Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black Page B

darker, almost amber in color, and translucent. Vanessa glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one was looking, then picked up one of the blocks. It was heavier than she expected, and sticky to the touch. Pinching it with two fingers, she held it up and sniffed it.
    Her nose was overwhelmed with the smoky stench of burning sap. Thrusting it away, Vanessa felt the twinge of a sneeze. She crinkled her nose and closed her eyes, willing it to pass.
    “Please do not play with my things.”
    Vanessa’s heart nearly stopped.
    Josef stood before her, his face contorted with the anger she’d seen once before—when Elly interrupted the rehearsal.
    She dropped the rosin onto the desk and backed away. “I didn’t mean to touch anything. I don’t know what was I thinking. I’m really sorry.”
    Josef’s face softened. “It’s fine.” He walked to the other side of the desk. “Please. Sit.” He motioned to a chair across from his.
    He waited until Vanessa had settled in before he sat down. A proper gentleman, her mother would have said.
    “Vanessa,” he said, leaning back in his chair, which creaked beneath him. “Vanessa. What are we to do with you?”
    “What—what do you mean?”
    “I knew your sister, you know. Margaret.”
    Vanessa gripped the arms of her chair. Even though she knew that Josef had to have worked with Margaret, themention of her name made it suddenly real. She could almost imagine Margaret sitting in the exact seat she was in now, her legs primly crossed, her eyes nervously darting to the swinging clock pendulum.
    “She was a beautiful—no, marvelous—dancer. So fragile. It seemed a miracle that such a delicate creature could stir the air the way she did.”
    Vanessa said nothing, even though she knew exactly what Josef was talking about. All she could think of was her sister, the way her slender ankles seemed like they were going to break every time she leaped. But somehow they never did.
    “That’s what ballet is supposed to do,” Josef said, as if reading her thoughts. “To make the impossible seem possible. Your sister was almost there. She almost made us believe …” He let his voice trail off. “Ah, but of course you know this.”
    Vanessa blinked, her eyes suddenly watery with memories.
    “You must be wondering why I called you here?”
    Vanessa gave him a slight nod.
    “I’ve been watching you.”
    Vanessa felt her heart drop. So he had seen her in the theater.
    “Your form is perfect, you clearly have practiced all of your steps, yet when you perform them, it’s as if they’re natural, unchoreographed, flowing out of you like breath. Even your barre exercises look like art.”
    Vanessa’s lips parted in disbelief. Did she just hear what she thought she’d heard?
    “The legs,” he said, motioning to her muscular thighs. “Thewild look in your eyes. The hair. You dance like you’re a feral animal.” He shook his head. “You’re nothing like your sister, but you could be better. I think—” He held up his finger. “I think you could be tremendous. Frightening, but tremendous.”
    His dark eyes rested on her, waiting for her response, but all Vanessa managed was a hoarse, “What?”
    Josef laughed. “You do not think so?”
    “No—I—it’s just that I thought you were going to expel me.”
    Josef raised his eyebrows with amusement. “Expel you?” He let out a chuckle. “See? Margaret never would have said this to me. You
are
fierce.” He stood, looming over her. “But you are fierce in the wrong way. You have a passion for life, but not for dance. Don’t deny it, I can see it in your face. You don’t love it like the others do.”
    Embarrassed, Vanessa stared at her lap. How could he see all that?
    “The Firebird would have been Margaret’s role, had she stayed on at NYBA. I know I told the class that most of the roles would go to upperclassmen, but I’m still looking for a lead ballerina.”
    Vanessa’s heart skipped a beat. Unaccountably, her