by Dyan Chick
He turned and walked back toward the door.
"Wait, Joe." I jogged over to stop him from leaving. "What are you helping her with? You're not planning on going in there are you?"
"Ara, Goldie isn't the only human on the train." He went through the door before I could question him further.
"Wait," I called after him, but he stepped through the door into the next car.
I looked over at Brenon and Evangeline. "You don't think he's planning on helping Goldie?"
"He's taken quite a liking to her," Evangeline said. "I'd be surprised if he didn't go with her."
"I have to stop him from going." I pulled open the door.
"Don't," Brenon said.
Letting the door close, I turned to look at him. "Why? He could get himself killed."
Brenon walked over to me and took hold of my hand. "So could any of us. Let him make his choice."
My shoulders sank. Joe wasn't doing anything that I wasn't doing myself. It would hardly be fair to tell him he couldn't get involved when I was putting myself in danger. He was a grown man. He could make his own decisions, but it didn't mean I had to like it.
"Come on." Brenon tugged on my hand. "You should get some rest before we get there."
"What about you?" I asked as I let him lead me away from the dining car.
"I've been resting for three days, and I have a feeling you didn't do a whole lot of sleeping while you were watching over me."
We continued through the vibrating cars. I had to focus on my footing while we walked. The motions of the moving train made me feel unbalanced despite how stable everything was.
After crossing between several cars, we arrived at Brenon's private car. The last time I'd been in here had been right before the Fire Festival. So much had happened in that short time. The Fire Festival felt like it happened a million years ago.
He opened the door. "Go ahead. I'll come get you when we arrive."
I wasn't sure I'd be able to get any rest while my nerves twisted and churned inside me. "Are you sure there's nothing else I can help with before we arrive?"
Brenon smiled. "You've helped me more than anyone ever has." He paused, the smile fading. "I don't think I thanked you properly."
"You don't have to say anything," I said. "You'd have done the same for me."
Giving my hand a quick squeeze, he smiled. "You're right, I would."
Dropping my hand, Brenon turned and went back the way we had come, leaving me standing alone in his car.
I stretched out on the couch, resting my head on a pink pillow and wondered about Ryder. Was he safe? Had Terra injured him? Did he even know what was going on? Ryder wasn't aware of magic. He was just as clueless as I was until I joined the Circus.
I sat up with a jolt. Ryder wasn't blood, but Aunt Kay had said that our parents came from the Sayge community. Was it possible that Ryder had magic of his own? Would he be expected to use it? Or could he accidentally use it and make Terra angry?
Jumping off the couch, I raced out of the room. I knew there was some way to communicate without phones. I'd heard people talking about it. If Aunt Kay knew anything about Ryder, now was the time for her to share.
Unlike the party atmosphere of the Circus Train in the days leading up to the Fire Festival, today the doors on the cars were closed. After a few wrong doors, Goldie finally answered one of the doors I knocked on.
"What's up?" Goldie asked.
Without explaining, I stepped into Goldie's room. Joe was sitting on the second bed. "You okay, Ara?"
"I have to contact my Aunt Kay," I said. "You guys have to help me."
"She made it clear that the Sayges wanted nothing to do with us after the fiasco in Chicago," Goldie said. "I don't know if she'd even respond."
"I have to try," I said. "It's about Ryder. It's possible he's not totally human."
"What are you talking about?" Joe asked.
"His parents. Our parents." I rubbed my forehead while I paced the room. "Aunt Kay said something to me about them being from the Sayge community. I don't know enough about Sayge magic to know how it works. I have to find out if Ryder could be at risk."
"Your parents never seemed to be unusual," Joe said. "Maybe he didn't inherit it?"
"I don't know. I mean, my birth mother couldn't channel magic, but I seemed to get it anyway."
"That could be from Tristan," Goldie said.
"True, but I have to find out. I mean, what if he accidentally does something? I need to know what we could be walking into."
I looked at my friends. They seemed skeptical.
"I'm not sure it will make a difference either way," Goldie said.
"Then for his sake. Nobody told me what was happening to me. It's scary to suddenly have magic. I want to be able to tell him the truth." I walked over to the door and pulled it open, waiting for them to join me.
Goldie walked over to the door. "It's worth a try. Maybe she'll respond if it's from you."
"Thank you." I followed her out into the hall.
"I'll wait here," Joe called after us.
We walked through the train car to the very end. When I thought we'd need to move to the next car, she stopped.
She paused in front of a closed door. "I just don't want you to feel let down if she ignores you, you've been through an awful lot."
"I can handle it," I said.
Goldie opened the door and swept her arm into the room. "After you."
I stepped into what at first glance appeared to be an empty room with gray walls and blue carpet. The single window lets in dim light through the faded red curtains. Goldie walked past me and pulled the curtain open, illuminating the room. That's when I noticed a small box attached to one wall.
Goldie moved in front of the box, then pulled it down, revealing a flat surface that she propped up like a desk. On the wall behind the platform she'd lowered was a stack of paper and pens.
"Letters?" It seemed odd that the only way to communicate was by writing letters. "Isn't there anything faster?"
"This is fast," Goldie said. "Write what you want to say, address it on the page, and close the box. It shows up on their end right away. Not as fast as telephones, but we've never done well with that sort of technology. Magic seems to have a way of shorting it out."
"How come you can still use magic like this, but the rest seems gone?" I asked.
"It's not powered by the person using it." Goldie shrugged. "I'm not sure how it works, but the box itself is what has the magic. Most magical households have this setup. We call it the messenger. Not a very creative name, but it gets the point across."
Goldie took a pen out and folded a piece of paper in half. She wrote my aunt's name and address on the top, then opened it like a greeting card. "Write what you want to ask inside, then we'll send it."
I took the pen from Goldie and looked down at the blank page. What if Kay didn't answer me? I was a bit hurt by the fact that she was backing out of helping the Rose Circus so easily. It wasn't just about helping the Fae get home. It was also about me not being killed by Terra. As long as Terra was alive, I was at risk. Didn't my aunt care at all? What was all that talk about how she'd been protecting me all these years?
I tapped the pen against the desk, then twirled it in my hands for a few minutes trying to figure out how to begin a conversation with her. Should I ask about her well being? Should I mention the battle?
Finally, I decided that I'd get right to the point. Kay had hurt me by refusing to help, but if there was anything she could share with me to help Ryder, I wanted to know.
Terra has Ryder. Is there anything I should know before I rescue him? Ara.
I read the words several times before setting down the pen and folding over the paper. "All done."
"Put it back in the box, then close it." Goldie moved the pen away from the shelf, returning it to the container that held several pens on the wall.
Unsure of what to expect, I set the letter down and lifted the desk space I had be
en using to write on. The panel clicked when it made contact with the rest of the box that was protruding from the wall. Curious, I pulled it back open again. The paper was already gone. "That's fast."
Goldie nodded. "We can wait here to see if she replies before we get to Denver."
As the minutes ticked by, I wondered if I was making a bigger deal out of this than I should have. Would my time have been better spent resting? Did it matter if Ryder had any magic? Would he even care? I started pacing the small room. There had been too much waiting lately. Waiting to see if the Sayges would help us. Waiting to see if Brenon would wake up.
Click.
"Was that?" I walked over to the box.
Goldie was still standing in front of it and pulled the shelf down to reveal a folded piece of paper that looked almost the same as the one I'd sent. The only difference is that this one had my name, and the words Rose Circus written on it.
I took a deep breath as I opened the letter, not sure what I should expect. Her writing seemed rushed despite the long wait for her reply.
Trauma can sometimes induce hidden power. Ryder was never tested. Magical abilities unknown. Kay is under house arrest. Maggie's in Denver.
Good luck. Adam
Hands trembling, I handed the letter to Goldie. My aunt was in trouble with the Sayges. Had she tried to help me?
I had hoped that hearing from her would make me feel better, but now I felt worse. The letter didn't solve anything. It left me with more questions and more unknowns. I thought back to when I had first used my magic. It was in response to Terra's attack on me. I hadn't had any signs of magic when Jack tortured me at Terra's command. How much trauma did it take? If Ryder had any hidden magic, would he be able to find a way to use it?
"Does this mean your aunt tried to come help you?" Goldie asked.
"I don't know. But after we save Ryder and Gia, we're going to find out." I pointed to the last line of the letter. "Looks like you might have an extra hand with the iron dust if Maggie finds us."
"She the unstable one with the baseball bat?" Goldie asked.
I smiled. "Yeah, that's her."
Chapter 28
We waited in Goldie's room. Occasionally, Joe or Goldie would attempt to engage in small talk, but it didn't last long. All I could think about was the upcoming rescue. I had to find my brother and Gia and get them away from Terra. But my mission was nothing compared to what Goldie was going to attempt.
"I wish I could help you more," I said to her.
"You know you can't," Goldie said. "You're doing your job. You're going after your brother and Gia. Besides, Joe's going to help. We'll be fine. When this is all over, we'll celebrate."
Forcing a smile, I nodded. It would be nice not to have Terra trying to kill me.
The time in the train seemed to drag. Finally, the familiar jolt of the train coming to a stop rattled the sides of the train car. Goldie's chandelier jingled as the crystals knocked into one another.
With a deep breath, the three of us silently stood and made our way to the dining car where we'd be meeting up with the rest of the Circus. It was time.
I looked around the dining car for Brenon and didn't see him. Then I remembered he was probably looking for me in his room. Turning around, I made my way to the door just in time to see him walking past. He looked tense, but when he spotted me, he visibly relaxed. He shook his head as he approached. "Couldn't just take a nap?"
"Sorry, got distracted." I pulled out the letter and handed it to him.
He frowned as he read it. "Seems like someone higher up may have struck a deal with Terra. I wondered why the Sayges wouldn't agree to help again. They have a reputation for finishing what they start. It's not like them to back down."
He handed me back the paper. "Do you think Kay's in danger?"
"I don't know," Brenon said. "I'm not familiar enough with Sayge rules."
Worrying about my aunt was difficult for me. For so long, I'd seen her as a villain. The woman who wanted nothing to do with me and had cut Ryder and me out as soon as our parents died. I'd thought she was after the money, but now I wasn't sure. If she was trying to protect me, didn't I owe her something? Wasn't that how it worked in the magical world? "I want to check on her when this is over."
Brenon nodded. "It will be our first stop."
"Thanks." I wondered about the other Sayges I'd met. Adam had written the note, so he was still free. Had Maggie snuck out to help us? I held the paper up. "Maggie will be an asset in there to help Goldie."
"Yeah, you're probably right," Brenon said. "I take it Goldie already knows?"
I nodded, then glanced at the paper again. "What do you think this means for Ryder?"
"Hard to tell," he said, walking toward the center of the room.
Shoving the note into my pocket, I followed him. Butterflies filled my stomach as I stared out at the members of the Rose Circus who were agreeing to come on this quest to help me save Ryder and Gia. It was dangerous going against Terra. They hadn't seen the bodies she'd left behind when the Sayges attacked. Few survivors had seen that. My stomach flipped as I recalled the expressions on the faces of the dead. So many lifeless eyes.
Shuddering, I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to clear the memory.
"Thank you all for being here," Brenon said. "Remember, you're just causing trouble. Causing distractions. Try to get Terra away from her place, out in the open if possible. If things go wrong, you leave. Don't stick around."
He glanced at me, then looked back into the crowd. "That goes for all of you."
I swallowed against the lump that had risen in my throat.
"How much time does she need?" Miles asked.
"Do you have a best guess, Jasper?" Brenon asked.
Jasper stood from somewhere in the back of the crowd. "If all goes well, we can be in and out in ten minutes."
"We'll give you twelve." Miles nodded at me.
"Thank you." I nodded back. It meant a lot to me to have his support and no matter the bad blood between us, I believed that if Miles promised twelve minutes, he'd find a way to deliver.
Evangeline moved next to me, appearing out of thin air in true cat form. She looked out into the crowd, her slitted eyes narrowed. "I'll be escorting Goldie and Joe. The rest of you get them a clear shot, and we'll end this once and for all."
"Any questions?" Brenon asked.
The room was silent. A thick tension seemed to hang heavy in the air. There was so much unknown going into this.
Brenon turned to me. "Tristan said he'd meet you on the north side of the building. You and Jasper go ahead now. The others will follow in a few minutes."
Jasper cut through the crowd toward the front, all eyes following him as he made his way to me. "You ready?"
I nodded, then turned to face the rest of the Rose Circus. "Thank you."
The words couldn't even begin to express how I felt about their willingness to help me, but it was all I could get out. I nodded in the little bow I'd learned to use with the Sayge Elders.
The members of the circus lowered their heads in return, bowing to me. My cheeks burned. I didn't feel worthy of such a gesture.
When they looked back up at me, Brenon gave me a little push on the small of my back. "Go on. I'll see you when it's over."
Following Jasper, the two of us made our way off of the train. The air was clear and cold. Fall's crisp bite stung my cheeks and the smell of damp leaves and cozy fireplaces hung in the air. The train had arrived at the downtown train station, and it was full of people who walked by without even giving it a second glance. "Don't they see it?"
Jasper shook his head. "They can't see it."
A woman in a black peacoat paused in front of us. Her eyes widened, then she ran off startled.
"What was that all about?" I inclined my head toward the woman.
"Humans can't see us. Have you learned about auras yet? You let off a gold aura. Very different than most of us."
I turned around and glanc
ed at the woman who was walking quickly away from us. Now that Jasper mentioned it, she had a slight green glow to her. Shaking my head, I turned away from her and matched pace with Jasper as we crossed a busy street. If I wasn't noticing auras, I wasn't paying attention. I had to focus better on my surroundings. As we passed groups on their way to the bars and restaurants, I checked each person, wondering if we were going to encounter any more supernaturals.
Either we didn't pass anymore, or I wasn't able to see the auras. Either possibility made me a bit uncomfortable, and it surprised me. I thought I'd be happy to be surrounded by boring humans, but I found myself missing the company of the those in the magical community. People like me. For the first time, I realized that I couldn't go back to this. I wasn't like them; normal wasn't going to work for me anymore. The thought scared me. What did that mean for me?
A hand grabbed my arm and pulled me into an alleyway. Icy cold fear shot through me, and my heart thundered in my chest. I tried to scream, but another hand covered my mouth. I'd been distracted, and hadn't noticed the blonde guy in the black leather jacket waiting for us.
Pushing my way out of Tristan's grip, I turned and glared at him. "What the hell? You couldn't just say hello?"
He lifted a finger in front of his lips and shushed me.
Hands on my hips, I pressed my lips together, ceasing the noise, heart still racing from him grabbing me.
"The building is a block away," Tristan whispered. "We'll hide right outside the back entrance, and as soon as the others create a diversion, we'll sneak in."
He moved toward the edge of the alleyway, then turned and looked back at me. "I'm in charge, no talking, just follow."
I wasn't happy about it, but we had agreed to let him help us. Jasper was the one who knew the way around the building, Tristan was the one who knew Terra. Between the two of them, we were going to save Ryder and Gia.
The three of us quietly walked down an empty, dark street that I didn't recognize. Though I had been to Terra's twice, I'd never stopped to pay attention to my surroundings. I needed to start doing that more. It was amazing how much I never noticed by not being worried about anything. I always thought I was observant, but between the missed aura and the lack of any idea where I was at the moment, I realized I didn't pay attention to details.
