“The three of you don’t need to be back here,” says Peter. “He’ll assume you had something to do with the escape.”
“Well, that’s great to hear,” says Maddox. “Any suggestions for where we are supposed to go?”
The ringmaster comes huffing in our direction.
“He’s got poor eyesight,” says Peter. “He probably doesn’t see you yet. Disappear into the crowd, and I’ll find you after I speak with him.”
We do as we’re told, ducking back into the main area.
The crowd is panicking now. There are shouts and screams all around us. Someone apparently has reported seeing a dead body, though I’m figuring it’s simply the by-product of a panicked onlooker’s frantic imagination. No one else seems to be apprised of the information that one of the carnival slaves has escaped.
Nolan whips his hand around the crook of my elbow, pulling me in tight to him.
“Stay close,” he says. “I don’t trust a crowd that’s panicked.”
I nod, and just then, something slams into my back.
I lurch forward and Nolan catches me in his arms. I whip my head around, searching for my assailant, but we’re being pressed in by the crowd, my shoulders crammed between Nolan’s and Maddox’s massive forms, and it’s impossible to see who ran into me.
“If the idiots would just calm down,” says Nolan. “It’s okay.”
“I’ve been run into before,” I say. “I’ll survive.”
He looks down, the smallest of smirks at his lips, and nods.
There are people yelling at the guards, men and women complaining that they came here and paid good money to see a show, not to be trapped for the evening.
“I don’t see another way out,” says Maddox, he and Nolan both scanning the perimeter.
“Neither do I,” says Nolan.
Maddox glances mischievously at the guard stationed in front of the gate levels. “We could always make one,”
“Let’s not make a scene,” says Nolan. “Besides, for once it’s not us they’re after.”
Maddox shrugs. “Old habits die hard, I suppose.”
“How often have the two of you been the ones they’re after?” I ask.
This time, Nolan’s face mirrors Maddox’s rather naughty expression. Just then, I feel a chest pressed into my back, and my entire body goes still at his touch.
“It’s just me,” says Peter, as if that’s not exactly what’s sending my body into a paralytic state.
“Back off,” says Nolan, fists tensing.
“Relax,” says Peter. “I just needed to get close enough so that no one would hear. The ringmaster wants everyone personally interviewed on the way out. They’re going to start in just a few minutes.”
“We didn’t help one of his slaves escape,” says Nolan.
“Yeah, I can’t see what the problem would be. We should be able to get by just fine,” says Maddox.
“You should be able to get by just fine,” Peter says to Maddox. “But it’s not you I’m worried about. The ringmaster deals in oddities, remember?”
Nolan and I glance at each other’s Mating Marks.
“Do you have anything to help us cover them up?” says Nolan. “Mine should be easy enough. All I need is a scarf.”
“Wendy here, on the other hand…” says Peter.
