Page 31 of Song of the Dragon Rider
“Just relax,” one of the men said as he tightened a buckle near my waist. “You’re going to be fine. This harness will keep you safe.”
“Safe?” I shrieked. “What are you planning to do to me?”
They exchanged a look with each other but didn’t answer. Instead, they hoisted me off the ground with ropes connected to the so-called harness, and my feet dangled helplessly at a dizzying height. My shrieks echoed through the cavernous building as I flailed.
“Put me down this instant!” I bellowed, twisting in midair.
“Alright, bring her up,” someone called from above.
Suddenly, I was lifted even higher, my stomach lurching with every movement. The ropes jerked and swung as unseen workers adjusted me into position. “This is barbaric!” I yelled. “You’re all mad!”
“Okay, Cat,” a man shouted from below. “We’re going to do a basic swing and flip. Simple stuff. Just follow the motion.”
“Follow the motion?” I spat. “I’m not a trained monkey!”
“Action!” the man barked.
The harness jerked, sending me swinging wildly through the air. My hair whipped into my face as I spun uncontrollably, my arms floundering at my sides. In a blink, I flipped upside down and the blood rushed to my head.
“Stop this madness!” I screeched.
“She’s not following the movement,” someone muttered petulantly.
“No kidding,” another replied.
My stomach twisted violently as the harness flipped me again, over and over. By the time they finally lowered me to the ground, I was shaking and all the blood had leached from my face. I stumbled to a trash can and promptly emptied my stomach, much to the dismay of the workers around me.
As I stood there trying to regain my composure, the woman in the sharp heels—Monica, apparently—marched toward me wearing an irritated expression that rivaled a storm cloud. Her voice, loud and unrelenting, cut through the din of the studio.
“What the hell was that?” she demanded, jabbing her hands on her hips. “You call that an audition? You just made a complete fool of yourself in front of half the production team!”
I straightened and attempted to clutch the last scraps of my dignity. “How dare you speak to me in such a manner? Do you understand who you’re addressing?”
“I knowexactlywho I’m addressing,” Monica snapped. “A stunt performer who just wasted everyone’s time and money with… whateverthatwas. Do you evenwantthis job anymore, Cat? Because you’re sure acting like you don’t.”
“Acting? This ordeal is beneath me!” I shot back, my voice rising to match hers. “You dare to chastise me when it’s your foolish contraptions and barbaric methods that made this entire display a travesty?”
Angie stepped forward, stepping between us with an apologetic smile. “Uh, Monica, if I could just—”
“No, Angie,” Monica cut her off, pointing at me. “I’ve been patient. I’ve given her the benefit of the doubt after her little… accident, but this—this—was ridiculous.”
Angie raised her hands in a calming gesture. “Okay, let’s take a step back. Look, she’s still recovering, and honestly, she’s not herself right now. Head injuries can be tricky, you know? Maybe she just needs a little more rest before jumping back into something this intense.”
Monica crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. “Rest? She’s had amonth. I’ve got directors breathing down my neck. If she doesn’t shape up—”
“She will! And come on, Monica, she was in a coma for that month, so it wasn’t like she was relaxing. But I promise she’ll be back to her normal self soon,” Angie cut in hastily, throwing me a pleading glance. “Won’t you, Cat? You’ll… take it easy and be ready to come back stronger, right?”
I opened my mouth to deliver another scathing remark, but Angie’s desperate eyes stopped me. I huffed and folded my arms. “Fine. If it will end this absurd conversation, then yes, I will… ‘rest’.”
Monica shot me another icy glare before turning on her heel. “She’s got one more chance.One. After that, she’s done.” Her heels clicked furiously against the concrete as she stalked away.
As soon as Monica was out of earshot, I rounded on Angie. “What nonsense was that about rest? I don’t need rest; I need answers! Now tell me about this person who can get me back to Elaria.”
Angie froze, her face pale. “Uh… about that…”
I narrowed my eyes. “You lied to me, didn’t you?”
Angie winced. “Okay, yes, but—”
