High Flyer (The Magic Carnival Book 4)

by Trudi Jaye

  As soon as Veronica followed her gaze to Lorenzo, Missy kicked out with her leg in a karate-style move she’d learned from Garth. She hit Veronica’s side and earned a grunt, but it didn’t knock her down.

  Missy swore, then rolled over and stood. She held up her hands, ready for a fight. But Veronica simply stood in front of her, a small smile on her lips. Pain again burst through Missy’s body, and she stumbled back. She held her hand to her stomach at the epicenter of the attack, struggling to breathe through suddenly empty lungs. Her head was exploding, needles pushing through her eyes, nose, and mouth.

  “What made you think you could win against me, Missy?” Veronica stepped forward, still holding the knife. “You’re just a circus performer.”

  Missy gasped, watching through tear-filled eyes, almost retching with the agony pulsing through her body, jerking each time the tempo increased.

  ***

  Zeph moved slowly, partially because he had a splitting headache from where Veronica had smashed him, but also because his sore leg had started throbbing again. He put one hand out to his thigh. Not just throbbing. Veronica had made the pain go away when they arrived, but now it was back even worse than before.

  He tried to put weight on it. His leg buckled under and he almost fell before managing to grasp the edge of the desk. He couldn’t walk straight.

  Veronica turned and saw him. “Ah, Zeph, you’re back. A pity you can’t walk or you might have been able to save Missy.” She turned her back on him and knelt beside Missy.

  For a second, all he could see was red—and then a surge of energy claimed his body. He grasped the matching white figurine off the desk and held it aloft. Taking four running leaps, he made it to Veronica and, as hard as he could, slammed the figurine across the side of her head just as she was leaning in with her steel blade toward Missy’s prone body.

  She flopped down hard on top of Missy. The knife rattled off under the couch. Zeph took a step, meaning to help Missy, but instead plunged downward, landing hard on his side. His leg was burning up.

  Missy frantically pushed at Veronica’s body, struggling to free herself from the dead weight, her sobs echoing around the room. He crawled over, using his elbows as levers and dragging his useless legs behind him. He yanked Veronica off her, feeling for a pulse on the unconscious woman’s neck as he did so. A weak rhythm still beat through her veins.

  Grasping Missy in his arms, he held her as she shook with reaction.

  “Oh God. Oh God. She was so close. I couldn’t stop her,” she murmured into his shoulder. “She would have—”

  “Shhh. It’s okay. It’s okay now,” he said soothingly, stroking one hand down her hair.

  The sound of running feet outside the office jerked them both into action. They scrambled behind the couch, Zeph still dragging his legs. He grabbed the knife Veronica had dropped, grasping it tightly and keeping hold of Missy with his other arm as she curled into his side. The door slammed open, and the guards he was expecting didn’t materialize.

  “Missy? Zeph?” Jack’s voice was clear and calm. Behind him was Daggen.

  Zeph relaxed slightly. “Over here,” he called.

  Jack ran toward the sound of his voice. “We need to get out of here. The firemen are doing their best, but the flames are going to take out this building any minute.”

  “We need to get Marco out,” said Jack.

  “He didn’t want—”

  “We can’t let him burn alive, Zeph.” Jack was firm.

  Zeph nodded. “He’s through that door over there.”

  Daggen strode over and opened the door, disappearing inside. He returned moments later, shaking his head, his face pale. “He’s already gone. Not much left to him,” he said.

  Zeph nodded. It had been a gruesome sight when he’d seen him alive. Now that he was gone, it was probably worse. “We need to take Veronica with us. She’s unconscious,” he said.

  Jack nodded and eyed Missy, who was still trembling against Zeph. “We need to get her to Indigo as soon as we can. That block has to come out immediately.”

  “Then let’s get out of here.” Zeph carefully got to his feet and picked up Missy’s small shape in his arms. She curled into him trustingly, and his heart leaped in his chest. He’d managed to protect her when he’d thought he might be the one to hurt her. He hadn’t been certain he’d be able to do it.

  But as soon as he took a step, he almost dropped her and had to sit abruptly on the nearby sofa to regain his balance.

  Jack looked over at him sharply. “You hurt?” he said.

  Zeph nodded reluctantly. He wanted to keep Missy curled up to his chest, but he wasn’t going to be able to do it.

  Jack came over to Missy and Zeph and looked down at them. “Can you walk on your own? I can carry her, but I can’t help you as well.”

  Zeph nodded. “I’ll get out of here. Don’t worry about that.” He reluctantly helped Jack take Missy into his arms, then stood beside him, holding on to the side of the sofa for balance. He would hop if he had to.

  Next to them, Daggen picked up Veronica in a fireman’s lift, her body limp over his shoulder.

  As they stepped outside the building, the heat from the flames hit him immediately, and Zeph couldn’t help gasping. The fire was blazing through the adjacent building and sparks were flying over them. The building was about to be engulfed in flames.

  They ran down the concrete road, Jack and Daggen awkward because of their burdens, Zeph trying to keep up with his bad leg. To one side, the fire engines were battling the blaze. Several firemen motioned urgently for them to fall back behind the engines. Zeph didn’t need to be told twice.

  They kept running until they reached an ambulance parked near the village gates, which were standing wide open. Daggen carried Veronica’s still-prone body to one of the medical officers.

  “They’ll take care of her,” said Jack.

  “Not too well, I hope,” muttered Zeph. “We need to get this block off Missy first.”

  Jack nodded grimly and led the way, his pace urgent.

  Zeph kept going through the crowd that had gathered to watch the fire, pain shooting up his leg, determined to get out before Veronica woke and somehow managed to call them back, yet again. Jack and Missy were just ahead. Daggen arrived beside him and put an arm around his waist, taking some of the weight off his leg. Together, they pushed ahead.

  They got to the massive big top that housed The Experiment, where hundreds of people were still milling around, despite the efforts of the crew and policemen to move them on.

  Jack waved his arm at Daggen and Zeph. “This way. We’re almost there.”

  Zeph’s legs were burning, his breath coming in gasps, but he shook his head vehemently when Daggen gestured he could carry him.

  He was going to escape on his own two feet, and he was going to get Missy back in his arms as soon as he could.

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  Missy could feel the jostling and knew it meant they were moving, escaping, and that’s all that mattered. She was going to get out. A bitter taste filled her mouth, and she trembled with the aftershock.

  Opening her eyes for a moment, all she could see were cars. They’d made it to the parking lot next to The Experiment. Missy let out a relieved sigh. She recognized the Carnival van ahead of them. The door opened and Sam climbed out, his face lighter than she’d ever seen it. Behind him, she saw Indigo, dressed in her usual elegant attire. Farther back were her parents, Helene, Tilly with Kitten on her knees, and Alphonso. It was a tight fit, but everyone was there. Something eased inside her.

  They’d done it.

  “Come on. We’re getting as far away from here as we can,” said Jack.

  Missy jerked slightly when she looked up and saw Jack’s face. He’d come back for her, just like he’d said. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “Not necessary,” he said. “It’s in my job description.” A whisper of a smile stirred around the edges of his mouth before his face turned
grim again. “Everyone back in as fast as you can.”

  He handed Missy over to Sam and Zeph before disappearing around the other side of the vehicle.

  Sam took one of Missy’s arms, while Zeph kept hold of the other. She saw Indigo moving over on the front bench seat of the van. Missy scrambled in and then Zeph slid into the seat beside her, wrapping his warmth around her shivering body. She curled against his chest and just tried to soak up his heat, breathing against the soft skin of his neck.

  It was a miracle she’d survived at all, but Zeph had rescued her. He’d broken Veronica’s hold over him, and he’d saved her. She shivered again. She’d been sure he would slice her up when Veronica told him to. She wouldn’t have blamed him; she knew he was under the influence. But it would have hurt all the same.

  Daggen jumped into the driver’s seat, and Jack slammed into the passenger seat beside him. “Everyone in? We’re outta here,” said Jack.

  Sam slid the door shut and settled into the seat behind them just as the van took off.

  “Did she…?” Missy cleared her suddenly dry throat. “Did Indigo get the block off you?” she whispered to Sam.

  He nodded. “It’s gone.” He grinned. “She’ll get yours off too. Don’t worry.”

  Missy nodded. All of a sudden, it seemed possible.

  “We’ll do it as the van’s driving. It’s not ideal, but I agree with Jack. The sooner we can get you away from here, the better,” said Indigo.

  Missy leaned into Zeph, still trying to stop the shivering. She had a sense of the others in the back, could hear them talking softly, but she couldn’t look, couldn’t interact. It was too much just yet.

  Just as Indigo laid her hands on Missy’s arms to start the unblocking, a tiny tendril of pain wound its way into Missy’s mind.

  “Oh God. She’s awake,” whispered Missy, her voice breaking. “She’s going to force me back to her.” Or worse. She didn’t know if Veronica would be in the mood to do anything more than hit out at the people who’d destroyed her life.

  Missy was the easiest.

  The pain blossomed, and Missy whimpered. Veronica had the power to really hurt her, and it was terrifying. It was manageable now, but how long would it take Veronica to get back to full force?

  “Don’t move, Missy. I’m going into your Carnival mind,” said Indigo urgently, laying a hand on her arm.

  The pain tendrils turned into snakes, curling their sleek bodies around pieces of her mind, and Missy thrashed her head, trying to reject the intrusion. She pushed at her head with both hands, as if she could rub away the pain.

  “Zeph, you’re going to need to help me. I can’t do this alone.” Indigo’s voice sounded far away, like she was on the other end of a long tunnel.

  Missy saw dots in front of her eyes and shook her head, struggling to focus.

  Zeph’s arms tightened around her body. “I don’t know how,” he said, his voice wavering.

  “It’s okay. I’ll pull you in. You have a strong natural power, so your instincts should just take over,” said Indigo.

  For a moment, Missy stilled. That was the same assessment of Zeph’s powers as Veronica. But then the snakes inside her head turned up the pain levels a notch and she forgot about everything else.

  ***

  Zeph clung onto Missy’s body as she thrashed uncontrollably. Her eyes were closed, and it was like she was having a seizure of some kind.

  “Please, Zeph, just close your eyes and forget what’s happening here,” said Indigo.

  Zeph raised his eyebrows as the van skidded around a corner, and Missy jerked against him.

  “Just do the best you can,” she revised.

  He clung tight to Missy’s still-jerking body and closed his eyes. Immediately, he was somewhere else, an eerie landscape made up of light and fog and not much else.

  Glowing lights hovered near him. One burned bright, and somehow, Zeph knew it was Indigo, her powerful control in this realm obvious.

  Missy was also here, her light dim and flickering, the edges grey rather than bright white.

  Another light, harsh and brilliant, shone in the background. It was a violent orange-red, making everything else pulse in an ugly reflection. A low buzzing infiltrated his senses, and if he’d had a body, the hairs would have risen on his arms. Lightning flashed out from the red ball of light, hitting multiple points around them, including Missy’s light.

  Missy’s moan of pain reverberated around them. Before his eyes, Missy’s light dimmed.

  Pushing himself in front of her, he tried to protect her from the pulsing block, but it didn’t matter. The block ruled supreme. Lightning flashed again and went through him like he wasn’t even there, straight into Missy’s light. She screamed in pain.

  His initial urge was to wrap his arms tight around her, but in this strange place, there was only light. On impulse, he moved closer still, until his light crossed over into hers. He sent soothing thoughts toward her, trying to let her know he was here.

  A faint pulse from Missy’s light was all the reaction he received.

  Indigo floated toward the glowing red ball, and somehow, he knew she wanted him to go with her. He was reluctant to leave Missy, but he couldn’t ignore the pulses of urgency from Indigo. Moving away, he glanced back. He hoped she understood why he was leaving her.

  The low moan that echoed around the strange landscape almost made him turn back. But he managed to continue on toward Indigo. It was the only way.

  Just then, a new light popped into the space. It was different from the rest, a bright blue, powerful and yet somehow childish and naive. Zeph immediately recognized Kitten. She curled her blue light around Missy, comforting and soothing at the same time.

  Zeph let out a breath and stopped next to Indigo at the edge of the red glowing block. This close, malevolent energy emanated from it. He felt dirty, like it was infecting him with the same ugly disease that surged inside it.

  He sensed Indigo’s hesitation. He didn’t know her at all, but in this place, everything felt closer. They couldn’t talk, but could understand emotion. And fear.

  Indigo was afraid of this block. And he knew why—the malicious energy he felt was more powerful than either Tilly’s or Sam’s blocks had been.

  This was fresh. Strong. Ugly.

  Indigo’s light flared like she was taking a deep breath and then she moved forward, her light grasping a portion of the orange-red energy.

  A scream from Missy distracted Zeph. He turned and looked back to where she was hovering with Kitten. Soothing pulses of pale-blue light surrounded her.

  Kitten had it under control.

  Zeph moved closer to Indigo, unsure of how he should help. He watched closely as Indigo grasped sections of the glowing block, brought it closer to her light, and then crushed it into nothing. Her light was dimming quickly, and her movements had slowed, so Zeph moved to overlap his light with hers, trying to give her some of his energy. He hesitated just before touching her light, but now wasn’t the time to become squeamish.

  Indigo was helping Missy, and that was enough motivation.

  As soon as they overlapped, a surge of emotion and her inner thoughts crowded into his head. Indigo was terrified of this block, certain it was too strong for her to remove. But she was dedicated to the Carnival and to the people in it. She liked Missy and would do whatever she could to help her. In fact, Zeph saw far more than he wanted of Indigo’s mind, and for a horrible moment, he wondered if she could see inside his head in the same way.

  But then power surged out from his light into hers, and he forgot everything else. It felt like it was being sucked out of him with a particularly powerful vacuum cleaner. He wished Indigo had mentioned how it would feel; he might have been a little more prepared. But then he got the impression Indigo hadn’t been prepared for the size and breadth of this block either.

  And if that were the case, what did it say about Veronica? He thought about how effortlessly Veronica had pulled him under her influence. H
e’d managed to fight her at the end, but it hadn’t been easy, and it had taken the very personal threat to Missy’s life to do it.

  A jolt of pain thundered through him, and he focused his attention back on Indigo. The block was attacking back, and Indigo’s light, which had looked so bright before, was now as dull and tired as Missy’s. She had given up.

  The orange-red light still glowed brightly; in fact, it seemed to sense it had won and was almost gleefully pulsing at them.

  Indigo couldn’t do it. That much was clear. Fear flowed through Zeph, and he pushed more power at Indigo, in his panic, opening up deep reserves of magic he’d never even known existed inside him. As it flowed out of him, brightly colored like a rainbow, Zeph started to shake. Would it be enough?

  She pulsed, glowed brighter, and gathered more of the red light to her and crushed it. Again and again, she worked at the block. But then her light dimmed again.

  It wasn’t going to work.

  Zeph wanted to rage at her, to tell her to pull herself together, to find the strength to do what needed to be done. But there was no point.

  Indigo had done what she could—and failed.

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  On a gurney inside the ambulance, Veronica lay with her eyes closed. She could smell smoke and ash all around her. It was the sound and smell of her dreams burning around her. It was the scene of her brother’s death. The loss of him inside her head was like a gaping hole bigger than the Grand Canyon. She thrashed her head from side to side, trying to deny the truth.

  A medic tended to the person next to her, who seemed to have broken her leg in the rush to escape the fire. It wasn’t much, not even enough to heal a splinter, but she could pull a tiny bit of energy from their pain.