Page 19 of The Devil and His Goddess

His brow furrowed at my question, and as the seconds ticked by, all of the teasing light and good-humor slowly seeped out of him until he stared blankly at me. His jaw worked before he said flatly, “You thinkDancing in the Darkisn’t good enough for you.”

“What?” My eyes widened, and all the hurt I felt exploded in a flurry of panic. I leaned forward and waved my hands adamantly. “No! That’s not what I—”

“Meant?” Perseus finished, and when he smiled at me now, there was a tightness to it.

Seeing it made me want to rewind time to when he teased me relentlessly. I wanted to go back to when we were Goddess and Peasant, not boss and subordinate, because this … this look was frigid disappointment.

“Regardless of what youmeant,” Perseus continued, his deep voice reprimanding, “your feelings about the role you were given are clear. We’ll need to discuss this further, but, unfortunately, I need to meet the remaining dancers. I’ll speak to you after. Practice room four. Please send Rosá González in on your way out.”

My heart raced. How did I keep sticking my foot in my mouth around this guy? It was like I couldn’t sayanythingright, and now I’dreallymessed up.

I opened my mouth to argue that I was grateful when his eyes hardened, and he snapped, “Send in the next dancer, Harper.”

Shame weighed my tongue down. The words to make my case never came, not when faced with such venom from a previously jovial person. Ice pricked at my insides as I almost robotically stood and left the room.

I didn’t remember sending Rosá in after me, though I recalled avoiding Elijah and Katerina. I wasn’t sure how to face them with the turn of events. Did I still have a job? Did I tell them the role I’d been given when I wasn’t sure if I still had that position after the shit I’d said?

The moments after the meeting were a blur, and I didn’t come back to myself until I slid down the wall to the cold floor in practice room four. I stared at my reflection in the mirrors across the room, absolutely shell-shocked over what I’d done.

This was it for me. I knew it was. I’d just made myself look like the most ungrateful and entitled ballerina in the whole company.

Was I shocked when Perseus saidDancing in the Dark? Yes!

That was where my reaction stemmed from. I had believed, without a doubt, that I’d be cast inSwan Lakeagain. Everyone thought so. It was just an assumption on my part because of how successful it had been the two years prior with me as the lead. I hadn’t even registered that I’d gotten a lead in a new production, because I was so hung up on whatnotgetting Odette and Odile meant—I wasn’t good enough to be her anymore.

The endless months of discipline and training were for naught, because I wasn’t the incredible dancer I had been last year.

Now that the initial shock was gone, I was able to focus on the role Iwasgiven, and I was so damn thankful for that. The lead in a new production was exciting, but instead of giving Perseus that enthusiasm, I’d shit all over his decision.

Now I’d have to pay the price.

I squeezed my eyes shut and leaned my head back against the wall, silently screaming at myself to not cry. Not here. I’d save that forafterhe fired me and sent me home.

The door opened, and I sucked in a sharp breath as I prepared to face my death at Silverlight. When I opened my eyes and leapt to my feet, though, the nerves inside me settled.

“Oh,” I said, releasing the breath I’d taken. I offered a small smile to the young janitor. “It’s just you.”

Drake smiled shyly and waved a gloved hand as he pushed his trash can into the room. “Sorry for startling you, Harper. I was just grabbing the trash.”

His curly brown hair brushed against the tops of his freckled ears and forehead as he ducked his head slightly. The man in work pants and a t-shirt was in his thirties and had been a janitor at Silverlight almost as long as I had been a ballerina here. He worked in the shadows most of the time, though we ran into each other from time to time. Some of the other dancers were rude to him because he was “just a garbage man,” so every time I saw him, I tried to make him feel appreciated and welcomed.

I shook my head and went over to grab the bag of trash from the little can in the corner of the room. He beamed his crooked smile at me as I placed it in his larger container. “No worries, Drake. I hope I’m not in your way.”

His brown eyes widened, and he waved the idea away. “Not at all. This is your place. If anything, a lowly guy like me is intruding on you.”

“Don’t say that,” I said with a sad frown, knowing some of the other dancers’ words must’ve gotten to him. “You’re what makes this place run smoothly for the rest of us. I, for one, really appreciate you and how hard you work everyday.”

His freckled cheeks pinkened, and he scuffed his worn shoe on the floor. “You’re always so nice to me.” When his eyes met mine again, he said, “Mr. Mavros gave me the assignments to post on the wall in the main hall. I saw you got principal dancer again. Congratulations!”

I returned his smile. “Thank you.”

“It’s annoying that you didn’t getSwan Lakethis year. You’re the prettiest Odette I’ve ever seen. No one does the swan as well as you.”

I swallowed down the hurt that tried rising up and shrugged. “I’ll just get to be adifferentbeautiful character this time.”

If Perseus doesn’t fire me first.

Chapter 8

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