"It's the cane, I just know it!"

Justin and Nitara stood in a small, dimly lit trailer, filled with dazzling costumes of every color and fabric imaginable. Justin would have been drooling over the clothes if he didn't have more important things hanging on his shoulders.

Nodding, Nitara paced the small space. "I agree. I have been wondering if it is the cane for a while."

"I think if we smash the ivory elephant, the spell will break."

"How? He always has it with him. And he seemed to anticipate that you were going to steal it."

"When is he most off of his guard? Most vulnerable?"

Nitara paused, looking up into her own brain. Her eyes widened. "During the show. He becomes more relaxed, he becomes a showman!"

Clapping her hands together, she fished through the costumes.

"What are you doing?" Justin asked.

"Finding Maya a costume."

Justin's heart skipped a beat. "What?"

Pulling a yellow dress halfway out and examining it, Nitara said, "The only time I could make someone else fly was when you were Maya. When we were princesses. We will be princesses again."

The room spun, and Justin leaned against a rack of clothes. "But I can't. Not in front of all those people."

"Hopefully, you won't have to," said Nitara, pulling out blue, shimmering lace pants that immediately caught Justin's eyes. "Kumar always goes out first and gives a long speech. He loves crowds. We will come out on Kali and catch him by surprise. I can get Kali to grab the cane. I know I can. She will smash it and we will leave into the jungle."

She held the pants up to Justin and reflexively he stood taller, letting her see if they fit. "But if the plan doesn't work, we have to be ready to dazzle the crowd. We have to fly and give the best show ever in the history of The Magical Show of India. That way, Kumar can't be mad at us."

She stepped closer to Justin. "These pants are perfect. They brighten your eyes."

Justin sighed. He grabbed the pants and then reached out and grabbed a golden sequenced shirt off the rack. "Maya only has to show her face for a few minutes?"

Nitara nodded.

"I have to wear my robe, too."

Wrinkling her nose, she said, "Fine, but we are washing it."

As Nitara washed Justin's robe, he sat in a chair in Ezhil's dressing room as she applied black eyeliner to his eyes. He had reluctantly let Nitara take the robe out of his sight only after she promised to guard it with her life.

"Now," said Ezhil, examining Justin's face, "the key to show business is being yourself. Tell the truth. If you lie, the audience will know it."

Justin slumped in his chair.

As if reading his mind, Ezhil nodded sympathetically. "I know, it's hard being yourself when that self doesn't fit in society's expectations of who you are supposed to be. When I was your age, I had stuffed myself in a box so deep inside myself, my whole body hurt from the pain of concealing it."

"How? How did you open the box?"

Ezhil picked up a tube of bright red lipstick. "It came down to opening the box or death." Tears pooled in her eyes. "I was born a woman. I have always been a woman, but everyone else told me otherwise, told me I had to be someone I was not. I couldn't live with my body or with concealing me any longer. I am one of the lucky ones who chose life."

Justin smiled. "I am glad you did."

Ezhil smiled for a second but then frowned. "Now hold still and don't talk while I apply this or you will have red all over your face."

As she dabbed Justin's lips with the lipstick, she said, "It still isn't easy. My life is still in danger sometimes. That is how I ended up here. For some reason, when it's on a stage, people can accept the truth. But I would rather live my truth than the alternative."

Twenty minutes later, Maya stood facing a group of fancy-dressed women, all of them staring at her with judging eyes.

"And she can only speak English?" asked one woman, her hands on her hips.

Nitara, who stood next to Maya in shimmering green pants and a golden shirt that matched Maya's, nodded.

"And she is riding Kali with you? Tonight?" asked another woman incredulously. "Does she even know the routine?"

Nitara nodded again.

"I think she looks gorgeous!" said Ezhil, stepping out of the center of the women. Maya gasped in awe. Thousands of blue and gold feathers covered Ezhil from head to toe. The feathers fanned out into a ball gown at Ezhil's waist.

The women all turned to Ezhil and sighed. Immediately, a hundred voices began speaking things to Ezhil that Maya could not understand.

Ezhil winked at Nitara and Maya. "You two better go and get on Kali, she is ready!" she shouted over the women.

Nitara grabbed Maya's hand, pulling her towards the back entrance to the tent. There, waiting for them at the closed flap, stood Kali. They had painted her entire body blue, even her trunk. She wore hundreds of gold bangles around her neck, on her head, and around her legs.

Noticing Nitara and Maya, Kali raised her trunk in greeting.

"Hello girl," whispered Nitara. "You look beautiful."

In response, Kali brushed her trunk across Nitara's face and Nitara leaned back, giggling.

Maya noticed a red earring dangling from Kali's ear. A chain dangled from the earring and fastened to a gold necklace around her neck.

Maya reached out and touched the earring, causing Kali to shake her head fiercely and swat at Maya's hand with her trunk.

"Oh, don't touch that," said Nitara. "It's really sensitive." She pointed at her own nose piercing. Red, angry skin radiated out from the piercing. "Piercings suck! Kumal made me get it when I first got here."

A voice rang out from the tent.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. The show is about to begin!"

Nitara jumped. "We need to get into place! Come on, I will help you up."

Justin shook his head and stepped back.

"Please cheer on all the performers tonight as loudly as you can," came the voice again, "and don't be afraid to take pictures. Our animals don't mind."

"I can't do this," said Justin, as the crowd within the tent cheered and clapped furiously.

"Maya can," said Nitara. "I believe in you."

"Please give a loud cheer for the ringleader, the tamer of lions, the greatest dancer, the envy of all men, Kumar the fantastic!"

The tent flap opened a crack, and Justin could see hundreds of people in the crowd. Not only were there tourists, but it looked as if the entire village had come. Justin stumbled back.

Nitara gasped. "Kumal must have told everyone about the special show tonight. Please, Maya, I need you."

Justin shook his head. "No, they will see right through me. I am nothing. I am a no one."

Nitara rushed forward and surprised Justin by wrapping her arms around him, squeezing him tightly.

"No," she whispered into his ear, "you are beautiful. You came all this way, and you found me. That is something. That is what they will see." Maya embraced Nitara back. The girl's warmth gave her strength, and she didn't want to let go. She felt safe and loved.

"Hello, my friends!" Boomed a new voice from within the tent and Maya recognized it as Kumar's.

Nitara let go of Maya and grabbed her hand.

"Now is our chance," she said. "Come on."

She pulled Maya to Kali. Placing her hands together, she bent down. "Put your foot in my hand and I will hoist you up."

Maya placed a slippered foot into Nitara's hand and reached up for the saddle on Kali's back. Nitara grunted and hoisted Maya up.

"Straddle her neck. It will be the most comfortable."

Maya clung to Kali's back and swung her leg over so that she straddled the large blue elephant. Kali tickled Maya's leg with her trunk and Maya couldn't help but smile.

Pulling herself easily onto the saddle, Nitara sprung to her feet and stood upon the flat surface of the saddle. She placed a hand on Maya's shoulder. "Ready?"

"Now?" Maya glanced up at Nitara to see a grin on her face.

"Yes, before we are supposed to. Kumar cannot break character. This is our chance!"

Peering through the flap, Maya could see Kumar in the center of the ring, basking in the spotlight's glow. He wore the outfit of a sultan and with his black cane and large girth, he really seemed as if he was one.

Maya locked eyes on the ivory elephant and squared her shoulders. "I'm ready," she said

"Munde cārj māḍi!" shouted Nitara, pointing towards the tent flap.

Lifting her trunk high into the air, Kali pushed through the flap of the tent. On the other side of the flap stood a man guarding the entrance. As the enormous elephant came through, he dove to the side.

"I give you a show that brings together all the regions of India! A show of shows!"

Kumar raised his cane in the air, his bushy eyebrows nearly touching the hair on his head and his mustache nearly touching his ears from his wide grin.

Kali stepped into the arena and into view of the crowd. Maya squinted in the bright light of the spotlights. A loud trumpet rang through the tent as Kali raised her trunk high. Nitara raised both her hands up and looked at the ceiling. Maya gaped up at her. She was dazzling.

The tent fell silent. Every man, woman, and child stared down at the blue elephant, the beautiful girl standing on her back and the imposter straddling her neck. Maya ducked down, trying to become invisible.

More shock than Maya thought possible fell onto Kumar's face. His mouth fell open, his mustache dangling over the opening. A sort of spasm coursed through his body. For a moment Maya thought he was going to topple over and pass out. But then, his mouth closed, forming into a grin, and he turned to the audience.

"I even bring to life the gods of India! Behold the mighty Kali!" He pointed the cane at the elephant and the crowd broke their silence by cheering even louder than before.

"Bettavannu hiḍiyiri," Nitara screamed. Instantly, Kali charged. Maya leaned forward and wrapped her arms around the elephant to keep from slipping off.

Frightened by the large elephant charging toward him, Kumar held his cane out in front of him as if in defense. One step before trampling Kumar to the floor, Kali turned to the side and, with her trunk, grabbed the cane and easily pulled it from the man's hands.

In a flash, the cane swung through the air and slammed to the ground, the ivory elephant shattering into a thousand tiny pieces.

Nitara pointed to the large open entrance on the other side of the tent. Through it, Maya could see the jungle and their freedom. Kali dropped the remnants of the cane and stampeded for the opening.

"As you can see," Kumar's voice echoed behind them, "some gods are both beautiful and fierce. But do not worry, this goddess is not going anywhere."

"Hurry, Kali!" shouted Maya and as if the elephant understood her, Kali ran even faster.

They were almost there. Maya could feel the cool outside breeze on her skin. They were going to escape. Mere feet from the entrance, Kali dug her massive feet into the sand. The elephant leaned back, skidding to a halt. Maya squeezed her legs into the elephant. A scream pierced the air and Maya felt something brush against her head. She looked up just in time to see Nitara soaring through the air.

Maya smiled.

She's flying, she thought.

But then her smile quickly turned into a frown as Nitara's trajectory veered down.

No, thought Maya, I must save the Princess, my sister.

She hopped to her feet and took one leap, landing on top of Kali's head. She sprung from Kali's head into the air after the falling Nitara. Hands outstretched, she came into contact with Nitara's ankles and grabbed on tightly. Maya had a second of happiness followed by terror as they still fell to the ground. Something wrapped itself around her own ankle and yanked Maya violently. Still holding onto Nitara's ankles, they arced upwards. Maya's stomach flip-flopped wildly. She looked down to see Kali throwing her and Nitara into the air with her trunk. At the highest point, Kali let go of Maya's ankle and this time, it was Maya's turn to scream.

They somersaulted through the air.

The ground is going to hurt, thought Maya.

A flash of blue and purple flew by higher above. Before she had time to register what it was, she was jerked to the side. One hand broke free of Nitara's ankle, and Maya dangled directly above Kali.

"Maya, let go!" a voice shouted from above. Maya looked up to see an upside-down Ezhil, swinging from a trapeze, blue and purple feathers swaying all around her as she held Nitara by the arms.

"Gods and goddesses are not only fierce but forgiving to those who worship them," said Kumar from the spotlight.

"Kali will catch you!" said Nitara.

Having no choice as her hand was slipping, Maya let go of Nitara and squeezed her eyes shut. She dropped quickly and braced herself for the hard dirt floor, but it never came. Instead, a large soft arm had caught her, and ever so gently, Kali placed Maya on her back feet first. The crowd went wild. Maya opened her eyes to see people standing and applauding. She waved to the crowd, a princess addressing her subjects upon her noble steed. She looked up and watched confidently as her sister dropped from Ezhil's arms and Kali's trunk, reached out, and grabbed her.

Instead of placing Nitara onto her back, Kali tossed Nitara back into the air and Nitara flipped, landing feet first on Kali's outstretched trunk. She raised a hand into the air and the crowd went wild.

"Now it's time to bring out the wonders from all four corners of India!" Kumar shouted.

Fifty dancers, each dressed in a different dazzling costume, streamed in from the back entrance.

Lifting her trunk into the air, Kali circled the outside of the arena as the dancers swarmed to the middle. Nitara jumped to the ground and, in one giant leap, swung herself onto Kali's back.

"Smashing the cane didn't work," said Nitara as she joined Maya in waving to the people. "Kali and I are still stuck under Kumar's spell."

Maya frowned. "What else could it be? Maybe he secretly placed something on you, like a tracking device."

"Maybe," said Nitara, reaching up and scratching her nose near her nose ring, "but he would have had to do it while I was sleeping because he hasn't come close to me."

Leaning in closer to Nitara, Maya examined her sister's nose ring. She didn't remember Nitara having that ring when their brother, the king, had almost forced her to marry.

"When did you get that nose ring?"

"The day I got the job as a dancer, Kumar's mother pierced it. All the performers have a piercing."

Maya's eyes went wide and then Nitara gasped and grabbed Maya's hand. "The piercings, that's what is keeping us here! Kali has her ear pierced!"

Immediately, Nitara unhooked the gold hoop from her nose and tossed it to the ground. She sighed. "Yes, that was definitely it."

"Ladies and gentlemen, time to say goodbye to our goddess Kali," said Kumar as he quickly strode their way.

"I think the evil magician might be on to us," said Maya.

Nitara smiled. "Time to put him under our own spell. It's time we dazzled this crowd."

Looking out, Maya could see that the people were still standing and were still looking at the princesses riding the elephant.

She knew Kali was here not by her free will. She had to help her. She grabbed Nitara around the waist and spun her in a circle on Kali's back. Nitara giggled joyfully and took the lead, twirling Maya towards Kali's rear and even up onto her head. They locked eyes and the rest of the world blurred.

"I know what you are doing!" shouted Kumar and Maya looked down to see that he had nearly reached Kali, a rope gripped in his hands.

"Look at me," said Nitara, "it will all be okay."

Maya looked back into Nitara's eyes and they danced even faster. Everything went silent except for the whoosh of the air around. Maya became lost in the movements, in the arms of Nitara, and she wasn't for sure if minutes went by or days.

"She really is a goddess!" exclaimed someone from the crowd, breaking the silence.

Maya noticed that they still stood upon Kali's back and were not flying in the air. She wondered if Kumar was dragging Kali and them with her out of the arena.

She looked down to see that they were high in the sky, Kumar a small dot below them. They were not flying, but Nitara was making Kali fly.

"Get Kali's earring off," said Nitara as she continued to dance elaborately, leaping and twirling on Kali's back.

"Okay," replied Maya. She dropped to her knees and crawled to Kali's head. The elephant didn't seem to be scared that she was floating in the air. On the contrary, she seemed to love it. She waved her trunk about and pranced above the arena as if she was still walking.

Maya reached her hand out towards the bottom of Kali's right ear, where the red earring dangled. Kali shook her head, agitated.

"Please trust me," Maya soothed. "The earring is what keeps you here. I need to take it off. I want to help you."

Kali stopped shaking her head and Maya leaned down far enough to unhook the earring from Kali's ear. She then removed the necklace around Kali's neck and tossed the ring and the necklace into the air. Kali trumpeted in delight.

Below them, Kumar ordered the trapeze to be lowered and Ezhil stepped off. He climbed on. At the same moment, the people in the bleachers swarmed the arena. Villagers and tourists alike surrounded Kumar and began to dance. Even Ezhil and the other dancers joined in. Everyone cheered and waved up at Kali and the princesses.

"Let's go," said Maya. "Head to the forest!

Kali pranced towards the large entrance. Below, the trapeze lifted with Kumar upon it. He clutched the large rope with a look of pure hatred on his face.

As he gained height above the dancing crowd, a hand shot up and grabbed Kumar by the foot. Losing his balance, Kumar screamed and fell to the dirt floor with a loud thud.

Maya looked down to see the boy, Prakash, standing below the trapeze, dancing. He waved up at Maya. Both Maya and Nitara shouted in triumph. Maya waved back and then got to her feet and joined Nitara in her dance. She even attempted some of the more complicated twirls, as she felt confident that she was safe.

The dancing people followed them from below towards the large entrance. As Kali flew through the opening, the people danced onto the grass.

Maya raised her arms into the air, praising the bright jewels of the night sky. They were the jewels of their castle, the jungle.

Down into the streets of the village, the dancing continued. At one point, Maya could hear the melody of a flute entwined with the crowd. Then, a large blue and purple bird flapped its wings and circled around the dancers.

When they reached the jungle's edge, Kali did not stop. She pranced right off the top of the trees. The people stopped following them, but they did not stop dancing. Small fires and lanterns lit up the entire village and everywhere Maya looked, people were twirling, spinning or playing an instrument.

Maya and Nitara continued to dance silhouetted against a full moon and Kali continued to fly just above the jungle until the lights and dancers were out of sight and they could no longer hear the music.

Nitara yawned as she turned slowly in a circle.

"I am getting tired," she said.

Maya's heart fluttered. What would happen if they stop dancing?

As if in answer, Kali slowly descended below the tree line, winding her way through the vines, branches, and tree trunks of the jungle.