The weight of feathers

Lace Paloma was born into a generation's-long family feud between the Palomas and Corbeaus, families of traveling performers that compete against one another in traveling shows. She has been taught that the Corbeaus are "magia negra," black magic, and that if she even touches one it might mean her death. All that changes, of course, when disaster strikes their small town and Cluck Corbeau saves Lace's life, at the cost of his own family's trust.