The Immortal Circus: Act Two by A. R. Kahler Read Free Book Online Page A

in
the booth after the final act, I sit and shuffle my cards and acknowledge the
anxiety roiling in my gut. It didn’t go away at all during the show, and I know
it won’t go away anytime soon. Every time I blink, I see Sheena’s eyes, hear
the scared whisper of her voice. I wonder how long it will be before I
understand what she was talking about. I wonder if learning more about myself
is really worth the risk. I consider my earlier, albeit fleeting, urge to find
Oberon and demand he tell me more about my past. The fear in Sheena’s eyes
dashes that desire to bits.
    When Kingston shows up, I feel my world crash in a screaming train wreck.
    “Come on,” he urges. His face is pale, paler than usual. He’s still in
costume.
    I follow him out of the booth, and that’s when I hear the commotion.
Initially, I think it’s just a couple of performers putting on an encore—it
wouldn’t be the first time. But no, the crowd forming near the pitch’s entrance
isn’t watching a show, and it’s not another pyre. Huddled just past the arching
neon sign for Cirque des Immortels is a group of performers, most still
in costume. Only a few punters remain, and they’re easy to pick out; they’re
the ones whispering under their breath or trying to call an ambulance. The rest
just stand and stare in silent horror. Kingston pushes them aside and guides me
into the circle.
    Sheena is lying on the ground.
    Dead.
    She’s not covered in blood, but it’s clear she was dragged—the dirt is
torn up and there are bruises in the shape of hands on her arms. Her eyes are
still open. Her neck tilts toward the forest, like she’s looking for a way out.
    “What happened?” I ask Kingston. He’s staring down at the body with a
distant look in his eyes.
    “Someone attempted to take her back,” he says. He leaves the rest out. He
doesn’t need to fill in the lines; I still remember when she confided the
details of her contract. If I’m ever taken from the troupe against my will,
my life is immediately forfeit.
    Someone tried to bring her back to Oberon. Because of that, her contract
killed her.
    “We should get Mab,” I say. He nods, still looking down at Sheena’s body.
    I turn and head back toward the tent, my thoughts drowning under the roar
of my pulse.
    I make it five steps before someone grabs my arm and turns me around.
    “Vivienne?” the guy asks.
    The guy looks like a Hollister model, with tan skin, short brown hair,
and a polo shirt a little too tight for his muscular frame.
    “Do I know you?” I ask. Something about the guy rings a bell in a far-off
corner of my mind.
    “Viv, it’s me,” he says. His eyebrows furrow with real concern, like I
should know this, like I should recognize him. He puts his other hand on my
arm. Behind him, the crowd still huddles unaware. For some reason, I don’t
flinch away from the stranger’s touch. His eyes are intense on my face; they’re
blue, blue as the sky, blue as the sparks dancing at the edge of my vision. The
bell in my head tolls louder. “God, I can’t believe it. Where have you been? I
thought you’d died.”
    “Who are—” I begin, but my head is swirling. The blue lights flash, the
dark shadows edge closer. I feel the ground beneath me disappear. The bell
changes pitch, becomes a drone.
    “I was so worried,” he says. A pause. “Viv. Don’t you recognize me?”
    “I don’t—”
    “It’s me. Austin. Your boyfriend.”
    Sparks explode. The world swims black.

Chapter Four
Beautiful Stranger
    “You have a thing for passing out, don’t you?” Kingston asks.
    I look up and he’s looking down at me. One of his hands is
stroking my hair, and the other is on his lap. It takes a few blinks for the
rest of the world to come into focus. The darkness behind Kingston’s head is
spotted with stars, and the howling in my ears is just the wind. I take a deep,
shaking breath and close my eyes. Blue lights still swim across my vision. I
don’t remember how I got down