Page 32 of Galaxy Circus Act One

I can’t explain the sensation of teleportation because not much really happens, but I guess it’s kind of like a roller coaster ride. That feeling where your stomach starts in your throat and plummets very fast until it sits right in the bottom of your belly. It’s happening before you know it, and it’s over just as quickly.

“Are you all right?” Xavier’s voice tickles my ear, and that roller coaster feeling prickles into another kind.

“Yup, I’m good.” The words are breathy, but I can’t move away from him... it... whatever. I’m still surrounded by the mist.

Slowly, that comforting hug starts to recede, the feeling of being wrapped in arms disappears, and the mist drains away from my body. First, my head, and when I can look around, I discover we’re outside the dome, the giant black spaceship looming above us and making me feel incredibly insignificant.

When the mist recedes, I discover that England's weather is at its finest, and the magical shadow that just surrounded me was pleasant compared to the natural mist of the countryside. A cold wet fog surrounds the dome, giving it an eerie mystical feel. I know that the humans can’t actually see it, which is a good thing because it would definitely start a panic.

A clearing throat makes me startle, and I realize that Xavier’s stuff—cue the mental sniggering that I just manage to keep inside my head—has left my body.

“Are you okay?” he asks, sounding concerned, which is sweet of him.

“Yup, I’m all good.” I’m excellent at putting up a front, good at deflecting too.

“So do you want to show me what to do?” Not that I’m sure I’m going to be able to see it. The things disappeared into his hand when the captain gave them to him.

“Yes, this might be easier if you could see what I was doing though, right?” He sounds amused this time, but it’s a little too coincidental for me.

“Can you read my mind?” I demand, a little (read a lot) upset, crossing my arms in a defensive position.

“No, Phoeall, you have a very expressive face.” And with those words, something begins to happen. The mist sort of absorbs inward, flowing backward to expose long limbs covered in clothing unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. A moment later, standing before me is a somewhat normal, albeit fucking hot, male individual.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Lila

Standing before me is an alien lover’s wet dream. The man is all long, lean lines, and you can see muscle definition under the black skintight... armor, I guess, because it certainly doesn't look like any jumpsuit I’ve seen. The black material shimmers like lycra but has the solid look of leather. The skin on his hands is a lavender color, with swirls of silver decorating his neck. The swirl stops at his chin, though there’s a more complex marking under his right eye. It’s a set of swirls, lines, and dots. He also has what looks like kohl around his eyes, but I’m not sure if it’s makeup or natural.

His cheekbones are sharper than an average human, and his ears have a noticeable sharpness to them as well, the end result looking elf-like. The pointed arches of his ears are pierced with many silver and turquoise rings, as are his nose and eyebrow. Indigo-colored hair is tied back in a high ponytail, and those eyes which appeared to be green through the mist are actually a purplish blue. Holy shit, no wonder he blurs himself. This man would have to fight off suitors constantly.

I’m sure I’ve been gaping at the man/alien in front of me for far too long because he cocks one eyebrow and folds his arms, classic ‘yeah, take a picture’ posture.Whoops, shit. Lila, get it together. Let’s not insult the man.

“Sorry, I’m just surprised to see a solid form. I thought you were all mystical mist or something.”

An amused snort escapes his mouth before he can contain it. “It’s a defense mechanism. If a warlock’s eyes can’t be seen, their mind can’t be invaded, which really hasn’t been a problem for years. But once upon a time, our planet was rife with turmoil and intrigue, and you never knew who you could trust. You would only expose your real form to those whom you knew for sure wouldn’t betray you. I’m afraid I still default to that time, particularly when meeting new people.”

Curiosity getting the better of me yet again, I just blurt out my first reaction. Because that’s served mesooooowell this far in life. “Does this mean you trust me?”

“No, Phoeall, but what could you do to me? I hear that your powers haven't been activated. You are no match for me and mine, and I need to show you what to do.”

“Who told you that? No one knows except for my grandpas. And what is that word you keep calling me? Fo-ell? Why doesn't my translator translate it?” It’s my turn to cross my arms, though I know it won’t do a damn thing to protect me from him. Growing up in the system has done nothing to improve my self-esteem, and while I can keep going even when the odds are stacked against me, I’ve developed a real sensitivity to feeling embarrassed or vulnerable in front of other people. Lucky me, he’s just hit on both of those nerves at the same time.

He shrugs casually like it’s no big deal. “William might have mentioned something. Asked me if I could get a read on you to see if I can work out why your powers haven’t manifested. But we don't have time for that now.”

I also notice that he didn’t bother telling me what the word means. For all I know, he’s calling me an idiot and having his own internal laugh about it.Damn arrogant alien.That pisses me off, and I grit my teeth in anger. But for my grandpa's sake I let it go for now.

He holds out one of the holo-emitters, clearing his throat when I don’t immediately glance down at it. “These need to be placed in four equal positions around the dome. They are pre-programed, so when you reach the right spot, this red light will turn blue.” He points out the red light in the middle of the emitter then starts walking. Within a few steps, the light changes and the device starts humming at a low frequency. “Once it’s on the ground in a stable position, press down on the top. It will go into standby mode, and once all four are in place and you press the last one down, they will all activate simultaneously. It’s easy, really.”

Knowing how curious and nosy humans are, I definitely have one concern to chew my lip over. “What happens if they’re seen by someone and picked up?”

“The minute you push the button down, it will cloak, and the frequency it emits has a repellent in it. Humans will feel uncomfortable and move away.”

“And Captain Lester said it returns to the ship automatically after a certain period of time?”

“Yes, the hologram is programmed to show a circus tent being dismantled, packed up, and loaded into big black trucks. Your primitive Earth minds wouldn't be able to cope if they saw an alien ship lifting off the ground and taking off into the sky. Once they’ve run the entirety of their programming, they send a signal to the ship. It will beam them aboard, no matter where we are surrounding the Earth.”Hey, buddy, who the fuck are you calling primitive?I guess to him we probably do seem primitive, but he doesn't have to be so rude about it. Knowing the futureleader of the circus can’t just bite people’s heads off, I push down my offense for my fellow man and focus on the important things.

“Wow, that technology is light-years ahead of anything the human race has. Honestly, I’m a little shocked that the powers that be—you know, the government or whoever—haven’t tried to weasel more information out of you… or taken it by force.” Let’s face it, humans are better known for trying to take what they want rather than having the patience to develop it themselves.