by Trudi Jaye
Rilla stared at Viktor in confusion. “What does that matter? After what we just went through…”
Viktor spread his arms and shrugged. “They haven’t noticed. Whatever Jack did, he’s fogged their memories. They’re wondering what happened to the Carnival because we took a few major hits to the buildings and trailers, but no one was seriously hurt. Just some minor bumps and bruises that the punters can explain away. It’s something of a miracle.”
They both gazed at Jack, pallid and motionless on the floor between them.
“We have to save him,” said Rilla. “He can’t die. I won’t let him die.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
“I’m not leaving him,” said Rilla. It felt like her eyes were on fire in the evening light, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t going to leave Jack for even one second. She would make him pull through by will alone.
“It’s against regulations. There’s not enough room,” the medic said, glancing about as if to find someone to support him against this crazed woman. Frankie and Viktor stood nearby and both simply frowned at the medic.
“I’m getting in that vehicle, and you’re not going to do anything to stop me.” Rilla didn’t care what he thought of her. She’d been making too many mistakes of late, but this was one thing she wasn’t going to regret.
She climbed up on the back of the ambulance, crouching at the top end between the two patients: Hugo’s son Simon and Jack. “Well? Are you coming?”
The medic looked at her for a moment longer. “You have to stay out of the way, and you can apply extra pressure to his wound.” He gestured to Simon, who was moaning and turning restlessly on his stretcher. “I’m going to work on the boy.” He leaped up into the back of the ambulance, pulled the doors shut, and buzzed through to the driver. “Let’s go,” he said into the intercom. Beside him, Simon groaned louder in pain. The medic murmured to the young boy, settling him back down. Frankie had found Simon, unconscious, in an old storage caravan, covered in deep knife cuts and purple bruises, most of his major bones broken.
Rilla crouched closer to Jack’s side, putting pressure on the gauze and bandage pad that the medic had placed over his bullet hole. She grasped Jack’s hand in hers and gazed down into his pale face. He hadn’t regained consciousness in the short time since they’d called for the ambulance. The blood flow seemed to be slowing down, which she hoped was a good sign. Or it could just mean he was running out of blood to lose. She took a hiccupy breath.
She just hoped the Carnival had enough magic left to help him heal.
The ambulance turned a corner at high speed, and Rilla was scrunched up against the side of Jack’s stretcher. The flare of pain made her wince, but it felt good to know she was still able to feel something. There was too much going on around her; too much had happened. She started shivering and had to bite down on her lip to stop the tremors running through her body.
At that moment, the only thing that seemed solid was Jack, and here he was, lying unconscious in an ambulance, struggling for every breath. She could lose him, as well.
Rilla shuddered. She loved the Carnival with every fiber of her being, but without Jack, what would she do?
She held his hand tighter and closed her eyes.
I need you to help me, Carnival. I need this man. We all need him. If there was ever a time to save someone, this is it.
There was nothing. No light touch from the Carnival. No healing swell of power coating his body, wiping away the damage Hugo Blue had done. She drew in another ragged breath. Why couldn’t their powers work that way? What use was it to have the ability to see patterns in everything when Jack lay hurting beside her?
His eyes flickered and she leaned in, stroking one soft hand over his forehead. “It’s okay. You’re going to be okay,” she whispered in his ear.
Behind her, Simon moaned again, this time ending on a sad whimper.
“Who did this to him?” asked the medic. “There’s not a part of his body that isn’t hurt.”
“His father.”
“Mean son of a bitch, eh?”
Rilla nodded.
“Some kids just don’t have a chance, not with a dad like that.”
Rilla turned around and gazed down at Simon. Until that moment, she’d associated him with his father, somehow part of the terrible storm that Hugo Blue had unleashed on them.
But the medic was right; he was as much a victim as they were. More so. He’d been brutalized by his own father, the bonds of family broken. When he woke, there would be more than physical wounds to heal. And his father wouldn’t be the one to help him. The kind of twisted mind that could justify hurting his own son wasn’t going to help him to heal.
“Rilla.”
She whipped her eyes back to Jack. His eyes were open, but his head tossed back and forth, as if he couldn’t find her. “I’m here, Jack. It’s okay. I’m here.” She squeezed his hand tighter.
His head turned toward her voice. “Rilla.” His eyes caught hers and he smiled. “You’re here.”
“Of course.” She tried to smile, but her lips wouldn’t move.
“Is everything okay?”
“You saved everyone. It’s all okay.” She finally managed a half-smile.
He smiled and closed his eyes again, falling back into unconsciousness.
***
Jack woke to a thundering headache that seemed to extend over his whole body. He winced, and the small movement sent sharp pain down his side.
“Jack? Are you awake?” Rilla’s voice was low, anxiety lacing every word.
He opened one eye cautiously. Bright light and white walls burned his retina and he closed it again straightaway. He cleared his throat. “Water,” he said, his voice rough.
The plastic sipper end of a water bottle appeared at his mouth, and Jack greedily sucked in the cool liquid.
“Not too much. I don’t think it’s good for you just yet.”
“What happened?” he asked, trying to think of anything other than the pain in his body. Again, he opened one eye and watched Rilla. Just her presence calmed him and he remembered to take deep breaths, closing his eye again.
“Hugo Blue tried to destroy the Carnival. He shot you.”
Jack frowned. Why didn’t that ring any bells? He lifted one hand to his forehead. It was slow and heavy work, and he felt so exhausted that when the hand made it to his head, he rested it there rather than pushing it through his hair as he had intended.
A name flittered through his thoughts. “Garth?” he said. He opened the same eye. It was more bearable this time, so he kept it open, watching Rilla where she sat next to him. He was lying on a narrow bed with bleached-white sheets. He was in a hospital. That made sense, given how bad he felt.
But he didn’t know why he was concerned about Garth.
Rilla nodded. “He’s fine, no worse. You protected him from the backlash. You somehow used up the power you absorbed to stop the storm.”
Again, he didn’t really know what she was talking about. A fog hung over his brain, showing hints of sharper memories but hiding most of them. His hands slid back down to rest at his sides. They were too heavy to keep holding up.
“The doctor will be here again soon. The nurse left this in case you woke up.” Rilla picked up a cloth and laid it across his forehead. Warmth flowed into his skin, and Jack took a breath that sucked air right down to his belly. The pain receded slightly and he took another deep inhalation. The fog started to lift. He glanced down at his side but couldn’t see anything under the blanket. “I was shot?”
“You lost a lot of blood, but by the time the ambulance arrived at the hospital, the bleeding had stopped. They operated to take out the bullet, but you’re okay.”
“Hugo Blue?” Jack lifted his head off the pillow, as if expecting to see him on another bed in the hospital.
“He got away.” Rilla looked away, then back at Jack. “I forgot about him when you collapsed. He ran off in the confusion. There are alerts out over the whole
state, and if Hugo tries to go back home to Las Vegas, the cops down there will arrest him straightaway.”
“What about his son?”
“He was almost dead when Frankie found him.” Anger punctuated every word. “Both his arms were broken in multiple places. He had knife wounds over most of his body. His legs are both broken in several places, as well.” Rilla paused. “Frankie’s taking it hard.”
Jack nodded then closed his eyes as another wave of pain crashed over his body. “Where is the boy now?” he said when the throbbing subsided again.
“In the children’s ward. Deputy Fordham is there along with Frankie. Between the two of them, they’re mad enough to shoot Hugo Blue on sight if he tries to get to his son.”
The thought made Jack smile. They’d probably do it, too. “What day is it? How long have I been out?” Jack looked up at Rilla. He wanted to reach up a hand and touch her cheek just to make sure she was really there, but he didn’t have the strength.
“It happened last night. We closed down the show, said we’d had a power cut. No one but the Carnival folk remembered the storm.” Rilla paused again. “You fogged their memories somehow.”
Things weren’t crystal clear, but he was starting to remember. “What happened to the boy who jumped off the Carousel?”
“He was okay, a few minor bruises. He should have been killed, but the dragon saved him. Then the storm stopping like that…it was like nothing else I’ve ever seen before.”
“What do you mean?”
“You did it, Jack. You made it all go away.” Rilla smoothed his forehead with the warm cloth again.
Jack frowned up at her. “I don’t even know how to use my talents. How did I do it?”
“You soaked up the power Hugo released. It was incredible.” Rilla’s eyes glowed.
“I don’t… I don’t remember how.”
“Don’t worry about it. Your memory will come back.” Rilla smiled down at him and patted his arm, as if she were his elderly aunt. The thought annoyed him.
“When can I get up?” He tried to sit, levering his arms up under himself. The room swayed and he dropped back down, closing his eyes. The fog rolled in again, and he went back to concentrating on simply breathing in and out.
“The doctor said you would be weak when you woke, because of your bullet wound. Added to that, we don’t know what happens when an absorber uses that amount of power. That will account for a large part of how you’re feeling.”
Jack nodded into his pillow. He kept his eyes closed. The fog was dissipating again and he cleared his throat. “So, you don’t know how long this will last?”
Rilla shook her head. “It didn’t say in the diary. Lucietta doesn’t know… and probably wouldn’t tell us if she did.”
“Where is Lucietta?” Had she somehow escaped? Hugo had mentioned things only she could have known.
“She’s still locked up at the sheriff’s office. She’s being charged with attempted murder and willful damage. Hugo visited her earlier in the day. No one understood the connection, and they didn’t think to tell us.”
“Do you think Lucietta ever used curses?”
“She didn’t understand her ability properly. She thought it was a curse already. I don’t think she ever bothered to try.”
“She might have been afraid of blocking Hugo Blue’s talent.”
“I’m sure that would have been part of it.” Rilla watched his face for a few moments. “Did Hugo say why he did it? Was it to help Lucietta get revenge on the Carnival?”
Jack shook his head. “He’s too selfish. It was all about him and his family. He said it was because an ancestor of his had been thrown out of the Carnival three hundred years ago. His family has been plotting ever since.”
“What?” Rilla frowned. “That makes no sense.”
“He’s crazy. That much I got from him.”
“What else did he say?”
“That his family has been studying their powers for the last three centuries and he knows everything there is to know about his abilities.”
“He knows how to hurt his son,” Rilla said, scowling fiercely.
Jack’s stomach churned at the thought of the small boy they’d met. “Has Simon said anything about where his father might be?”
“He hasn’t woken up yet.” Her blue eyes burned, and Jack’s breath caught in his chest. She was remarkable. How had he ever lived without her?
He blinked, trying to concentrate. “How long will I be in the hospital?”
“The bullet didn’t hit anything vital, and you’re healing very quickly. The doctor said they’d probably let you out today, as long as we promise to take care of you. They were more concerned about Simon. He didn’t have the protection of the Carnival to help him heal quickly.”
“So, what now? How do we find Hugo Blue?”
“Right now, we finish our season,” said Rilla firmly. “We have one more night to help Kara achieve her Gift wish.” She hesitated. “Then the Ringmaster ceremony.”
Jack closed his eyes at the mention of it. “Surely that’s irrelevant now? Since I’ve been acting Ringmaster, the tent’s been ripped, we’ve had a near fatal storm, and been attacked by a crazed magician.”
“None of that is your fault.” Rilla squeezed the bedrail.
“None of the things that happened on your watch were your fault, either,” said Jack softly. His memories came flooding back, multicolored and vivid. He reached out his hand, and Rilla took it in both of hers.
***
Jack adjusted his cushion again, trying to find a comfortable position on the edge of the seat. His side felt like someone was attacking him repeatedly with a torture device that included sharp needles and pins. But he wouldn’t miss this for the world.
Around him, the tent was filling up. It was already the biggest crowd he’d seen in his time at the Carnival—although that wasn’t really saying much. The combination of the local news station piece, the social media Frankie and Joey had been pushing, and the story for the local newspaper that Kara wrote about her experiences with the Carnival had all produced huge interest from the locals in Mountain Springs and even further beyond.
The chatter of excited voices filled the big top, echoing in a way he would have sworn was impossible three weeks ago. Starry lights covered the roof, twinkling down on the audience.
Jack grinned. It was enough to make you believe in the magic of the circus. He looked up and tried to make out the hole in the roof, but it was murky black that high up, hidden by the bright lights beneath it. He noticed a few other audience members doing the same roof check. He even recognized some of the people arriving—volunteers who’d helped with the repairs. Jack had made sure they’d all been given tickets to the final show.
“How’s it going?” The rough voice spoke from just behind him. Jack turned in his seat to see Matt Fordham walking toward him. The man was a wreck.
“She’ll be fine. She’s been practicing all day. It’s flawless.” Jack had come by earlier in the day, escorted by Rilla, to see the final dress rehearsal.
“So you say. I wasn’t allowed to see it.”
Jack raised his eyebrows. “This will be the first time?”
Matt nodded morosely. “Kara wanted to keep it a surprise. She was so proud of herself and excited to see my reaction, so I couldn’t say no. Now all I’ve got is the word of that lot”—he swept an arm toward the backstage area—“that she’s okay. They made me come over here to talk to you.”
Jack could understand why. Matt appeared to be having a nervous breakdown. It wouldn’t do to spoil the upbeat vibe circulating around the entrance to the ring.
“She’s got extra safety harnesses on and they’ve rigged it differently from before. She’s practiced hard, and she’s going to be amazing.”
“I still think—”
“You have to let her live her life, Matt. She’s a grown woman, and this is something she really wants to do. I’ve seen a real change in her during the short
time I’ve known her. You must have, as well.”
Matt sighed. “Of course I have. She’s emerged from her shell. I don’t know how to thank Rilla for helping her.” His eyes darkened. “But that doesn’t mean I want her to fall again.”
Jack grinned. “You can’t have it both ways.” He clapped him on the back. “Just sit next to me and try not to hold your breath as she does the dangerous sections. You’ll never survive.”
They didn’t have long to wait until the lights went out. The crowd stilled, straining to see and hear what was going to happen first.
Rilla stepped out into the light. Jack gasped a startled breath.
She was stunning. Her outfit sparkled with a million little white diamonds, from the tip of her silver top hat to the soles of her glistening white boots. Her silver coat glittered with gems, swirling patterns that pulled you in if you looked too long. Her white shirt was silk threaded with silver, and her tight white pants clung to her legs like a second skin.
But it was her face that held everyone spellbound. It glowed with confidence, laughter, and mystery. Her eyes were mesmerizing under the lights, the deep blue capturing and holding the attention of every man, woman, and child in the big top.
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Welcome to the adventure of your lifetime! Tonight, the members of the Jolly Carnival will amaze and delight you on this journey to test the limits of human endurance. Sit down, get comfortable, and discover with us the very things that make our world the magical place it is.
“Because of the anxious muttering and pacing of your local deputy sheriff…” Rilla paused to allow a scattering of laughter to run across the audience. “We’ve decided to change the schedule of events slightly, to ensure he doesn’t have a heart attack while he waits. That means our lovely guest performer from the town of Mountain Springs will join us momentarily. But first, before she makes you gasp in awe at her courage and determination, take a moment to relax and enjoy a more modest piece of magic.”