As a member of the Flying Galliers in the Carnival of Mysteries, Mario Gallier has remained an eternally young and carefree teenager for over a hundred years. When the Carnival stops for a time on a magic-sparse world, Mario finally meets a man for whom he wants to grow up. Unfortunately aging takes time, and the Carnival doesn't linger anywhere for long.

Ilya Mirov was part of the greatest aerial straps duo in the world, but after losing his husband and partner Derek to cancer, he retired from performing to take a role as coach for the next great Circo Del Artes show, Capriccio. Yet men who are strong enough for the demands of the aerial straps are few and far between, and Ilya despairs of finding anyone who can handle his choreography.

Fate -- and the Carnival -- bring Mario back to Ilya's world and to Circo Del Artes. Ilya is blown away by Mario's talent and offers him a job. Elated, Mario believes he'll have the chance to make Ilya see him as a man, not a child, and win Ilya's heart at last.

Yet overcoming Ilya's grief is only one hurdle in Mario's way. Someone is preying on Circo's paranormals, and Mario's own hidden nature begins to surface. Ilya doesn't believe in magic, and he doesn't understand why Mario is driven to protect those who came from the Carnival. Dark forces press in from all sides, putting both Mario's and Ilya's lives at risk. Yet Mario knows that he alone can stop whoever is taking his friends, as well as find the killer who will stop at nothing to destroy both Mario and the man he loves.