerialists for a water break, I climb to the top of my silk and get in position. Once I reach the top I look down towards the mats below.
That’s a long way down. If I don’t land this, Emitt’s gonna be trying to heal me for weeks, and I doubt they’ll let me perform for the prince’s birthday celebration.
I take some deep breaths.
I can do this. Here goes nothing.
I wind the silk around my hand and body like I practiced, and let go, twirling fast as I slide down the length of it. I can hear oohs and gasps echoing around the tent, and when I reach near the end of my silk I strike a pose with control, keeping myself suspended in midair, and the tent erupts into claps and whistles.
I did it!
I smile in exhilaration as I dismount from the silks and the other aerialists surround me in a fit of praise and laughter.
“You have to teach us that!” Naomi says.
“Yeah Zemi, that was incredible! We have to put that in.” Veronica adds. She beams with pride, looking at the group.
“You know, I think this is going to be a stunning performance.”
“Yes!” Sol gleams. Then she looks down at her body in wonder. “I don’t know what it is lately, maybe I’ve been eating a lot of good food, but my magic has felt stronger than ever.” She opens her palms and a strong beam of light flares from them, temporarily blinding me before she puts them away. Naomi nods and flexes her back.
“Same. Something feels different and easier with my magic.” Scirocco giggles and rolls her eyes at them.
“That’s what happens when you get plenty of rest and eat right.” Emitt nods in agreement.
“Yup, it’s all thanks to me and my superior cooking skills, and my healing magic of course.”
Jubilee walks over and pats him on the back.
“Pfft, yeah right. If anything, it probably has something to do with the Ringmaster. My magic has been growing too.” She lifts her hands and I can see her fingers physically heat up as heat waves drift from them, along with a stifling warmth. Suddenly her hand ignites into a giant flame and she quickly puts it out with wide eyed panic.
“Whoa!” Scirocco gasps. “Are you okay?”
Jubilee’s face falls as she puts her shaky hands behind her back and clears her throat.
“Yeah...sorry.”
Scirocco and Sol look slightly worried for her. I scrunch my brows in confusion.
That’s a good thing right? Shouldn’t they want their powers to grow?
“Alright everyone, let’s break for the day.” Scirocco calls and we nod and gather our things just as Dante bursts through the tent flap, completely out of breath.
“Woah Dante, what is it? Did you run out of shaving cream for that one chin hair?” Pierre cackles to himself. Dante shakes his head vigorously.
“No...people...m-more people have just wandered into our camp.” Everyone goes quiet and stiffens in alarm.
“Like the first guy?” Sol peeps. He nods.
“Yes, they’re all magic wielders...and none of them know how they got here.”
