The festival crowd was louder than usual that night, a restless sea of clapping hands and stamping feet. The smell of roasted peanuts mingled with kerosene as the torches were set ablaze.
Kwesi "Torch" Mensah stood at the center of the ring, fire dancing in his palms. His broad shoulders gleamed with sweat, his grin flashing bold and reckless. He lived for moments like this, where danger drew gasps and his flames drew cheers.
But tonight, something was different. Naki sensed it from the wings. His movements were too sharp, his pace too hurried.
He's pushing himself too far.
Madam Efua's voice rang from behind. "Bigger stunts mean bigger crowds. Let him burn bright, Naki. It's what keeps us alive."
Naki's fists clenched. She couldn't shake the unease curling in her chest.
Kwesi dipped his torch into a fresh bowl of fuel, the fire leaping higher than ever before. He spun, inhaled deeply, and exhaled a blazing stream that painted the night sky gold. The crowd roared.
Then it happened.
The wind shifted. The flames whipped back toward him, licking dangerously close. Kwesi staggered, blinded, the fire curling hungrily toward his face.
Without thinking, Naki sprinted forward. She grabbed a rope from the prop stand, vaulted into the ring, and swung past her brother. With a daring midair twist, she knocked the torch aside, landing hard on the sawdust. The fire sputtered harmlessly to the ground.
The crowd gasped, then erupted into cheers at what looked like a perfectly planned stunt.
Kwesi coughed, eyes wide, then broke into a shaky laugh. "Ha! Didn't see that coming."
Behind the curtain later, he pulled Naki into a fierce hug, his voice rough. "You saved me. Again."
Naki pulled back, her eyes fierce. "You could've died, Kwes. You can't keep pushing the fire like that."
He looked at her for a long moment, then sighed. "And you can't keep hiding your wings."
Her heart stopped. "What do you mean?"
"I've seen you," he admitted quietly. "Training at night with Grandpa. Flying like you were born for it. You think I wouldn't notice?"
Naki's breath caught. Shame and fear tangled in her chest. "If Ma finds out—"
"She won't," Kwesi interrupted, gripping her shoulders. His eyes burned with the same fire he breathed. "You saved my life tonight. That's a debt I'll never forget. From now on, your secret is mine to protect. I swear it on my flame."
He raised a torch, lighting it with a spark. The fire reflected in his determined eyes.
"This is my oath, Naks. As long as I breathe fire, no one will burn your dream."
Tears stung her eyes, but this time they were warm, not bitter. She nodded, placing her hand over his. "Then I'll make sure the world sees what I can really do. Not just a clown—an acrobat. The Flying Star."
The siblings shared a quiet smile, bound not just by blood, but by fire and flight.