Roshaan
It’s time for her to deliver the masks to the elite guests who have reserved spots for the flagship show, billed as Theo’s most “dangerous, truth-piercing performance yet.”
The irony is not lost on her, and she’s wire-tense as she enters the wardrobe and dressing room area to collect the trays containing a selection of gold, silver, and bronze masks.
The room is empty apart from Theo, who is deeply absorbed as he paces up and down, mentally rehearsing. She can see he’s already begun to slip into his stage alter ego, Sorin the Magnificent, the darkly charismatic seer into souls. He hasn’t even noticed her.
She tries to get past quickly as she aims for the costume and props area. But he sees her, and stops in his tracks.
“Roshaan! Where in the hell have you been? I’ve been trying to call you.”
She almost trips. “Theo, I—ah, I didn’t want to disturb you.”
His gaze pins hers. He watches her intently. He’s not in costume or makeup yet, but something about his stage persona—the dark magician, the mind reader—is already cloaked around him. She can see Sorin smoldering inside his eyes.
She used to love witnessing this transformation in him. She found it seductive. Now she’s watching a monster surfacing in him. The devil-sorcerer. The con man.
Her mind spirals back to Avi Galev’s words.
You’re a dead girl walking, Roshaan. If you want to keep walking, this is how it’s going to go.
“Did you get them?” he asks.
“You know I got them. You could see on your laptop the feeds went dead.”
Theo studies her. She shifts on her feet. She’s afraid Sorin inside him can actually see into her soul, read her mind, that he knows what Avi Galev has ordered her to do.
He comes closer.
She scents him. Feels him, cloaking, wrapping, tightening around her. Smothering. Controlling. Sweat prickles over her skin.
“Where are they?” He almost hisses the question.
“I have them. It’s fine.”
“Give them to me. I want to see them.”
“I’m not lying, Theo.”
“I’ll feel safer if you give them to me. I’ll take care of them.”
She swallows and extracts the tiny surveillance devices from her pocket. Avi returned them to her. He told her to pretend nothing happened.
If you tell him, you both die.
Mouth tight, she holds the fistful of cams out to him. He glances across the room, ensuring no one has entered. He extends his hand. She drops them into his palm. She can see him mentally counting the devices.
His fist closes around them.
“And no one saw you—no questions asked?”
Carry on as though everything is normal. Play along with him.
She shakes her head.
“Thank you,” he whispers seductively. “I love you, Rosh.”
She turns away from him, goes to pick up her trays, sets them onto a cart, and wheels it to the door.
She feels Theo’s gaze boring into her as she exits. Roshaan exhales shakily as the door swings shut behind her. She feels he doesn’t trust her. Not anymore. She sees it in his eyes. He knows something is up.
Her interaction with Avi plays through her mind.
“What will you do to him?”
“Think of him as Schrodinger’s magician, Roshaan. Better that box not be opened. Because you won’t like either alternative. You two picked the wrong marks to extort, my girl. Theo has probably already realized this, but you have no idea what you’ve gotten into.”