Chapter 29 Esmeralda #2
She fit so perfectly against him. As if the curves of her body had been built to mold into his like a puzzle.
“What now?” he asked, his voice strained.
She tilted her head back and met his gaze. The air grew thick between them. And for a second, the world faded away as they spun in slow circles. Her gaze flicked to his lips. Would they be as soft as she remembered? Would they make her insides melt like before?
“Dovie.”
His voice snapped her back into reality.
“Hold perfectly still,” she ordered. “And keep your toes pointed up. I’m going to attempt to do something rather risky.”
“I hate the sound of that.”
His warm breath brushed across her neck. The sensation made the hairs on her arms stand on end. Good thing they were hidden away by the gloves.
“Keep steady and I won’t fall to my death.”
“What?!”
With all the flare she could muster, she scooted off his lap.
The audience gasped, but she did not fall. She had slid her body down the length of Ignacio’s long legs and caught herself from plummeting to her doom by wrapping her underarms around his ankles.
She dangled in midair.
People stood on their feet and applauded. But not all. Many were still watching the other acts perform. She had to do better.
She flicked her fingers like she’d seen the ringmaster do countless times.
The cards she’d tucked inside her gloves fanned out like a bouquet of flowers.
She closed her eyes and over-dramatically shouted, “Spirits, guide me.” When she opened her eyes, she tucked in her legs so the hoop wove in circles.
She made a great show of searching through the audience.
She gasped like she’d been touched by her spirits and pointed at a tall woman dressed as a giraffe.
“You have been chosen!” Esmeralda bellowed.
She released one of her cards. It folded itself as it fluttered in the air, taking the shape of a paper dove.
“The spirits wish to show you what great fortunes lie ahead!” Esmeralda yelled.
The dove darted downward, flapping its little wings toward the woman. The audience pointed and exclaimed their excitement as the paper bird swooped low and then fluttered around the woman’s head.
“Grab it!” someone in the crowd hollered.
The woman did so, and the dove flattened into a single card. The woman’s mouth dropped into the shape of an O. “It’s a drawing of a storefront with my name on the sign,” she cried. “This is what I’ve always wanted!”
Esmeralda kicked her legs once more and spun herself and Ignacio about. She repeated the act again. This time to a man sporting a lollipop mask. More people in the crowd took notice. They watched with anticipation as the dove flew into the man’s awaiting palm.
He waved the flattened card in the air. “It’s a depiction of twins!” He turned and kissed the man in a matching lollipop mask.
“I want my fortune told!” someone yelled.
“Me too!”
“No. Me!”
“Give us more!”
One by one, she released the cards in her hand.
“Paloma! Paloma! Paloma!”
Esmeralda’s heart swelled. They loved her.
She flicked her wrists, producing more cards. The enchanted gloves warmed against her skin. Almost too warm.
Smiling through her discomfort, she sent more paper doves flying.
The crowd jumped and climbed onto each other’s shoulders like a ravenous horde. But they were laughing and whistling and calling her name. Everyone in the audience was looking at her now. She was doing it. She was going to pass this challenge.
But the gloves were starting to burn into her skin. And her underarms were throbbing. Surely, Ignacio’s ankles were too.
Yet around and around they spun. The hoop began to whirl faster than she wanted. She couldn’t stop it. The audience below blurred. Dizziness tugged at her consciousness.
She forced her gaze upward to focus on the tent roof, but that was when she saw it.
A horrifying face peered through the dark mirrors that hung from the rafters.
It looked like an old clay mask. Fractures and cracks littered its strange skin.
The thing had a ruddy nose, a sneering grin, and glowing eyes that whirled like a spinning top.
“Pigeon,” she cried out. “Look toward the rafters.”
“Shit,” Ignacio exclaimed.
Her gloves sizzled viciously into her skin, and she sucked in air through her teeth.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I have to get these gloves off.” Desperate, she bit into the fingertip of her glove and tried to tug it free. Her jerky motions nearly sent her sliding off Ignacio’s ankles.
“Hold still, Dovie. I’m going to lift you back up,” Ignacio said calmly.
“I can’t!” She squirmed. “Everything burns!”
“You can do it. You’re so strong. Stronger than you realize.”
The pain was searing. She gritted her teeth and groaned.
“Just focus on my voice, okay? Listen to what I’m saying. I’m going to lift my legs up. All you need to do is try and reach up and grab hold of the hoop. Can you do that?”
Could she? Could she do anything but drown in nausea and blazing heat?
“I’m going to lift you now.”
He grunted. The laces of his boots dug into her armpits. It was a welcome distraction.
“Raise your arms, Dovie.”
She did. His legs squeezed her, holding her in place so she wouldn’t slip. But she couldn’t find the hoop. Oh gods, she was going to faint. Or retch.
“Tilt your arms back,” he commanded. “You can do this.”
She did as she was told. Her knuckles grazed the ring. But she couldn’t quite grasp on to it. Ignacio grunted again. He lifted her a tiny bit higher. Her fingers wrapped around the ring. A shock of pure agony tore through her veins.
A strong arm cinched around her waist and jerked her back. They wobbled for a second. The crowd gasped in terror.
This is it, she thought. I’ve killed us both.
But Ignacio held her tight to his body. His other hand was clenched above their heads, right next to her own hands.
They both panted as they spun. She wanted to cry from the dizziness, and her arms felt as if they were boiling from the inside out.
“Smile,” Ignacio whispered into her ear. “You must continue performing or the ringmaster will disqualify you.”
Despite her anguish, she did what he said.
“Keep your act going,” he added.
She let more cards fly. With each flick of her wrist, the gloves burned hotter. Her only comfort was the feel of her back against his solid chest. His strong arm holding her in place.
“Thirty more seconds!” The ringmaster’s voice boomed throughout the tent. “Shout out your favorite act!”
The audience exploded with praise for the doves.
Someone shrieked. Then a flash of orange light exploded upward. And the spot where Paco once stood was now completely engulfed in flames.