DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS

32

Selina and Calvin skipped ahead of Kianna and her mother, while Devon stood a few steps behind them, taking it all in. It was odd watching him as he looked around.

Every year since her father’s death, her mother set up a stand of rice balls, filled with vegetables from their farm, with Giles and his wife. Kianna and Cat helped, but Kianna was always able to sneak out for a few minutes since she had to take her siblings to the dance demonstration—or competition.

The stand was set up right in the center part of the street, where everyone walked by, which meant that hopefully, they would sell lots of rice balls this evening. Especially since it was a beautiful spring day, which would attract more people than usual.

Cat saw Kianna coming from a mile away. Her lips stretched into a big smile and she rushed forward. “Give me those,” she said, taking the pans from Kianna’s arms.

“How is it going?” Kianna asked, her eyes on the group of people parked in front of the stand, trying all the food.

“Come see.”

Kianna followed Cat behind the stand. Giles and his wife were hard at work, luring the customers with their animated talk and enchanting them with the food. Underneath the stand, two pans sat empty.

“Oh my word,” her mother whispered from beside her. “If it keeps selling like that, we’ll run out of rice balls.”

“That’s a good thing, right?” Cat dropped the pans over the table on the back of the stand.

“It sure is,” her mother replied. She and Devon followed suit with the pans they had been holding.

Kianna glanced at the many customers flocking around the stand. “Do you want me to stay?”

Her mother shook her head. “It’s fine. I think the four of us can manage. You and Devon take the kids to the dance competition. If I can, I’ll come watch them later.”

“All right.” Kianna kissed her mother’s cheek, waved at Cat, then fled with Devon. She stopped in the middle of the street and glanced around. “Where are those two pests?”

“There.” Devon pointed to a stand of ring toss.

Sure enough, Selina and Calvin watched the game, practically drooling with excitement. Kianna’s heart tugged. If only she had some change left to buy them some rounds …

Kianna and Devon gathered the kids and strolled to the end of the street, where it opened to the main square. Like the rest of the festival, the square was decorated with colorful lamps and ribbons, but here there were fewer stands, because most of the space was taken by an improvised wooden platform, which would serve as the stage for the dance competition. The dancers, mostly dressed in beautiful gowns and suits and costumes, already stood around the stage, waiting for the competition to start.

Kianna glanced at her siblings. They were the most beautiful kids in the world, but unfortunately their clothes weren’t the best. Kianna had washed one of her old dresses for Selina—it was pretty, but already old and out of style. For Calvin, she had found one of her father’s old button-up white shirts, which she cut up and sewed again in the right size.

If Kianna narrowed her eyes, they looked perfect.

“Are you two ready?” she asked.

Selina looked at her with her big blue eyes. “I don’t think so.”

Kianna nudged her with her elbow. “Sure you are.”

“You two rehearsed a lot,” Devon said. “I’m sure you’ll do great.”

“Just remember to have fun,” Kianna said. “This is not a competition. It’s a demonstration. Just have fun.”

Calvin puffed his chest. “I’m ready!” He took Selina’s hand in his. “Let’s do this.”

Selina dipped her chin. “You’re right. We can do this. Let’s go.”

Kianna pressed a hand to her chest as she watched her siblings marching to the side of the stage. Looking every bit like grown-ups, Selina and Calvin talked to the lady holding a thin ledger—probably the organizer. They checked in, then waited.

Nervous for them, Kianna wrung her hands in her dress.

Devon reached for her and clasped her hands in his. “Don’t ruin your pretty dress.”

Kianna froze as several thoughts and feelings rushed through her.

Her dress wasn’t pretty. It was a simple dark blue thing she had tried embellishing with silver embroidery. Compared to the other women’s dresses, she felt terribly underdressed.

Devon’s hands weren’t as full of calluses as she thought they would be.

In fact, his skin was warm, cozy.

It felt nice to have her hand in his big one.

Shocked, Kianna pulled her hand from his. “I-I’m just nervous for them.”

He stared at her, a small smile in his lips. “I know.”

Kianna cleared her throat, embarrassed by her thoughts, and averted her eyes. She focused her attention on the empty stage. It had been a challenge to ignore the man beside her, but after a few minutes, the musicians took their places on the right side of the stage, and the competition started. She got lost in the dances.

There were some inexperienced acts, but most of the dancers to hit the stage were good.

Kianna saw the line beside the stage moving. She glanced around, but her mother was nowhere to be seen. She would miss the kids’ dance, which was a good thing if that meant she was selling her rice balls like hot cakes on a winter night.

“Hey.” Cat stepped to her side.

Kianna stared past her. “Where’s my mother?”

“She couldn’t come,” Cat said. “The stand is too busy and the costumers seemed to like to chat with her more than me, so she sent me here instead.”

“It’s okay,” Kianna said, her voice low. She was a little disappointed, but she understood.