Page 19 of Chaos Carnival

We stopped beneath a window, moonlight bathing us in cold light. Addie's laughter rang out again, sending a creeping sense of wrongness under my skin.

“Ready?” Maverick murmured.

I nodded, bracing myself. Together, we stepped onto the stage, skirting the edge of the runes. The air sparked with energy, but Maverick's presence steadied me.

Slowly, we made our way toward Addie. Her gaze fixed on us, but her expression remained vacant. Her body moved to its own chaotic rhythm.

“Addie,” I crooned, willing her to recognize my voice. “It's me, Tess. We're here to take you home.”

She cocked her head, still moving in that mystical dance. “Home?” Her voice was distant, hollow. “I am home. With my master. My mate.”

Pain sliced through me at her words, a sharp twist in my gut. Maverick tensed beside me, a silent expletive escaping him.

“You don't mean that,” I said, reaching out toward her. “You're not his mate. He's controlling you, Addie.”

She froze, mid-spin, laughter pealing through the auditorium. Her eyes blazed with an unearthly light. “Controlling me? Oh, Tess. At least I chose Ivan, unlike some people I know who had to be claimed by force.”

My hand fell to my side. The words stung, striking at the heart of my fears. Maverick's eyes darkened, the intensity of his gaze softening the blow.

Addie skipped forward, her visage stretching tall behind her. “Don't look at me with those sad eyes, Tess. My master adores me.” She twirled, her movements suddenly graceful and deliberate, a ballerina once more. “He gives me everything I desire.”

“Watch!” She grabbed knives from a nearby table, their blades glinting in the spotlight. “He’s taught me such glorious things.”

She began juggling them, faster and faster. No safety measures. Each throw brought the blades closer to her exposed skin.

“Addie, stop!”

“The pain makes it real.” She caught a blade between her teeth, eyes still that empty white. “The blood makes it pure.”

One wrong move, and she'd be sliced open. But Addie danced on, her back arched, arms flowing through the air.

“Stop this, Addie!” I pleaded, trying to break through the glaze in her eyes. “You're not yourself. Fight it.”

She laughed, the sound grating my nerves. “Why would I want to? Ivan sees me. He truly sees me. He chose me, and now I'm his.” She twirled, the knife flashing dangerously close to her skin. “He completes me, Tess. Fills the emptiness inside.”

“That's not true, Addie. Please.” I stepped forward again. “Remember that time we got kicked out of that bar in Boston? When you started that karaoke riot?”

“Memories are clouds.” She spun, knives dancing. “Ivan burned them away and made me new. At least he wanted me.” Her empty eyes fixed on me. “Unlike you. Always fighting, always running. But I surrendered, and now I'm perfect.”

“You're my best friend.” My voice cracked. “Please.”

She laughed, high and wrong. “Best friends share everything. Should I share how he tastes? How he-”

“Enough,” barked Maverick.

I flinched, her words striking deep. Maverick took my hand, and squeezed tight, drawing strength from his touch.

Addie's vacant gaze flitted between us, and for a fleeting moment, the haze in her eyes cracked, revealing a glimmer of the friend I knew. Then, it was gone, replaced by cold determination.

“The moon drinks silver tears,” Addie sang, resuming her dance. “The shadows eat the light. He's coming for you both. Coming to make you perfect, too.”

I buried my face into Maverick's chest, unable to watch anymore. His heartbeat thundered against my cheek, matching my own racing pulse.

“We can't leave her like this.” My voice came apart, brittle and uneven, as I watched Addie continue her unrelenting dance. Maverick's arm tightened around my waist.

“If we grab her now, those binding runes could kill us all.” His warm breath kissed my ear. “And you know Ivan's waiting for exactly that.”

I turned in his arms, jabbing a finger at his chest. “So what's your brilliant plan? Stand here and watch while she slices herself into sausage meat?”

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