by Trudi Jaye
She took one hesitant step after another and was soon walking confidently around the small space. “How is it doing this? This is nothing like my other prosthetic.”
“It’s a family secret,” said Viktor. “We don’t like to talk about it too much.”
“You’re a genius.” Kara cornered Viktor and locked him into a huge hug. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She let him go then kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you so much. This means everything to me.”
Viktor blushed. He opened his mouth to say something then closed it again when nothing came out.
Henry rescued his dad. “You don’t have to thank us. We’re just grateful to have someone to use one of our designs.”
“Thank you both. I will never forget this.”
“You better remember us. You’ll need to keep in contact to tell us how the prototype goes,” said Viktor gruffly.
Kara laughed. “You couldn’t get rid of me at this point.” She bounced over to Deputy Fordham and gave him a huge, smacking kiss on the lips.
As they left, Rilla watched Viktor closely. He was smiling and his shoulders were relaxed. He clapped Henry on the arm and said something that made his son laugh. For the first time, she realized how hard Viktor and his sons had worked on the prosthetic leg.
She’d stopped thinking about it once she’d become convinced that Kara needed more than simply a new leg. Through her own one-eyed focus on the aspect of the Gift she thought was most important, she’d been blocking out an important contribution made by Viktor and his family.
While Kara might have needed more than a prosthetic, it didn’t mean having this prosthetic wouldn’t make her life better. It had already taken away pain that Kara would have had to live with for the rest of her life.
It was a stupid mistake to have made, another example of how far she’d been off her game. The look on Kara’s face had been enough to show them all how much it had meant to her.
Rilla climbed in the back of the car, her thoughts racing. But first things first. “Viktor, that was amazing. I’m sorry I doubted the impact your prosthetic would have.”
Viktor glanced back at her, surprise on his face. “You don’t have to apologize, Rilla. It ain’t an exact science, the Gift, and a bit of push and shove never hurt anyone. We just do what we can, what we’re all good at, and mostly it works out. That’s all any of us can do.”
“Then thanks for being so good at what you do. We’re lucky to have you, and I shouldn’t have overlooked that.”
Viktor gave an impatient snort. “Stop being so maudlin, girl. There’s no need to second-guess yerself. We all know how important you are to the Carnival. This business with Jack bein’ Ringmaster don’t mean we don’t value you. We all love you, Rilla. Don’t forget that.”
Tears welled in her eyes, and Rilla could only look at Viktor. That was probably the nicest thing the Thrillmaster had ever said to her.
***
When they arrived back at the Carnival, Viktor and Henry went off to visit Garth, and Rilla went in search of Jack. She’d promised to help him with his routine. The afternoon sideshows and thrill rides were operating, and they had a decent crowd, people laughing and eating and talking around her. She headed up the main strip, wanting to feel the buzz of a busy crowd of punters.
She spotted Frankie standing beside the haunted house, checking out the lines. Rilla’s heart dropped. As much as she loved Frankie, his being here meant the Carnival was still too weak. The visit with Kara had been so uplifting; it was difficult to come home and see that the Carnival was still fragmented and broken.
Rilla tried not to think about tomorrow night’s performance. She really didn’t know if the Carnival was strong enough to protect Kara like it should. She hadn’t lied when she assured Deputy Fordham about their safety precautions for Kara. The rigging had been triple-checked, and they had someone standing guard in the big top at all times. Lucietta and Christoph were both gone, so the threat of sabotage had lifted.
There would be no repeat of yesterday’s accident.
But she was still worried about something happening to Kara while she was in the air—not only for her own sake. Garth was connected to her, and in his weakened state, an injury to Kara could be fatal for both of them. Not to mention Jack’s control over his absorbing talent was still erratic. They needed to work on getting that under control before the performance, as well.
The thrill from watching Kara with her new prosthetic faded away completely as she was reminded of everything they still had to resolve at the Carnival.
Frankie turned and moved to one side, away from Rilla. She saw Jack for the first time, standing behind Frankie. She let out a breath. She experienced a jolt in her gut every time she saw him now. Somewhere between falling from the roof and helping him control his absorbing, she’d lost the anger that had been keeping her from looking too closely at her feelings for him. All she could think of was to ignore it and continue on.
“Queue counting? Isn’t that something for Joey?” she said as she approached them.
Frankie jumped slightly and turned to face her.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Just checking out the Carnival on a Friday night. There’ve been lots of hits online. Joey’s been posting photos and comments and helping me keep it running. Plus, that clip from the news station went viral, with a little help from me.” Frankie winked. “People are checking it out from all over the world.” He swept his arm in a dramatic arc.
“We have more punters?” Rilla looked around. The thin crowds they’d had for the last three weeks had definitely been replaced with a crush of people. She checked her watch. There were still a few hours until the circus show opened. A crowd in the sideshow and thrill rides always meant a big showing in the big top. Perhaps the universe was on their side again.
Jack had moved over to stand beside Rilla. “Will you take a walk with us? I’m absorbing a little of the Carnival’s magic for Frankie, so he can come out of the caravan. It’s gotten stronger again.”
“You’re controlling it?”
Jack nodded. “I can do it because the Carnival is still weak. But if I can help Frankie, I will.” He said it like he thought Rilla might object, but she couldn’t bring herself to force Frankie back to his caravan.
“You just have to remember to not let it build up so much that it hurts Garth.” She could still feel the fear that had pulsed through her veins after Garth collapsed.
“I’m keeping it low-level.”
They walked together along the main Carnival strip, easing their way through the lively crowds. Rilla inhaled, taking in the buttery smell of popcorn and the sickly sweet cotton candy mixed with the excitement and lighthearted chatter. Laughter and cries of surprise mingled with the mechanical clamor of the rides, and for the first time since her father’s death, Rilla felt energized.
It was good to be here, in the middle of the strip, watching the punters having fun and enjoying the performances. It was who they were and what they did. She’d almost forgotten that with everything that had been happening.
“I don’t believe it. He’s here.” Frankie’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Who’s here?” she said, perplexed. She peered around, trying to see who Frankie was talking about.
“Jack, you remember that Vegas magician we saw on television? The one who came up on the computer search? He’s here.”
Jack frowned. “That’s an awfully big coincidence, Frankie.”
“Tell me about it.” Frankie glanced at Jack, concern in his eyes.
“Where is he?”
Frankie indicated off to their left, and Jack and Rilla swiveled to look. It wasn’t hard to spot him. In fact, Rilla wondered how she’d missed him before. His hair was a vibrant shade of blue, his clothing all black, and he wore black eyeliner. Alarm bells were ringing in her head. Where had she seen him before?
Holding the man’s hand, standing close against him, was a boy, maybe about twelve ye
ars old with pale skin and tired smudges under his blue eyes.
Her first urge was to hug the boy and tell him everything was going to be okay. Then she’d give him a glass of warm milk and tuck him into bed for a good sleep. What was this guy thinking, pulling his son out of bed when he was so obviously unwell?
Glancing at the face of the man again, a memory pulled at Rilla. She narrowed her eyes. He seemed so familiar.
“You know him, don’t you, Frankie? I think you need to introduce us,” said Jack in a soft voice. “I’ve met him before. He was at Abba’s funeral.”
Rilla’s breathing slowed. She’d seen him that day, too. Who was he, and what was he doing here tonight?
Frankie led them over to the magician. “Hugo! Fancy seeing you in this neck of the woods.” Frankie’s voice was loud and unnatural, but the noise of the surrounding punters drowned it out.
Hugo turned to look at Frankie, and Rilla could have sworn she saw panic cross his face before he replaced it with a practiced smile.
“Frankie, what are you doing here?” Hugo put out his free arm and shook Frankie’s hand.
“I live here.” Frankie raised his eyebrows in amusement. “Hugo Blue, this is Rilla Jolly and Jack Knight, fellow carnies.”
Hugo smiled at them all. He looked down at the boy next to him. “This is my son, Simon. Simon, say hello.”
Simon smiled wanly and nodded at them. “Hello,” he said softly.
“Nice to meet you. Any friend of Frankie’s is very welcome,” said Jack, smiling as he held out his hand to Hugo. The two men shook firmly.
Rilla watched Hugo’s face carefully, trying to understand the flare of unease working its way through her body. What was she missing here?
She held out her hand and smiled when Hugo turned to her. Instead of shaking her hand, he took it in an old-fashioned grasp and kissed the top. “A pleasure to meet you, Rilla,” he said, his fierce eyes boring into her.
She tried not to snatch away her hand too fast and managed to smile. Really, this man was sending creepy-crawlies up her spine. What was it about him?
“Have you been here long?” asked Frankie. “Are you planning on staying for the big show?”
Hugo gave a fatalistic shrug. “Unfortunately, no. As you can see, my son is tired. I promised him the Carnival, and he insisted we come, but I believe we will retire before the big show starts.”
“What brings you to the area? I thought you were a Vegas man through and through.” Frankie waved a hand around the sideshows.
Hugo shrugged. “One needs a change now and again. The mountain air is very cleansing. What about you? I think I recall you vowing never to come home to the family Carnival.”
Frankie smiled ruefully. “Plans change. I grew up and realized it wasn’t so bad.”
“We all have to grow up at some point, I suppose,” said Hugo, patting Simon’s head. “Even if we don’t want to. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I believe we have a few rides still to complete before we head home.”
“Of course. See you again,” said Frankie.
Hugo turned away, and soon he and his son had blended back into the crowd.
“What do you make of that?” asked Jack.
“I don’t know. He’s up to something,” said Frankie. “His boy looked like death warmed up compared to last time I saw him. Maybe we should set one of the kids to watching him.”
Rilla nodded. “He gave me the creeps.”
“I’ll go talk to Joey,” said Jack. “Frankie, my control is slipping. I don’t think you have much longer out here.”
“I can feel the pull,” said Frankie. “I’ll head back to the caravan and see what other information I can dig up about this guy online.”
“I’m going to go prepare for this evening. I’ll see you just before the performance, Jack.” As Rilla took a step away from Jack and Frankie, a light flicked on in her head. She stopped and turned back. “Oh my God. Wait! Jack, Frankie. It’s him. Hugo Blue is the magician Lucietta worked for!”
Jack turned back, a frown on his face. “What?”
“Barb had a picture from a newspaper she found in Christoph’s things. It was of Lucietta and Hugo in full makeup and performance gear. It was in black and white, and not so clear, so I didn’t recognize him. But he’s connected to Lucietta.”
“If he’s connected to her, he has to be part of the sabotage, as well.” Frankie’s voice was shaky. “It’s still not finished.”
“That’s why he was at Dad’s funeral.” Rilla felt like her knees had turned to jelly. He’d been watching them all this time.
“We have to find him. Before he does whatever he came here to do,” said Jack, his voice hard.
As he spoke, a terrified scream tore through the Carnival, stopping the talk and laughter. In the unnatural silence, the scream was repeated.
Jack, Rilla, and Frankie all broke into a full-speed run. The scream had come from the Carousel.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
The Carnival went crazy. That was the only way Jack could describe it.
They arrived at the Carousel to find it spinning out of control, the punters, mainly young children and their parents, clinging onto their rides. Terrified screams filled the air.
People were crowding around the ride as it spun, some trying to reach out to the people on board.
“We need to keep them away from the ride until we can stop it!” yelled Rilla as they raced toward the gathering crowd.
“How do we stop it?” Jack asked. There had to be an off button somewhere.
“There’s a kill switch,” said Rilla, pointing to the mechanic’s stand to their right. “Big switch. You’ll see it. I’m going to move those people back before someone gets hurt.” She raced off into the middle of the crowd.
“Where’s the ride crew?” Frankie said from just behind him.
As he ran, Jack searched through the faces around the Carousel. Frankie was right; there was no one else from the Carnival in sight.
“Find whoever should have been here,” he called back to Frankie. “They might be hurt. I’ll turn off the Carousel.”
Jack dashed into the booth and stared down at the controls. There were multiple buttons, levers, and switches. His blood was pumping wildly through his veins. Rilla was wrong; the kill switch wasn’t obvious. The high-pitched screams of young children filled the air, and Jack’s hand trembled as he held it over the three main levers in front of him.
Hands grabbed him from behind. Frankie pushed him out of the way and used both hands to pull down one of the big levers, with some effort. It slammed to a halt at the base.
Nothing changed. The Carousel continued its relentless spinning and the scared passengers kept screaming for help.
“It’s not stopping. This lever should stop it.” Frankie’s voice rose in fear. “Where’s Viktor? He needs to get here fast.”
“I’ll get him,” said Jack, already halfway out of the booth. “See what you can do here. Keep trying to stop it.” But as Jack stepped out of the control booth, he stopped in surprise. Despite it being a warm, late summer afternoon, he was suddenly chilled to the bone. Heavy drops of water hit his face. Wind whipped over his body, the roar so loud it now drowned out the screaming children on the Carousel. A fierce storm had grown up out of nowhere, hitting them all full force.
“What the hell is happening, Frankie?” he yelled back into the booth.
Frankie’s wide eyes were enough to tell him he had no idea, either.
Jack turned back to the scene before him. It was the worst, most ferocious storm he’d ever seen, and it seemed to be coming out of the Carousel. Winds streamed up out of the center, rising high above and then diving down into the mass of people gathered around.
It was like the storm depicted on the Carousel had leaked into the air around them.
Rain hit Jack like arrows, and a young girl and boy just in front of him fell back into his arms. He steadied them both and helped them to a sheltered spot by the control booth
.
Leaning into the wind and rain now battering at him, Jack tried to see Rilla. She was much smaller than he was. There was a real danger that she could be picked up and hurled against a building in this kind of weather.
Was that what this was? Weather? He didn’t think so. He might be new to the whole idea of the magic of the Carnival, but he knew when something wasn’t natural. What was causing this?
The answer seemed obvious. Hugo Blue.
Jack didn’t know how or even why, but the magician had popped up on their radar too often for his appearance tonight to be a coincidence. Squinting into the powerful winds surrounding him, Jack tried to spot blue hair.
Everyone in the crowds around him was standing in one place, looking up into the sky as if it were a show of some kind. No one took cover or even moved away from the Carousel, despite the heavy winds and rain. It was like they didn’t know how to react or what to do. Maybe they didn’t. This was a coastal storm, born out of a deep-sea front hitting the land. Completely out of place in a mountainside setting.
Lightning flashed through the sky, casting a jagged line over the rides and stalls. Jack knew this storm wasn’t supposed to end without casualties, and the milling crowds were making it easy.
It would take a lot of power to create a storm as violent as this. He took a deep breath. If it was the same kind of energy that inhabited the Carnival, then maybe his absorbing power was going to be of some use after all. But he needed to find somewhere to write.
“Jack!”
He jumped, looking around. Rilla stood behind him, bleeding from a wound on her head.
“What happened? Are you okay?” He had to shout to make himself heard. “That looks painful.” Jack reached up and pulled a strand of hair out of the wound.
“Just got knocked around when the storm started. We need to get out of this wind. Where’s Frankie?”
Jack gestured to the booth.
Rilla glanced in that direction then shook her head. “It’s not something that can be fixed by the controls. This is curse energy.”
“Where someone is hurt?” Jack frowned. Who would Hugo hurt?
