A traveling carnival. Dark magic in the air.
Star-crossed fates hanging in the balance.
Bastian wants nothing more than to belong to his preparatory’s most infamous fraternity—a notorious ring of well-to-do aristocrats where no one would dare question the tarnished reputation his father left him. It would put a stop to the bullying, and open the doors for social absolution. After all, inheriting the name of a man who died in debtor’s prison isn’t easily forgotten. So when the traveling carnival comes into town, and his preparatory cronies dare him to kiss one of the performers as part of his initiation ceremony, Bastian jumps at the opportunity.
And why not? Adelina the Puppeteer is beautiful, talented, and blindingly alluring. She’s also an evil enchantress. A fact her servant, Emma, knows perfectly well, even if Bastian doesn’t. But Emma doesn’t mind it much, or at least she shouldn’t. Not when her freedom depends on it. However, the more she learns about Bastian, the more she softens at the eerie similarities between his life and the life she once had—before the carnival turned her into a servant of ancient magic.
Now, at the mercy of Adelina, Emma must sacrifice Bastian for a chance to clear her debt. Foolish enough to inadvertently bargain one hundred years of servitude for a kiss, Bastian deserves what’s coming for him, just as Emma once did. But when the price for his mistake must be paid, Emma finds herself vexingly conflicted—and in a place where magic holds the fates of all in balance, the ramifications could prove disastrous for more than just the two of them.
This short story is available through my free VIP Circle Newsletter. Sign up today and get access to the rest of my bookish swag and short fiction. Click here to join.
Melissa Muhlenkamp 