The auditorium lights dimmed until only a single spotlight remained, sharp and unforgiving, cutting through the darkness like a blade. My heart hammered against my ribs, each beat loud enough that I was sure the entire audience could hear it. The orchestra had fallen silent. The murmurs of the crowd had died away. Every eye in the packed theater was fixed on the empty stage, waiting for me.
I stood in the wings, black pointed shoes laced tight, costume clinging to my skin like a second shadow. The silver scars across my neck and collarbone glowed softly beneath the thin layer of stage makeup, impossible to hide completely. They pulsed with every breath, a living reminder of everything I had survived, everything I had become. My hand rested on the small swell of my belly, hidden beneath th
