The Faire (Harrow Faire #5) - Kathryn Ann Kingsley Page 0,80
Amanda? Ask her big fat lover.” He pointed at Turk. “He must know what happened to her. He is in charge, isn’t he?”
Ringmaster sighed heavily. “We should continue without them. Their votes will side with me. You know how they both felt on the subject. Do you contest this?”
“No. I don’t.” Cora watched the huge man curiously for a moment. “Aren’t you worried about them?”
“I am. I am worried sick. I have not slept since Amanda has gone.” He grimaced. “And I will not stop searching for them once all this mess is put behind us. But I have a duty to perform. A duty for the good of the world. I will see it through.”
“I guess.” Cora shrugged and sighed. “If I win, Turk…I’ll find them. I’ll make sure they’re safe.”
“You’ll murder them, just like you plan to murder me.” Turk walked to the edge of the ring and picked up a broom handle. He drew a long line in the sand between them. It was beautifully literal and cliché, she had to admit. Circuses were full of clichés, however, and she couldn’t think of a better way to do it.
When he finished, Cora answered. “No. I won’t. I’m not going to kill people just because they side with you. I’m doing this to protect the Family. Not rule it. Do you really think I’m that much of a monster?”
“Yes. Not because of you, Cora. But because of what you’ve let worm into your heart.” He glanced at Simon, but she knew his meaning was twofold.
“Why does everyone always pick on me?” Simon muttered from beside her. “It never fails. I might as well just string myself up and let you all use me as a piñata.”
Keeping her voice down so the others didn’t hear, she shot a smirk at him. “Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
“Kinky.” He grinned and cleared his throat. “Now’s likely not the time.”
She turned to face the others who were standing there, watching them. “Do what you think is right. If that means siding with Turk, then so be it. If I win, and you stand on that side of the sand, you are still my Family. If you want to go—if you want peace—then you’ll have it. That’s your right. But if you want to stay, when all this is done, you are still loved. And this place is still your home.”
“And what if I win, Cora? Do you plan to keep your pledge of sitting idly by as I starve the beast?”
Cora answered “yes” at exactly the same time Simon answered “no.”
She elbowed him hard in the ribs.
He doubled over, placing a hand on his stomach, and groaned in legitimate pain. “Are you aware you hit much harder now?”
“Yes. I am.” She shot him another look, silently threatening worse, before she turned her focus back to Ringmaster. “I gave you my word. What about yours?”
“I am a man of duty and honor, Cora.” He tugged on his suitcoat, straightening it. “And I will be proud to take that to my grave.”
Cora nodded. “So, let’s get on with it.”
The first one to step forward was Rudy. He spat on the sand on Turk’s side, and moved to stand to Cora’s right. She smiled at him, and he smiled back. Then Bertha sided with her as well.
Maggie the Soothsayer stayed in the stands, smiling sadly. She wouldn’t vote. Nor would Cora ask her to.
Lauren and Phil, the conjoined Twins, looked at each other for a moment, then to her. “Cora?” Lauren asked.
“Do we—” Phil continued.
“—count as one vote—” Their sentenced bounced back and forth between them.
“—or two?” Phil finished.
Cora smiled faintly at them. “Two.”
They beamed with an expression that was both overjoyed and mournful. Like friends at a funeral, happy to see each other but sad for the occasion. They walked to stand by Turk.
“We hope—” Phil began.
“—you understand.” Lauren finished.
Cora nodded and kept the same faint smile. “I do. Of course I do.”
Now that the Twins had broken the seal, a few more people moved to stand by Turk. Pierre the Juggler and Jim the Mechanic. Turk was now beating Cora, four to five.
Louis and Elena stepped forward. The Magician turned to the Seamstress and kissed her. They embraced for a long moment. When Louis parted, he smiled gently down at his wife, and clearly whispered the words, “It’s okay. I love you.”
Elena wiped at her tears and nodded weakly. Louis moved to stand with Cora…and Elena stood with Turk.