The Clearing: Origins

Chapter 4

Things never seemed to go as planned.

Victor stood on the polished dance floor with his eyes closed. He threw back his head and counted to ten before scowling down at his partner.

The pink-haired girl standing across from him exemplified loveliness. Dark leggings and a figure-hugging cutoff displayed the best of her athletic figure. Her dainty feet were clad in three-inch camel-colored heels, accentuating her shapely legs. The only problem—

She scowled back at him.

He gazed around the nearly empty ballroom as a diversion. The newest instructor, Aoife O'Sullivan, practiced alone in front of one of the mirrors, side-eying their practice. Victor's offer to help the dark-haired girl had been met with a hostile 'no.' The new receptionist, Ally Heis, sat at the front desk typing on the computer, her poppy red lips pressed together as she checked her work. The studio manager had hired the young woman as a replacement for the former receptionist who'd suddenly quit. Unlike Aoife, Ally had been a hit with the staff.

For Victor, walking into the studio was like wandering into a world centered around the spellbinding beauty of dance. He loved the pristine reception area, complete with logo and trophies, many of them his own. The spacious prep area, cozy sofas, tables, and chairs, surrounded the polished wooden floor. The back wall, covered with frameless, full-length mirrors, made the space appear more prominent. Large Palladian windows enhanced the room's grandeur by delivering an abundance of natural light.

He sighed, letting the irritation drain from his face— back to work. "Kristy, I dare say you understand the premise of a trust fall is trusting I'll catch you?"

"And do you understand with me wearing these stilts of death—" She gestured at her shoes. "I'll fall if you aren't there?" Kristy grumbled under her breath. "You won't let me use any magic."

"What will people say if you fall back and float two feet off the ground unaided, I'd like to know?"

The genie folded her toned arms and cocked a hip outward as she glared at him. "They'd say I'm talented. Abs of steel."

Victor snickered and moved closer, cupping the delicate face in his hands. He gazed into her sapphire eyes and whispered, "You know I'll always be there, love, to catch you if you fall."

Kristy studied him for a moment before her hands moved to rub his upper arms. "I don't deserve you."

Victor understood what deterred the genie—guilt from her part in Arabella's plan to capture and use him for breeding magi. It hindered her performance, causing her to hold back. At the time, the witch had owned Kristy's Focus, the source of her power, and was, by genie law, her master. Jason had broken the old Focus, and Victor had luckily secured Kristy a new one.

It still pained him when he thought of the agonizing minutes she'd been enthralled by him, calling him 'master.' Giving Kristy possession of the new power source had been a relief.

But he hadn't freed her from the guilt.

"Y'all just gonna stand there gazing into each other's eyes?"

They turned to stare at the short-haired female lounging on the nearest sofa. Tammy Roberts, the self-proclaimed queen of fashion, sported a burgundy 'Once You Go Black You Never Go Back' t-shirt that blended in with the sofa coverings. The girl crossed her legs, her raised foot jiggling in its expensive combat boot. "If you're done, Kris and I are going to that new rib place on Main Street. I got my mouth all set for some rib tips."

Kristy's eyes lit up with greed. "Ribs?"

"Ribs?" Victor frowned at Tammy. "A rare steak with roasted potatoes sounds better."