Page 60 of Muse

It was a festival to honor our ancestors and a last hurrah before welcoming the impending winter darkness. The fall harvest was behind us, and the kingdom felt free for a few days.

When we finally pulled in front of the palace, Soren got out first, and he turned back to take my hand and help me out of the carriage. Both of us were already dressed in our conduction regalia because there was no way we could reserve a dressing room today. Those went to the most prestigious performers, nobles, and any of those with enough coin. Soren and I werenone of those, and he barely had enough clout to secure us a short opening slot.

Zinnia Russo made Soren's clothing, too, and designed it to match mine. He wore a long jacket, where the fabric transitioned to the same gossamer feathers of my dress. Underneath, he wore only a fitted brocade vest, so his red amulet lay on his bare chest. His hair was longish, making it a little wavy even when slicked back, and his dark eyes smoldered whenever he looked at me. His hand that took mine was adorned with heavy rings.

As soon as my feet touched the walkway up to the palaces, Soren let go of my hand and moved to the more chaste crook of his elbow. All around us were other attendees and performers arriving and the pesky moscazzi buzzing about.

The moscazzi were small fairies, no larger than a fly, who worked in gossip and information. They lingered around the royal palace and popular events, and they sold their stories to local papers and curious sidelined nobles.

I felt like throwing up, and I was already scanning the crowds for Adora and Baxley. I knew they would be here, but I would feel so much better if I could see where they were. If I had certainty about what places to avoid.

“I’m here with you.” Soren’s voice was low enough that only I could hear it. My left hand was in the crook of his right arm, and he put his free hand over mine, caressing the back of it with his thumb. “I will be right by your side all night long.”

And somehow, that did settle my nerves. Not entirely, but it felt a bit easier to breathe and think.

We made our way to the ballroom, which served as a holding room for all the acts. Fortunately, everyone was so focused on preparing that no one wanted to chat. That was perfect because neither did I.

There was an overabundance of varying acts. A tiger was sleeping in the corner while her handler watched over, and there were different muses, jugglers, and enchanters.

Herve Chaunter and his flock muses in their fluffy, brightly colored feather costumes came in as show time grew closer. They’d likely been practicing in a large room while I tried to stretch in a tiny spot next to Soren.

Briar waved at me from across the room, and she was practically drowning in crimson feathers. They covered her chest and her hair, so I could hardly even seeher. But then I saw Hereve looming behind her, speaking to Baxley Cole, who was all dressed in yellow.

I smiled and waved at Briar, and then I looked away. The moment I did, I felt Soren’s hand on the small of my back, subtle but so reassuring. I wanted to lean into him, to feel his arms around me. But now was definitely not the place, even if that kind of thing wasn’t forbidden.

Finally, it was mine and Soren's turn to perform. We walked out of the holding room to the main ballroom, arm-in-arm. On the dais, Queen Kriselle was on her throne, with her daughters Cosetta, Sylvetta, Flornetta, Danetta, and Anabetta on her right side, and her various other courtiers on the left. Among them, I saw my mother’s eyes, but I kept my expression even and my head high.

Across from the dais, the audience formed a semicircle around the crescent-shaped stage. The floor-level attendees were comprised of the wealthy elite of Calida and whatever other citizens could buy their entry or find a way to sneak in.

Soren and I walked to the center of the stage, smiling and bowing before the royal family. Just before we parted, he whispered in my ear, “Close your eyes and remember it’s only me and you.”

I took my position in the center while Soren moved off to the side as my enchanter. I held an orange scarf in one hand and a red one in the other. They were the only bits of color in my costume, at least until I brought out the magik.

The conduction began with the sound of a raven, and then the elegy began playing. I closed my eyes and let my body move the way it knew how. I thought of Soren’s hand pressed on my abdomen, and I pushed my magik out with all my might.

Soren's emotive baritone enveloped me, consuming me, so it was only his voice and the air whipping around me. The ground had disappeared beneath me, and I was twirling through the ether, dancing scarves and filling the air with glittering lights of ravens and roses.

At the decrescendo of the music, when I hit my final pose, I opened my eyes and could see the remnants of the magik crackling through the air. The crowd was staring in wonderment, but my eyes searched for Soren because he was the only opinion that really mattered to me.

He smiled at me with pride and delight as he lowered me back to the ground. Before my feet even touched the sound, the audience began to applaud.

We bowed before the Queen and her court, forcing myself to be polite even when I had an irresistible urge to run off the stage.

At last, when we were able to escape into the dark corridor away from prying eyes, I leaned back against the cold wall and let out a laugh.

“You were magnificent, Izzy,” Soren said, his eyes full of heat and energy.

“Wewere magnificent,” I corrected him. “Do you think we made our ancestors happy?”

“You made everyone in the whole damn kingdom happy,” he said with a wicked smile. He moved in closer to me, and my heart pounded in exhilaration. “But no one more than me.”

He'd removed his overcoat during the conduction, so he stood sleeveless in his vest. The tattoos that covered his arms glowed faintly, and so did his eyes.

“Izzy!” Briar suddenly shouted in excitement, and I looked over to see her rounding the corner and racing toward me. “There you are!”

Soren immediately moved away from me, practically jumping back as if burned, but I don’t think Briar noticed.

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you waiting with the other muses?” I asked.

---