after her friends. He caught her and pulled her back to him. When she struggled, he picked her up off her feet and held her to his chest.
“Cora. Stop.” Once more, he could have used his strings. It would have resulted in much less squirming. But the point wasn’t just to restrain her. The point was to remind her of where she was. And who she was beside. “I’m here.”
He could feel her pain aching in his chest, clawing at his heart. It was the same venomous terror that had overwhelmed him when he unwittingly triggered a panic attack in her. That had only been weeks ago. Gods below, it felt like a century.
Gray eyes finally focused on him. They finally cleared of their glassy terror and saw him. “Simon—I—”
“I know.” He set her down gently on her feet but kept hold of her. “I know.” He had been spared ever seeing Suzanna again after she unwittingly abandoned him. He did not know how he would react if he had seen his family stroll through those gates and gaze at him like the stranger that he was. Let alone if one of those faces had assaulted him in such a way as Duncan had assaulted Cora. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “It’s all right.”
“No, it’s not.” She held on to the edges of his coat, twisting her fingers into the fabric, as if he were a raft at sea. He adored it when she did that. He’d always love the fear in her eyes when he threatened her in his darker moments, but he found he equally relished the moments where she trusted him. “I…I have to—”
“You have to what, cupcake?”
She shook her head dumbly. She didn’t know what she needed to do.
He kissed her forehead again. “You had a phenomenal debut performance. I think you deserve a drink and an ice cream. We’ll sit somewhere quiet and wait for the night to pass.”
“No. I need to…I…” She looked back toward the exit. “Come on.” She took his hand and led him from the tent, heading out into the main fairground. It was a crowded night—the first opening evening generally was. It was nice to hear the rides, the clanging of the midway games, and the hurdy-gurdy of the carousel. Harrow Faire really did feel quite lifeless without it.
She tugged him along behind her as she searched the crowd for the faces she recognized.
“This is a fool’s errand, Cora.” But he went along with her willingly all the same. Someone would have to stop her from doing something asinine. “They don’t know you.”
“I don’t understand why he’s with them. With—with Emily.”
Ah. The pieces clicked together in his head. “You’re jealous.”
“No!” She glared at him. “Don’t be disgusting. I’m so far away from jealous it’s not even funny. I’m worried. I’m worried sick. I just don’t know why he’s…he’s here. They hated him.”
He knew the answer. He could tell her, but he wanted her to put it together on her own. “They hated him for what reason, Cora?”
“Because of what he did to—” She froze. She cringed. “Because of what he did to me.”
“And you don’t exist anymore. That moment in time never happened for them. He continued being their friend because that vile part of him was never brought to light.”
She ran her hand through her hair, mussing those perfectly made curls that Seamstress had given her. He wanted to tousle them in a very different way. But now was not the time. She began walking again, and he dutifully followed. “He’s hurting her. He has to be.”
“How are you so sure?”
“Because I know my friends. Because I know Emily. She has always wanted to be loved. And Duncan takes advantage of vulnerable people.”
“Perhaps she enjoys his company. Perhaps she, in your absence, came to love him.” Simon did love to play devil’s advocate. Usually, he also liked to play the devil, but either suited him in the moment.
“No. Emily loves Trent. She always has. But obviously he never felt the same for her. Oh, he loved her like family, just…not in that way.” She shook her head as they walked the paths. She turned her head this way and that, searching the crowds. But there were thousands of people in the park. It would be a difficult task.
“So, you think she doomed herself to a tragic life of loneliness?” He sighed. “Come, now. People change. People evolve. She would have eventually given up.”
“Sure. And Duncan would have