He sighed, clearly annoyed. “You’re overthinking. Nothing’s going to happen. Just stand there and watch, alright? It’ll be over soon.”
Watch? Me?
I almost laughed.
Chiara stepped forward, a little clumsy but trying hard, holding the control chains. “I practiced this for days,” she said softly. “I really wanted to make it up to you. Please… just give me a chance.”
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.
The show started.
The bear and the lynx moved through the fire rings and across narrow logs, their bodies smooth and powerful, everything looking normal on the surface.
“Good, that’s it,” Chiara said nervously, pulling the chains. “Easy… easy…”
Drake clapped, smiling, his eyes fixed on her like she was the only thing in the world. “That’s great. You’re doing amazing. See? I told you you could do it.”
Not once did he look at me. Not once did he think about the fact that this whole thing was supposed to be for me. But that wasn’t even the worst part.
My breathing started to get shaky. My hands trembled more and more. Because those two beasts…
They kept looking at me.
Again and again. And every time their eyes met mine, it felt heavier. Hungrier. Like they were waiting.
I took a small step back. Then another.
I need to get out. I need to leave. Now.
No one noticed. Of course they didn’t. I was just about to slip out of their range when suddenly—
“Ah!”
Chiara screamed.
I looked up. She lost her footing on the platform, her body swaying before she fell. The chains slipped right out of her hands.
Everything went wrong in a second.
The bear and the lynx froze. Then they started roaring, wild and uncontrolled.
“Chiara!” Drake shouted, his voice breaking as he ran toward her without hesitation. “Chiara, are you hurt? Say something!”
And just like that… He left me.
The beasts turned slowly.
My breath caught. “No… wait…”
The next second, they lunged.
Everything went black and fast.
Pain exploded through my body, sharp and crushing, like my bones were being torn apart, like something was ripping me open from the inside.
“Ah—!” I screamed, my voice breaking, raw and desperate.
It hurt. It hurt so much I couldn’t even think. I collapsed, blood spreading beneath me, warm and endless.
Through blurred vision, I saw him.
Drake.
Holding Chiara tightly in his arms. Not even looking at me. Not even once.
When I opened my eyes again, everything smelled like antiseptic and cold metal. The ceiling was too white, too clean.