“You don’t have a mask somewhere around here? It is a carnival, after all.”
“Of course we have masks,” says Peter. “But do you honestly think he’s going to let you through the gates without checking to see who you are underneath the mask?”
“I take it the escaped slave is female,” says Maddox.
“Unfortunately, yes,” says Peter.
“We could fight our way out,” says Maddox.
Nolan shakes his head. “Not ideal. There are guards posted on the outside as well. I marked them when we came in.”
“The city makes a lot of money off of this carnival. They’re invested in keeping it protected,” says Peter. “The ringmaster pays a hefty fee for the rental space. It’s not like you see that many carnivals out there that have a fortress surrounding them.”
“Are you going to be helpful or are you going to continue to tell us how much trouble we’re in?” asks Nolan.
Peter turns his face away in a poor attempt to hide a smirk, but when he turns back, all the levity has drained from his expression. “There’s a section on the southwest corner of the fortress that’s hardly ever used. No one ever goes back there. I can fly the three of you out. With all the commotion going on at the front combined with how dark it is outside, I doubt anyone will notice.”
“Why do I not find that to be a comforting plan?” says Maddox.
“You’re not exactly in the position to be choosy,” says Peter with a smile.
Nolan and Maddox both glare at him, but neither argues.
“Just meet me in the southwest corner within the next five minutes,” says Peter. “I have something I need to do first.”
“I don’t like the sound of that,” says Nolan.
“Relax,” Peter says for the second time. “Trust me.”
And then he’s gone.
We make it over to the southwest corner, though it’s a struggle weaving through the crowd trying to press in the opposite direction. Eventually we break free of them and find it just as Peter had said—an unused section of land, relatively at least. It seems like it’s being used as a storage area, and only for things that are awaiting repair.
We wait there in the darkness. And only a few minutes later, Peter appears. Nolan and Maddox glance for anyone behind him, but Peter raises his hands.
“Don’t worry—I didn’t turn you in,” he says. “Now it’s time to go.”
Maddox nods and steps forward. Peter grins, then wraps his hands around Maddox’s waist. It would be comical—Maddox’s huge, muscular frame and Peter practically bear-hugging him—if the sight of Peter at all didn’t disgust me.
He launches them upward, and they disappear over the edge of the fortress. My stomach tenses and I wait to hear someone from the crowd scream out, but no one seems to notice.
A moment later and Peter lands lightly in front of us.
“You next, old friend,” he says to Nolan.
Nolan offers him a smirk that I can only assume is meant to mimic Peter’s. “I don’t think so. You take Wendy next, then me.”
“What?” says Peter. “Are you afraid I’ll keep her to myself?”
“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of,” says Nolan.
Peter folds his arms in front of himself. “The three of you are trusting me to help you locate the Sister. Not only that, but I’m assuming you’re wanting my help infiltrating her lair. You’re asking me to risk my life and my freedom for you. That’s a lot of trust to put in me. Seems like a small request in the grand scheme of things to let Wendy go last.”
“I never said I trusted you,” says Nolan.
“No, just that you need me,” says Peter. “Just like you need me to get over that wall.”
They stand off for a minute, staring at each other. But in the distance, around the building, we hear muffled voices.
