Preview

Seventeen-year-old Esti Legard spent her childhood in the Shakespearean world of her famous father, and when he died, she knew she could never give up acting. After she and her mother move to a Caribbean island for her senior year, she realizes that nothing at her new school's theater department is quite as it seems. Stunned by the death of a fellow student on her first day of class, Esti is soon surrounded by legends of the wicked jumbees that haunt the West Indies. She finds herself snubbed by the school’s star actress and relegated to a minor part in Romeo and Juliet.

Only her intriguing new friend, the elusive Alan, shares her passion for Shakespeare. Hiding in the dark recesses of the theater, he leads Esti deep into her own soul to explore the limits of her talent. When Esti's childhood best friend moves to the island and back into her life, however, Alan disappears. Rocked by growing accusations of befriending a jumbee, Esti realizes she must find out who – or what – Alan really is. She is soon forced to defy everyone and everything she’s ever believed in, as she plunges into the mysteries of Shakespeare and the legends of the West Indians, discovering shocking truths about her own past that will forever shape her future.

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“I take thee at thy word.” Romeo’s voice filled the stage, electrifying her whole body.

Esti leaped to her feet. “Who’s there?”

“Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.”

She paused, her heart still pounding. An uncertain smile played on her lips. “What man art thou,” she finally said, “that thus bescreen’d in night so stumblest on my counsel?”

“By a name I know not how to tell thee who I am. But I’d like to know what Niles is possibly thinking, to have Danielle play Juliet now that you’re here.”

Esti couldn’t hold back a startled laugh as she studied the dark theater. “Where are you?”

“On the stage, of course.” The hint of an intriguing accent touched his words.

She twisted around, surprised at her difficulty in locating him. She knew she should feel uneasy talking to a strange guy in the dark, but his voice sent shivers all the way to her fingertips, even nicer than she remembered. “What are you doing here?”

“I watched the auditions today. I’ve rarely seen such a convincing Juliet as yours.”

“My Lady Capulet was awful. But thanks for your help with Juliet.”

“You are welcome.” He seemed amused. “Perhaps Lady Capulet needs a bit of work, but you have confirmed my initial impression of you.”

“What impression? You can’t even see me.”

“Talent doesn’t require visual cues, especially when speaking Shakespeare.” His voice was soft and rich.

“That sounds like something my dad would say.” She smiled. “He liked rehearsing in the dark, because he could focus better.”

“And what about his daughter? Does the darkness help Esti focus better?”

“It helped a lot when I practiced with him.” She drew her brows together. “You obviously know who I am, so what’s your name?”

“My name,” the voice hesitated almost imperceptibly, “is Alan.”

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