The Faire (Harrow Faire #5) - Kathryn Ann Kingsley Page 0,23

was only silence.

“You came to see me, Rudy. If you expect me to speak first, that’s quite rude.” Turk smirked as he put the kettle on the stove and turned on the gas. He turned around to see the other man leaning against the wall by the door, glowering. At least he was wearing pants. It was usually a fifty-fifty shot with Rudy.

“Set them free,” Rudy grunted.

“Why?”

“What you’ve done is wrong.” Rudy bared his teeth in a snarl. “And you are lying to the others.”

Turk stiffened. “How much do you know, Zookeeper?”

“Enough. I smelled death in this place long before she came. I could feel the ichor in the ground. The starvation. I sought out Clown years ago. He told me the truth. That you have caged the beast and kept us all from feeding. That you wish us all to die.”

“He spoke to you?”

“He would speak to anyone willing to listen.”

Ringmaster let out a long, heavy sigh. He wiped a hand over the lower half of his face, pondering his next actions. He couldn’t very well throw Rudy in the tower, as well. That was too much to weigh against Turk’s honor. Rudy had done literally nothing wrong.

Yet.

He cringed and leaned against the cabinets. “Are you going to tell the others?”

“I have always stood by and let the drama play out.” The Zookeeper glanced over the photos on the walls. “You’re the leader of this pack. Even your choice to starve the Faire and kill us all I respected because you are in charge. But imprisoning Cora and Simon is an act of cowardice. You’re afraid to fight. You’re afraid you’ll lose.”

“If you and Simon are on her side, I will.” He chuckled. “I’m no fool.”

Rudy sneered. “I never said you were stupid. I called you a coward.”

“Is it cowardice to face down my own death? To know that I’ll take everyone I love and care for with me? No, Zookeeper. I am not a coward. I am doing what must be done. And this place—this thing—must be destroyed. And I will not let my victory be snatched away from me at the last moment.”

Rudy laughed quietly. “Then fight. Do not stoop to underhanded tactics. If you fail, then you fail. Such is the way of the pack. If the alpha is old, weak, and cannot lead, then he is challenged and killed. That is the law of nature. That is how it should be.”

“We are not wolves, Rudy. Much to your disappointment, I know.” He took his kettle off as it began to whistle. “We are monsters that have no right to exist. Simon and Cora will stay in the tower. And they will stay there until this place ceases to exist. So I’ll ask again—will you tell the others?”

Rudy glared. His shoulders raised, tense, and his hands formed fists at his sides. For a moment, Turk wondered if the Zookeeper would shift forms again and rip him to pieces. But after a moment, he relaxed. “What good would it do? There’s no torture I could do to you that would change your mind. No pain I could make you endure. I know you, Turk. And your principles were all you had left.” He opened the door. “I’ll be silent for now. But know this…when the end comes, you’ll greet the void with me eating your liver.” He opened the door to go.

Turk shook his head. “Good to see you, too, Rudy. I’m glad we had this chance to chat.”

And with that, the Zookeeper left. The door clicked behind him. Turk placed his hands against the rim of the sink and leaned over it, shutting his eyes. There was no setting them free. There was no releasing Cora and Simon into the world. They would stop at nothing to kill him. He was certain this was the right thing to do.

But it didn’t dull the sour taste in his mouth.

Slamming his fist into the counter, he watched the cracks form beneath his knuckles.

I have not come this far to question my faith now.

I will destroy this creature.

I must.

Someone was stroking her hair. She was lying on her side in something soft and cool, her head atop something firmer. Sunlight, warm and wonderful, touched her cheek. She could feel a breeze. She was outside, in a field. Not impaled on some twisted metal statue.

It was a dream. She didn’t care. The dream was superior.

She stretched and curled her fingers into the fabric beneath her cheek. She was lying with