“How?” Kade asked.
“Poet and Nixie are the most powerful people here other than Naida and … well … Max,” Luke replied.
Kade’s eyebrows shot up his forehead. “Max? He’s paranormal, too?”
“Of course he is,” I said, realizing just how deep Max’s lies ran. There was no way Kade could know Max was supernatural. Max wanted to hide all of our magical quirks from Kade upon his arrival. That included his own.
“What is Max?” The look on Kade’s face reflected betrayal, and before I realized what I was doing I snagged his hand and squeezed it.
“Max is a … sorcerer,” I said.
“Like a wizard?” Kade was confused.
“Kind of,” I said. “With hints of shaman, too. The truth is, he’s never told us exactly what he is and he’s terrifying enough that we don’t ask. He doesn’t whip out his magic very often, but when he does, it’s serious.”
“Are you saying that Max is like Dumbledore?” Kade pressed.
“He doesn’t wear dresses,” Luke replied. “That’s Nellie’s job.”
“Those are robes, you idiot,” Nellie snapped. “Now that I think about it, though, Max is kind of like Dumbledore.”
Kade rubbed the side of his face as he tried to absorb the new information. His other hand was still wrapped around mine, almost as if using me as an anchor. “So, other than Max and Naida, Poet and Nixie are the most powerful ones here. That’s what you’re saying, right?”
Luke nodded. “Well, and Raven. Huh. I never realized that the women here were so much stronger than the men until I just said that. That’s … humbling.”
“No one has ever used the word ‘humble’ where you’re concerned,” I countered, moving to pull my hand from Kade so I could rub my weary eyes. He fought the effort, so I gave in and left it where it was. The simple gesture was comforting.
Oh, holy heck, I am completely losing it.
“Why would someone go after the most powerful beings here?” Kade asked. “You guys aren’t hiding something here, are you? There’s nothing here anyone would want to steal, right?”
“We’re not hiding anything,” I said. “We’re not liars.”
Kade arched an eyebrow.
“We’re not hiding anything other than what we were hiding when you first came here,” I clarified. “We haven’t lied since. We don’t have anything of value. We make decent money with the circus, but not enough to fund anyone’s extravagant fantasies. Our magic can’t be stolen, so there’s no worth in that.”
“Yes, Poet is completely worthless,” Luke deadpanned.
Kade cuffed the back of Luke’s head. “I can’t take much more of you right now,” he said.
“I’m sorry,” Luke said, his apology taking me by surprise. “I’m worried. When I’m worried, I say stupid things. I have no idea why.”
“Fair enough,” Kade said. “Give me a reason someone would want to take out the most powerful people here.”
“Maybe they want to take over the circus,” Nellie suggested. “If we’re really supposed to believe that someone we know is behind this, maybe the reason is as simple as greed. Or maybe someone doesn’t like being told what to do.”
“Like Mark,” I mused. I was mostly musing to myself, but everyone shifted their attention to me.
“Why would Mark want to take over the circus?” Luke asked.
“I don’t know why he would want to, but he’s always given me a slimy vibe,” I answered. “I’ve never trusted him. He’s also been making noise about Kade watching him.”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Kade said. “He has been angry about all the attention I’ve been showering on him.”
“You should save that attention for Poet,” Luke said. “I like the idea of Mark. We all hate him. It wouldn’t be such a betrayal if it’s him.”
“He’s not supernatural, though,” I pointed out. “He knows about us, but he has no powers. How could he control the changelings without powers?”
“Maybe he has a partner,” Nellie offered.
“Who does Mark even hang around with?” I asked.
“I mostly see him with Sid,” Luke said. “They sit around, drink and make lewd comments about all the women here.”
“Lewd comments? Wait, I don’t want to know.”
Luke smirked. “They love your butt, Poet. They love Raven’s boobs. They want the pixie twins to make them sandwiches. If they’re drunk enough they’re even turned on by Nellie.”
“I have better boobs than Raven,” I argued, pulling my shirt out so I could look down it. I was pretty sure I’d just been insulted. When I glanced at Kade, I found he was looking down my billowy top, too. “Hey!”
“What?” Kade didn’t appear embarrassed to be caught in the act. “I’ve already seen your underwear. There’s no harm in seeing the bra.”
“Ugh. All this cuteness is going to make me puke,” Nellie said. Luke offered the irritated dwarf an enthusiastic fist bump, which Nellie ignored. “That will chip my nail polish.”
Luke made a face.
“I’m going to be honest and say that I don’t think Sid is smart enough to control changelings,” I said. “I watched him pick his nose yesterday. He seemed mesmerized by what he found in there.”
“He’s a changeling, though,” Luke pointed out. “He might know a trick or two we don’t.”
“He’s also a clown,” Kade added.
“So?”
“All clowns are inherently evil,” Kade said, causing Nellie and Luke to snicker.
“Your fear of clowns is adorable,” I said. “I have plans to use it to my advantage later. Just because Sid is a clown doesn’t mean he’s a crazy murderer.”
“It’s plenty of evidence for me,” Kade said, releasing my hand so he could cross his arms over his chest. He was cute when he was obstinate.
I turned to Nellie. “Who can’t you account for under the big top during the show tonight?”
“I saw Seth and Rodrigo for sure,” Nellie replied, counting off names on his fingers. “Luke was on the trapeze with the pixie twins. Dolph was there.” Nellie rattled off the entire list and when he was done, he turned to me expectantly. “I can’t account for Sid or Mark.”
“Mark never goes to the shows, so that’s not a surprise,” I pointed out. “Sid, though … he’s usually there until the curtain falls. If he’s not on stage he’s in the crowd making balloon animals for the kids.”
“That right there would get him taken in for questioning,” Kade said.
I couldn’t help but smile. “You need to let the clown fear go.”
“I’m not afraid of clowns,” Kade corrected, wagging his finger in my face. “I think they’re creepy. There’s a difference.”
“Whatever,” I said, rolling my eyes. “We’ll deal with that later. We need to focus. If someone really is targeting us from inside, we need to be ready.”
“What do you suggest?”
“We need to gather the people we know we can trust and figure this out,” I said. “I think that group includes, Seth, Rodrigo, Dolph, Naida, Nixie, Max and … loath as I am to admit it … Raven.”
“Raven could easily be evil,” Luke argued. “She threatened to shrink my most prized possession yesterday. You heard her.”
“She’s bitchy,” I said. “That doesn’t mean she’s evil. She’s helped fight off just about every true threat we’ve faced. I have trouble believing she could be involved in this. She doesn’t like dirty things, and those changelings were filthy. She wouldn’t get any closer to them than she had to.”
“I think Poet is right,” Kade said.
I narrowed my eyes. “Do you think I’m right or are you standing up for Raven?”
“Don’t go off the rails,” Kade grumbled. “I can only handle one crisis at a time. The first thing we need to do is get all the customers out of here tonight. I think that means patrolling the parking lot to be on the safe side.”
“Why is that important?” Luke
asked.
“Because an attack in front of people could seriously damage Mystic Caravan’s reputation,” I said. “Kade is right. The guests have to be our first priority.”
“I’m going to take Luke and Nellie with me to the parking lot,” Kade said. “We’ll pick up Dolph on the way.”
“Okay,” I said. “Let’s meet back here once the fairgrounds are clear. I’ll get Raven from the House of Mirrors and we’ll swing around and collect Max on our way back. You guys make sure to bring Seth, Rodrigo, Nixie and Naida when you return.”
Nellie and Luke were already moving toward the exit when Kade grabbed my arm and turned me around.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, confused by the worry in his eyes.
“Be careful.”
“I will.” I smiled and rolled up on my toes so I could give him a kiss on the cheek. “You still owe me a second kiss later. I can’t miss that.”
Kade smiled, but the expression didn’t make it all the way to his eyes. “Be really careful,” he repeated.
“Kade, it’s going to be okay. This isn’t the first time we’ve faced a monster.”
“Yes, but you’re not just facing off with a monster,” Kade countered. “You’re facing off with a monster who knows you. That changes things.”
“It’s going to be okay,” I promised, kissing his cheek a second time for good measure. “We’re going to solve this. We may even do it tonight.”
“I’ve already solved it,” Kade said, rubbing his thumb over my bottom lip. “It’s the clown. A grown man purposely dressing like that has to be evil.”
“Well, with reasoning like that, I can’t believe I ever doubted you.”
Thirty-Three
I could hear the crowd spilling out of the main tent from across the midway and I was relieved to know Kade was in charge of getting them out safely. He was a good man. It didn’t hurt that he was so easy on the eyes either. He was a nice fit for Mystic Caravan. I was starting to think he was a nice fit for me, too.
Someone shoot me now. I’m officially smitten. I hate that word. Who invented that word?
The midway was empty. It closes down a half hour before the main event ends. That allows us to herd visitors out in two different waves. I wasn’t surprised to find myself alone. I was surprised by the fear coursing through me, though. I’d never been leery of walking around my own turf before. I hoped the feeling didn’t last.
I let myself into the House of Mirrors without announcing my presence. I was prepared for some lip from Raven regarding Kade, and I figured it would be better to get it out of our systems without an audience. The men of Mystic Caravan consider themselves evolved, but they still love a good chick fight.
The House of Mirrors has never been a favorite place of mine. I’ve always had an irrational fear of being trapped inside of a mirror after my mother showed me a movie about a girl trapped in an alternate dimension – shown only in mirrors as she haunted those she left behind – when I was a child. I’ve never been able to shake it. What? That could happen. It’s a much more realistic fear than Kade’s clown obsession.
The House of Mirrors consists of six rooms spread across two different floors. Raven could be anywhere, but I figured she was probably in her office. That’s the direction I headed.
I heard voices as I approached and slowed my pace.
“You’re an idiot,” Raven snapped. “I can’t believe how stupid you are. If they were giving out crowns, yours would make you King of the Stupid.”
Had she already found another man? That was quick, even for her. I shuffled from one foot to other in the hallway, conflicted. I didn’t want to eavesdrop, but I needed her help. Hopefully she would crush hearts as fast as she did Luke’s spirit when she threatened him.
“I am not stupid.” The man’s voice was low and hard to make out. Still, there was something familiar about it. “Stop calling me stupid.”
“Stupid!” Raven sounded angrier than usual. Most of her dumpings go smoother than this. Well, at least I hoped so.
The distinctive sound of an open-handed slap echoed throughout the room, making me cringe. I had no idea whether Raven liked to play rough, but I had a feeling this was something else.
“Don’t hit me, you freak!” Raven screeched. “I’m going to fry you!”
“You’re in no position to do anything, Raven.” The voice was still an enigma.
I reached out with my mind, tentatively prodding Raven. I couldn’t see inside the room without giving myself away, but I wanted her to know she wasn’t alone. She acknowledged the probe with a relieved squeeze.
“Sid, I know you think you’ve got this all under control, but you’re seriously spiraling here,” Raven said.
Sid? Raven was leading me to answers. I needed to listen.
“Raven, don’t talk to me as if we’re equals,” Sid said, his voice dripping with venom. “We’re not equals. You’re no one’s equal.”
“So why are you here?” Raven pressed. “If I’m not your equal I shouldn’t be a concern for you.”
“You weren’t a concern until you and Poet decided to pair up last night,” Sid replied. “After your display at dinner, I thought for sure you two would be on the outs for weeks. Actually, if I’m being truthful, I was hoping Denton would take longer to make his choice.
“When he showed up, I was worried that he was going to be a threat,” he continued. “Then I saw the way he looked at Poet … and the way you looked at him … and I realized I had an opening.”
“An opening for what?” Raven asked, leading him for me.
“To put my plan into action,” Sid replied. “Poet was my main concern from the beginning. She sticks her nose where it doesn’t belong – and she’s more powerful than even she realizes. When Denton arrived and I saw her reaction to him, I knew he’d make for a great distraction.
“Then you went after him and really had her on the ropes,” he continued. “She couldn’t see what was right in front of her because she was distracted by outside forces. Then Denton ended the games and declared her the victor. They were still distracted by each other, but not as much as I needed.”
“What’s your endgame here?”
“What do you think?” he sneered.
“I honestly have no idea,” Raven said. “You’re in charge of those rabid changelings, aren’t you?”
“My … children,” Sid answered. “They’re not rabid. Don’t disparage them. They’re merely … modified.”
“Where have you been keeping them?”
“In my spare trailer,” Sid said, his shoes scuffing across the floor. Raven was sending me a mental picture of their location. She was tied to a chair in the middle of the room, the bindings both tight and magical, Sid only a few feet from her. There was no way I could get inside the room without giving Sid plenty of time to move on her. “I’ve been … experimenting … for some time now. I can keep them hidden because they’re already on the grounds when you cast the dreamcatcher. I put a magical ward on the trailer to hide them.”
“Where are you getting the changelings?”
“I’ve been collecting them as we travel,” Sid replied. “As you know, if a changeling has a soul it doesn’t trip the dreamcatcher. Changelings can recognize one another for what they are. That makes things … convenient.
“I merely approach one of my kind, invite them to my trailer after a show, and drug them,” he said. “By the time they realize what’s happening, it’s too late.”
“And what is happening?” Raven asked.
“I’m older than I look, Raven,” Sid said. “How old do I look to you?”
“I don’t know … a hundred?”
“I forget, age is different for you lamia,” Sid said, sighing. “You’re almost a hundred yourself, aren’t you?”
“I’m seventy-five. Don’t make this worse than it is. I look young and hot for my age. Don’t you dare deny it.” Raven sounded irritated. “How old are you?”
“I’m eighty,”
Sid said. “For a long time I didn’t feel it. I’m starting to feel it now.”
Eighty? In human years, Sid looked fifty at most. I didn’t understand what was going on here. I projected a series of questions to Raven.
“I thought changelings lived mostly human lives,” Raven said. “Why do you look so young if you’re as old as you say?”
“I’m special, even by my own standards,” Sid said. “I have abilities others of my kind don’t possess. I’m a hybrid, you see. I’m only half changeling.”
“What’s the other half?”
“Romani.”
I furrowed my brow. Crap. This was not the time to know absolutely nothing about my own heritage. If he’s Romani, did that mean he could read minds?
“That’s exactly what it means, Poet!”
I froze at the words, stunned. Sid knew I was here the whole time. I took a step away from the door.
“Run, Poet!” Raven cried out as Sid struck her again, the sound echoing throughout the room and hallway.
“Don’t run, Poet,” Sid called out, his voice high and filled with mirth. “You’re going to ruin the game if you run!”
Oh, I was going to run. I just wasn’t going to run outside. Two could play the mind-reading game, and in the precious few seconds between my realization and Sid’s chilling words I’d gotten a glimpse of what awaited me if I fled through the front door. Two more feral changelings prowled out there. Even if I could fight off one, I couldn’t take them both on if Sid controlled them.
Instead of racing outside I slipped farther into the House of Mirrors. My reflection taunted me from a thousand different angles as I moved, the sight of my own fear causing my heart to race. If I could see it, Sid could, too. He would feed off of it.
I pressed my eyes shut and whispered as I ran my hands over my face. When I looked back into the mirrors, the newly created glamour of a female harlequin clown with blue and purple hair and angry eyes stared back at me. It was time for Sid to face something frightening.
I moved into the next room and waited. I planned to let Sid come to me.
“Poet!” Sid was practically singing. “Come out, come out, wherever you are.”
I needed to keep him busy. Kade and the others would eventually come looking for me. As a unit, they were strong enough to take out the two changelings outside. The dreamcatcher would alert them … wait. Something occurred to me.
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