Vagabond Circus Series

by Sarah Noffke

  He sighed, showing his resistance, but this was part of their deal. And he’d do just about anything to earn Zuma’s affection back. To have the closeness they’d had over the last day. It already felt like it had mended parts of him, just knowing he could turn to her and walk into her arms. Just yesterday morning she was still furious at him.

  Finally he said, “I learned early on that I shouldn’t get close to anyone while one of Knight’s Kids. I grew up in a set of four and we were monitored. That’s how I was raised. Being monitored.”

  “As opposed to?”

  “Being cared for,” he said.

  “But if no one cared for you then how were your needs met?”

  Finley didn’t answer but his expression did.

  They weren’t met, Zuma realized.

  “Anyway, my set was soon split up when we came to Dream Traveler age. However, I had been raised with those three kids, so of course I’d recognize them anywhere or anyhow.”

  “What happened?” Zuma asked. Then using her combat sense she spied something new in Finley. A tension that she’d never seen in his body triggered by the memory.

  “One of the kids, number three, he’d been made an example,” Finley said.

  Zuma popped her hand to her mouth as she gasped. “The chain?”

  Finley nodded. “Knight left him there a long time,” he said. His tone was careful, careful to vault away the indicators of what he was really feeling.

  Zuma knew most people would apologize right then. Say something about how Finley didn’t deserve that kind of treatment and abuse, and that no one did. But to Zuma those were wasted words. It was obvious in the look she was giving him that she was sorry. “Finley, we have to stop him. Knight. We have to find a way to alert the authorities. My mom might know people who can help.”

  Finley had only then brought his eyes to hers and laced on his mouth was a bitter smile. “Zuma, I don’t mean to sound negative, but Knight can’t be stopped. He can curse people. He can give people a headache so horrible they have an aneurism. He has the strongest minds under his control.”

  “But Finley, there has to be a way,” Zuma said.

  “If there is, then I don’t know what it is. All I know is how to get away from him,” Finley said.

  “But you!” she said, her tone excited. “You can’t get the headaches. Your mind shielding protects you. That’s got to be something. Maybe there are more like you and together we can fight him.”

  “No,” Finley said with a force she’d never heard him use before, not even the hundred times he’d been furious at her. “You’re not fighting him.”

  “Free choice, Finley. Remember. You can’t prevent me from doing something I really want to do.”

  “Your parents’ rules don’t apply to me, Zuma.”

  “Well, I am a free agent who can do what I want.”

  “And as we’ve established, I’m currently the only one who can withstand his mind abuse and I’m not helping,” he said.

  “Finley…”

  “Look, we rescued Jack. Now we are taking him back. We are going to ensure Dave’s circus is a success. That’s what we are going to do,” he said with force.

  “But Finley, if you can stand up to him—”

  “Zuma, I can still be cursed. So can any of his kids. Why do you think the strong kids he controls don’t rebel? He has so many powers over his kids. Over everyone,” he said, standing and heading for the couch. The mention of this made Finley remember Zuma’s curse. The girl could smile, but not experience anything but a fleeting moment of almost-happiness. Even Finley with his endless love for her couldn’t make her happy. And he was no closer to lifting her curse. He threw himself on the couch still covered with sheets.

  “Okay, fine,” Zuma said. “You’re right. We need to focus on Jack and the circus. Both will need a lot of support and mending.”

  Finley didn’t realize until he stretched out on the couch how incredibly fatigued he was. He had slept at the hospital the night before but only for a few hours. Tonight he’d have to really sleep; his consciousness would be too exhausted to dream travel.

  He pulled his head up and looked at Zuma, who was still sitting on her bed, crossed-legged. He had felt her eyes on him so he wasn’t surprised to learn she was looking at him, but the inquisitive expression on her face wasn’t expected.

  “What?” he said.

  “You don’t have to sleep on the couch if it’s uncomfortable there, especially after sleeping sitting up last night. You can sleep here,” she said, indicating the other side of her bed.

  He laid his head back down and stared at the ceiling. “No, I can’t, Zuma.”

  She blinked at him, not having expected that answer. “What? Why?”

  “Well, because I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to sleep in a bed with someone else’s fiancée. What would people think?”

  An abrupt laugh fell out of her mouth. “Oh, come on, Finley. Don’t be like that.”

  He didn’t take his eyes off the raised ceiling and crown molding outlining it, but did allow a pirate’s smile to wrap around his mouth. “And I’m also not taking you up on your offer because I’m fairly certain you’ll try something with me.”

  A gasp followed by a huff jumped out of Zuma’s mouth. “How dare you?” she said, launching a pillow in his direction.

  He blocked the pillow, knocking it out of the trajectory of his face. “You should know I’m saving myself,” he said, that smile still in his tone.

  “Oh?” she said. “For who?”

  He closed his heavy eyes and an authentic grin spread on his mouth. “For the girl who forgives me.”

  She stared at him. He looked almost asleep already, his hands clasped over his abdomen. She couldn’t believe how patient he was with her. Before and now. Zuma hardly believed that she wanted to forgive Finley. The guy who was culpable for Dave’s death. But she did. With all her being. For some reason she thought the act would trigger something which had the potential to make her truly happy. The kind of happiness she heard in children’s thoughts when they were at the circus or the kind she knew her parents had. Pure happiness as real as spirituality, but just as intangible.

  “Well, are you at least going to tell me goodnight?” she said after the long silence, having watched different muscle groups relax in his body. He had already drifted off. Still, he didn’t look annoyed by the wake-up. He immediately rolled to a standing position with a beautiful grace. His super speed was only slightly noticeable in the way he moved as he crossed the space, not fast and not slow. When he was at her bed’s edge he bent over and paused an inch from her face.

  “Good night, Zuma,” he said, somehow suddenly not looking at all tired.

  “Good night,” she whispered back. And she knew what was coming next, maybe before Finley knew he was going to do it. He sucked in a half breath and pressed his mouth against hers. It was their first kiss since Knight’s compound and one they’d both been anticipating but now were too tired to fully appreciate. His lips softly caressed hers, a sweet simplicity in the tiniest of movements. When he parted a few inches, Zuma’s eyes were still closed, an almost look of peace on her face. When she did look at him she smiled and it was the smallest of gestures but it made him feel overwhelmed.

  I love you, Zuma, he said over the telepathic link he opened up and closed for just that one message. And again it struck Zuma how loving Finley could be, especially for not having been given affection all his life. It was like the act of unconditional love was somehow in his DNA. He was truly a marvel to her, she realized as she watched him walk away.

  Chapter Seventy-One

  Doom enveloped Titus. How could things have gotten worse? Dave’s death was his worst-case scenario. But his rational mind had never considered this happening. It was absurd. Everything in the miniature big top seemed to be mocking him. Laughing at his newest catastrophe. The man picked up a chair and hurled it across the space. It flew across the tent and banged into the wall.
The mast in the center of the office leaned in that direction. Titus knew that had been a dumb move. Now the structure of the small big top was threatened. But did it matter anymore?

  They had their first show since Dave’s death tomorrow. They had no acrobats. And a whole host of problems. Ones he saw no way to resolve. Even the look in Fanny’s eyes had carried defeat. She was the most hopeful person he’d known—well, aside from Dave. And now the woman’s eyes were haunted, her words whispered ones of disbelief. Titus looked down at the only paper on the table. The rest riddled the dirt floor. It didn’t count because this was the only one that mattered. How had Dave, the smartest man he’d ever known, been so dumb? How had he made such a terrible error? How could he not have made a last will and testament?

  Chapter Seventy-Two

  “I haven’t been able to get ahold of Nurse Fanny with the number you gave me,” Dr. Chang said, his hands gripping the handles of Jack’s wheelchair.

  “I’m telling you it’s her number and we know her,” Zuma said to the doctor, Finley by her side. “We live with her. I promise,” she added.

  “They just had a memorial service for a friend,” Finley said. “She’s grieving.”

  “But you’re certain she’ll be able to care for Jack?” Dr. Chang asked.

  “Yes,” Zuma said. “She’ll be honored to. We will have her call you as soon as we get there tonight.”

  The doctor nodded. “Yes, please do, and call if there are any issues, Jack,” he said, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

  Jack swiveled his head around and looked up. “I’m so drugged, I’m not sure I’ll know if there’s a problem,” he said, his words slurred.

  “Oh, you’ll know,” Dr. Chang said, scratching his clean-shaven chin. “I don’t like this at all. It’s very unorthodox.”

  “But how many of your patients know a world-renowned heal—”

  “Nurse,” Finley said, cutting Zuma off before she said something the Middling race would find laughable. Middlings believed in nurses and doctors. Dream Travelers believed in healers.

  Dr. Chang didn’t catch the slip. His mind was too overwhelmed with the decision he’d approved to allow a vulnerable patient who had just had a major surgery to leave his care. But for Jack to have Nurse Fanny was the best-case scenario. If anyone could fix him, even just a little bit, it would be her. She’d performed miracles during her time. “I do have a curious question for you all,” the doctor said.

  They all gave him attentive stares.

  “Two actually,” Dr. Chang amended. “How do you know Nurse Fanny and why did she retire?”

  “Would you believe she ran away with the circus?” Zuma said with a half-smile.

  The doctor waved his skinny hand at her. “Never mind, don’t tell me. It’s none of my business, now is it?”

  Zuma smiled down at Jack. “Are you ready to go?” she said.

  He nodded. Jack was in much better spirits than he was the night before. Zuma thought it was maybe the drugs, but whatever it was he appeared to be a different person. He wasn’t sulking, didn’t seem to be bottling any negative emotions.

  What only Jack knew was that in the night he was visited by a warm and comforting presence. He truly didn’t understand what or who it was, but its message seemed to be clear. This theft will give you your greatest gift. He awoke to find he couldn’t cry about this new turn of events, and he didn’t want to. Didn’t need to. For some reason the message made perfect sense as the words sunk into his heart.

  Before the assault on his legs, no, Jack didn’t have it all. But when he could walk he’d been pushing himself and never felt that he’d ever reach a place of satisfaction. Unlike the complaints Zuma made, Jack knew happiness but if happiness was liking what you got he’d never really known that. He’d never had what he truly wanted. Self-acceptance.

  Even when he commanded the attention of every audience member in the big top he didn’t approve of himself. Now he couldn’t walk. To love himself now would be a true challenge; however, he was determined to walk again and then how couldn’t he love himself fully? He’d truly be a superhero then. The one Dave Raydon had always believed in. The one the ringmaster saw in Jack.

  He smiled back at his friend. “Yeah, I’m ready to go.” He then turned and shook the hand of the doctor. “Thank you,” he said.

  “You’re welcome. I expect to hear from you soon,” Dr. Chang said, before turning and walking through the automatic doors of the hospital.

  Zuma had already taken the reins of his wheelchair. “So,” she said, staring at Jack’s legs both in casts. “I think you’re going to have to ride in the backseat.” She then steered him to her Audi in the pickup area of the hospital.

  Finley had parked Titus’s Prius right behind her car. He’d picked it up that morning and agreed to bring it back to the circus. He hadn’t liked that retrieving the car had put him in close proximity to Knight’s compound. He’d actually awoken early and taken a taxi out there, afraid Zuma would insist on going with him. He kept picturing Sebastian or Power-Stopper lurking by the car ready to apprehend Finley and cart him back to Knight. He had wanted to confront his old master about the curse, but on his own terms. Now to be apprehended would put him back in the subservient role. He had shivered, thinking of what that would do to his spirit.

  “Uhhmmm,” Jack said, a hesitation in his voice, “I think I’ll be more comfortable stretched out in the back of the Prius because it has the hatchback. We can put the seats down and I’ll have a bed back there. Dr. Chang thought it was the best idea for transport too.”

  “Oh, okay,” Zuma said, redirecting the chair. “Yeah, I guess that’s fine. I can drive the Prius. Finley,” she said, looking at him leaning on the car, “would you drive my car?”

  Before he could reply, Jack said, “Actually, I want to ride with Finley.”

  “What?” Zuma and Finley said together.

  “You do?” Zuma said.

  “Yeah,” Jack said, nodding. “I have all sorts of questions for this guy,” he said, pointing at Finley, no offense in the gesture. In a light voice he said, “One of them being about his intentions with my girl of stone.”

  Zuma was about to protest when Finley laughed, one so open and welcoming Zuma paused.

  “That’s an easy answer. My only intention is to love her and give her all of me. That is, when she allows me to and doesn’t berate me for being all-around flawless,” Finley said.

  “You’re a dreamer, aren’t you?” Zuma said.

  “I am,” he said, extending a hand to her. She didn’t hesitate before taking it and snaking her arms around his neck.

  “I’ll be at the back checking out my digs for the long ride. You two hurry it up with the goodbyes,” Jack said. His life as an acrobat made Jack instantly comfortable with the wheelchair, even with both his legs protruding out in front of him making for a clearance challenge. He popped open the trunk and regarded the space he’d ride in for twelve hours. Oh well, either he’d be lying down in a hospital bed no closer to an option or he’d be lying in this trunk on his way to Fanny the healer.

  On the other side of the car Zuma was regarding Finley with a raw fascination.

  “What?” he said in response to the look, his hands on her waist.

  “Just shocked by a lot of things right now,” she said.

  “Like how far we’ve come?” he said, pulling her closer. It had started the moment she took down the wall, built so faultily between them. The one that had always been doomed to crumble. The one that no matter what Finley had done and was responsible for, she couldn’t keep up.

  “That and more,” she said, smiling at his need to always have her closer.

  “Are you going to share?”

  “Oh, like you share with me,” she said, suppressing a laugh.

  “I’m working on it,” he said and leaned in so their noses were almost touching.

  “I realize that and I realize we have a lot more work to do,” Zuma said.

 
“But you’re willing?” he said.

  For some reason unknown to Zuma she was. She had been willing to risk her position at Vagabond Circus before Dave died to be with Finley. And now she was willing to keep working until she fully forgave him for his connection to Dave’s murder. “I’m here, aren’t I?” she said.

  “Yeah, and I don’t get the impression you’re about to clock me for what I’m about to do, so that’s a huge improvement,” he said.

  “What are you about to do?” she said, her mouth smiling up close to his.

  “Whatever, ninja girl, don’t pretend you don’t know,” he said and slid his mouth against hers. She tightened her arms around his neck as he gripped her hips pressing her into him. For a long ten seconds Zuma forgot the world that existed around them. The parking lot and people and the hospital around them ceased momentarily to exist. The two only gave audience to their mouths pressing together, their lips sliding over each other’s, their arms clinging to one another. Zuma had only felt that way one other specific time, when she’d been in Finley’s arms and teleported through space and time.

  A cough from the other side of the car paused the two. Finley smiled, his mouth still up close to Zuma’s. “Yes?” he said, his eyes hinged on the girl in his arms.

  “Soon I’m going to be able to catch you again on trapeze, Finley, but until then, can I have a little help getting into this car?” Jack said.