by Sarah Noffke
And now Zuma did cry, a soft gasp of tears and a fresh pain seeping to her usually stone surface.
Finley didn’t budge this time, but the look in his greenish eyes communicated perfectly the regret he had for her pain.
Zuma slid the back of her arm across her wet eyes, drying them on her sleeve. “You said this was why Dave arranged with my parents to have me come to Vagabond Circus?”
Finley nodded. “He thought that he owed you a life with the highs of a performer, since you could never experience the best thing, happiness.”
“And my parents know?” she asked.
Another nod.
“But you said this impacted the success of the circus,” Zuma said, confused now.
“Zuma, two things happen when a curse is made that robs,” Finley said. “The first is that it steals years of life from the caster, like I said before. But then, because the curse, in your case, takes from you, then the happiness you should have had goes into a bank of sorts. It’s funneled into a place. Like when it rains and the water evaporates and gathers in the clouds. Everything has to have an exchange.”
“So, where did my happiness go?” she asked.
“To the only place named in the curse, the circus. Your stolen happiness has fueled the success of the circus,” Finley said.
“What?”
Finley held up his hand. “It would be successful no matter what, but everyone who comes to the circus is gifted with a piece of what you lost. It’s the law of return. Every one of Knight’s curses works that way, since he uses them to take. If he curses a kid to lose a dream travel ability then their power is showered on his other kids to make them stronger. Everything goes somewhere.”
“Oh,” Zuma said, her mind angered and then also honored that the emotion she never felt had been such a gift to Vagabond Circus. “But this is the reason you abandoned me at the compound? Why? I don’t get it.”
Finley now looked away. “I went into Knight’s chamber to confront him, but as we now know he wasn’t there. He had already left.”
“Why would you confront him?” Zuma said.
“Because the only person who can lift a curse, according to Fanny, is the person who casts it,” Finley said.
“And you were going to what? Demand he lift the curse from the circus?” she said in disbelief. And the look in Finley’s eyes confirmed that this had indeed been his plan. She was enraged and also incredibly touched. How could she want to slap him and also kiss him at the same time?
“Zuma, I’ve never had a chance at a life, but you, if you could just experience real happiness…well you’d shine even brighter. That would fuel the circus for eternity. I just—”
But he didn’t get a chance to finish his words because she rushed into his arms. Finley made to move but she sensed this and outmaneuvered him. And once he felt Zuma’s arms around him, he crumbled into a thousand pieces of defeat. Finley didn’t hesitate before wrenching her into him and holding her close. “I can’t believe you’d do that for me,” she whispered against his cheek.
“I’d do anything for you, I already told you that,” Finley said. “And I’ve been trying to keep you alive by keeping you away from me, but you’re making it incredibly difficult.”
“No one can see us right now,” she said and slid her nose across his cheek, her lips pausing in front of his.
A sharp cough behind them. “I don’t really like being called ‘no one,’” Jack said. “And if you’re going to kiss my fiancée, will you get it over with so I can ask my questions.”
“Damn it, Jack,” Zuma said, pulling swiftly away from Finley. The girl was unable to kiss him now that she knew Jack was watching and waiting. “You ruin everything,” she said, turning but keeping one of Finley’s hands in hers. “What’re your questions?” she asked.
“Well, Finley, you said Knight cursed the circus and Dave cursed Knight right back. What was it? Did you witness that too?”
“Yes,” Finley said. “But unlike Knight’s curse, Dave’s wasn’t one that robbed, but rather protected, so its energy has only worked to do the one thing for which it was intended.”
“Which was?” Zuma asked.
“Dave’s curse stated that as long as he was alive Knight could never set foot on the grounds of Vagabond Circus,” Finley said.
“And now Dave is dead,” Jack said.
“The word construction of a curse is key,” Finley said, squeezing Zuma’s hand once before forcing himself to let her go.
Chapter Thirty-Five
“You’re not even trying,” Padmal shrieked, her face dark with anger.
“I am,” Nabhi said, throwing his hands in the air. “It’s a freaking icicle. It melts. It’s undergoing a chemical reaction which makes it incredibly difficult to control.”
For hours the triplets had been practicing their juggling act, trying out the idea of using sharp icicles instead of their usual knives. The triplets started off their act by individually juggling using their hands but as things sped up and they began juggling together they used only their telekinesis. Each was responsible for three knives for a total of nine. Now those had been replaced by eight-inch-long icicles, which were sharp as knives but so cold they froze their hands in the first part of the juggling act. Padmal and Haady had both dropped several icicles. But due to the items’ changing natures and Nabhi’s growing frustration at his sister, his icicles flew dangerously close to himself and his brother and sister.
“Nabhi, maybe you need to sit out from this part of the act, since you can’t hack it. You could join us when we move onto juggling easier objects,” Padmal said.
Nabhi, who was increasingly having trouble quelling his anger, marched straight over to his sister. Since the girl was tiny compared to her lanky brother, he towered over her, but still she appeared like a bull looking a mouse straight on.
“What? You want to say something to me? Maybe you want to hit me?” she said, stepping up on her tiptoes and then pressing two fingers into his chest. “Go ahead. Hit a girl,” she taunted, her cinnamon brown eyes laughing, but she wore no accompanying smile on her wide lips.
“Nab…” Haady warned from behind his brother. “Take ten to cool off, okay.”
Nabhi kept his hands frozen by his side, although the urge to reach out and strangle his sister was spiraling through him, growing with intensity.
“Nab…” Haady said again, his calm voice seeking to talk Nabhi down from doing something that he’d regret. Nabhi, the youngest triplet, turned and nodded sharply to his brother. “Why don’t you talk to your sister, because when I get back I won’t be spoken to with disrespect,” he said to Haady.
“I agree,” Haady said, slapping Nabhi on the shoulder as he passed on his way to Padmal. “Little sister, you’re really not being productive.”
Nabhi had almost left the yard in front of their trailer, intent on making a few laps around the grounds to burn off his anger, when Padmal yelled, “Productive? I’m not the one being productive? Without me you two worthless telekinetics would have no show. You’d settle for juggling golf balls, but I’m the one who pushes us to take actual risks.”
“That’s simply not true. It was Titus who created our show,” Haady said, his voice steady.
Nabhi turned, his eyes blazing in his sister’s direction. She really has no boundaries, he thought.
“And I kept pushing Titus for more. If we are going to do child labor, we might as well go big,” she said. “But I get that you two don’t have the skill to keep up with me.”
Nabhi was just about to scream back across the yard calling his sister the worst name he could think of, when between the rows of trailers something materialized. It took his eyes a second to process the man who didn’t move like a man, but rather like a lizard, smooth and jerky at the same time. Knight stepped until he was in their yard, Sebastian and Gwendolyn flanking him on either side.
The triplets fell silent. Nabhi looked at Haady, who was looking at Padmal, who was looking stra
ight at Knight.
“Sir, we were just—” Padmal began, but Knight held up his hand and she stopped.
“First of all, don’t ever look at me directly. Is that clear?” Knight said in the voice that Nabhi thought also reminded him of a reptile, slippery and with a slight hiss.
“Yes, of course,” Padmal said, looking down at the ground immediately. It was weird for her to appear subservient, but there it was. Padmal’s usually scowling eyes pinned down low with zero hesitation.
“Very good,” Knight said, and then crossed his arms. “You see, I’ve found my leadership to be more effective when my kids listen, which usually takes great focus. And I’ve been told I’m quite distracting to look at,” he said, a smile in his voice. “Now am I right in thinking that you’re all having an argument?”
“Sir, I can explain,” Padmal said, her eyes on the grass.
“I don’t want you to explain,” Knight said. “I simply love conflict. I’ve been bored all day and could use some entertainment.” He waved his hand in the air; the triplets all noticed the gesture from their peripheral. “Please continue. Argue away. I’d love to watch.”
“Sir,” and it was Haady this time. “Honestly, we need to resolve this conflict. Things just got heated and Nab was going to take a break. Go ahead and leave,” he said, looking at his brother, waving him away.
“Freeze, Nabhi,” Knight said. “You don’t go anywhere unless dismissed by me.” The circus owner then looked at Padmal. “What was this argument about?”
“We were practicing, trying to incorporate the icicles into the juggling act. However, Nabhi, who has a lesser skill than my brother and me, kept messing up,” Padmal said.
“Which is why there’s a bunch of melting icicles ruining the grass right now?” Knight said.
“Yes, sir,” Padmal said.
“Do you think that this circus wants to go bankrupt funding your faulty ideas?” Knight said on the verge of yelling.
“Well, sir—”
“Do YOU?” Knight yelled, cutting off Padmal.
“No, sir,” she said at once.
“And this was your idea, Padmal,” Knight said. “So blame this on your brother, but whether this is a success or not rests on your shoulders.”
“Sir, if you just listened—”
“I’m not the listening type, Padmal,” Knight said.
“The act would work if my brother just tried harder,” she said.
“You do realize a single person juggling isn’t very entertaining. It’s been done a trillion times,” Knight said.
“I’m not sure why that’s relevant,” Padmal said.
“Because you are a trio,” the man said. “And if you’re going to work together then you better get your act organized. We have a show tomorrow and you promised me you all could increase the danger aspect. If you can’t do that—”
“I appreciate what you’re saying but it’s not my fault if Nabhi sucks at using his telekinesis,” Padmal said.
Knight tightened his eyes on the girl who had dared to cut him off but made no comment about it. “Pick up your knives.”
“What?” she said.
“Padmal, I don’t like to repeat myself. Pick up the knives you use in the act.” They were sitting on top of their case, a few feet from Padmal, as they had used them to warm up before switching to icicles.
Hesitantly the girl walked over and picked up the knives she’d handled a thousand times. She almost looked up at Knight for further direction but caught herself. “Now what, sir?”
He gave an annoyed sigh. “Juggle.”
“By myself?”
“Yes,” he said with a growl.
Padmal gave a reluctant look to her brother, Haady, who nodded, encouraging her. He sensed Knight was not a man one questioned.
Padmal threw one knife, then less than a second later another, and then the third. They formed a rotation as she tossed them through the air, grabbing each by their rosewood handle and keeping her eyes on the blades as they flew.
“Faster,” Knight ordered.
The knives picked up in speed, the slapping of her tiny hands making rhythmic music as they clapped onto the handles.
“Now use your telekinesis to juggle,” Knight said.
Padmal was practiced with this as it was the first part of their act. Once she used her telekinesis then she just made a show of her hands touching the handles, but they were now moving so fast few could tell they never touched her. The knives were a blur though the air, Padmal’s hands moving with a practiced grace.
“Now, Gwendolyn,” Knight said to the girl beside him. That’s all he had to say. The girl who could stop a Dream Traveler’s power from working knew what he wanted done.
And then quite suddenly the gift that Padmal had owned for a few years now was stolen away. Disappeared. And she realized that with no telekinesis to hold the blades up, they were headed in one direction. She jumped back as three blades moving at a blinding speed raced for the ground. One ripped through the side of her finger. One stuck into the ground. And the third came down stabbing through her shoe and straight into her foot. A scream shot out of the girl’s mouth, as she stood frozen, staring at the knife pinning her foot to the earth. Haady and Nabhi sprinted forward, Nabhi grabbing his sister’s bleeding finger and wrapping it in the shirt he’d pulled off his body. And Haady went to work freeing Padmal’s foot.
“Oh, it looks like you’re just as faulty with your telekinesis as your brother, Padmal,” Knight said, not having moved. “Maybe you shouldn’t act so full of yourself in the future. You are a triplet after all.” He then turned and walked away coolly, Sebastian and Gwendolyn behind him.
“We will get you to Fanny. Just hold on,” Nabhi said, kneeling down to offer his sister a sensitive look.
She was silently crying, her face overflowing with tears of pain and shock. “You,” she stuttered out to him. “This is all your fault!” she screamed, a moan in the words.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Zuma watched from behind a semi-truck in sleeper row until Ian had disappeared into another semi a few trucks over. He closed the door behind him after he entered the workshop semi. It’s where the crew repaired parts of the big top or crafted new parts. It also served as Ian’s office when he wasn’t working on the oversized tent.
Zuma sprinted across the space between her and the truck and checked over her shoulder for anyone watching. The fewer people who knew she was on the hunt for information, the better. In a series of quick movements she whipped open the door and slipped inside, shutting the metal door behind her.
Ian had his back toward her and he stood at the workbench on the other side of the truck. It was set up into multiple stations, stocked with different equipment. Ian didn’t straighten or turn at the sound of the door being closed. In front of him there was a clinking noise, like metal on metal. He was working something with his hands, but Zuma couldn’t tell what.
“You know, Zuma, I get flashes of everyone’s future,” he said, his voice slow like he was working to get out the words while also concentrating on the project in his hands. “Everyone’s future has been static but yours. Yours keeps changing.”
Zuma took several steps until she was flush with the workstation. She pinned her back to it and looked up at Ian. “Why? Why does my future keep shifting?”
“The answer to that is the reason you came here,” he stated, no question in his tone.
Zuma’s eyes narrowed. “If you weren’t so damn likable then your riddle talk would make me punch you.”
A warm smile spread on the clairvoyant’s face, showing his silver braces. “Likable. I’ll settle for that in this lifetime.”
“What are you gunning for in the next lifetime?” she asked, her angry expression morphing to one that was more amused.
He gave a dry chuckle. “Well, it’s no use, but if I was the wishing type I’d want you to find me lovable in the next lifetime.” Ian fiddled with a large bolt which looked to have a ring
cross threaded on it. “However, I know better than to wish and I also believe in soulmates and I’m definitely not yours. Too bad really,” he said matter-of-factly.
Zuma’s throat tightened, making it impossible to speak. Ian was so sensitive and had always spoken of his affection for her. But he also stated he wasn’t unique in his desires, only more deserving of the affection he would never receive from the acrobat. It was heartbreaking to continuously watch Ian bathe in his case of unrequited love.
He turned and set his troubled eyes on the acrobat. “You came here to find out why I didn’t say anything to Dave about his approaching death?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Zuma, you’re not going to understand all this at first, but now that you know about the curse you will assimilate the information much better.”
“You know that I know I’m cursed to never be happy?”
He gave her a look that said “duh.”
“Right, of course you do,” she said. Zuma pinned her hands on the workstation behind her and then hoisted herself up until she was seated on the surface. “All right, tell me why you didn’t warn anyone about Dave’s death.”
“This might come as a shock, but I did,” Ian said, regarding Zuma with a quiet thoughtfulness.
“You what?”
“I couldn’t explain this to you before because you didn’t have all the information,” Ian said. “Before, I made you believe I didn’t warn Dave about his death. I actually did. I went to Dave after I got the vision of him dying. I didn’t tell him who murdered him or how because I knew telling too much information could be dangerous. I just asked him if he wanted to know his future and he said yes. I told him he’d die soon, be murdered, and needed to be extra careful to avoid it.”
“What? He didn’t ask for more information, like exactly how to avoid it?” Zuma said.
“He did and so I told him,” Ian said.
“So he knew not to put on the poisoned top hat? He knew it was Sebastian?” Zuma asked.
“No, not who. Only how,” Ian said.