Page 21 of Luna

Luna smiled and settled onto the wooden seat next to Dally, with Hunter taking the seat beside her.

The more people who filled the seats, the more tense Luna grew. By the time the circus began, she’d consumed all her lemonade and placed the cup at her feet to keep from twisting it around and around in her hands. She knew she was safe. She knew she’d have fun. But something about the noise of the crowds, the bodies pressed close together, left her unnerved.

Hunter picked up her hand as she plucked at the lace on her skirt and held it between his. She felt a measure of peace return when she looked into his face, and he smiled.

“Are you well, Luna?” he asked, repeating the question he’d asked earlier.

“Yes. Thank you.” She offered what she hoped was a reassuring smile, then turned to watch the ringmaster enter, doff his top hat, and take a deep bow.

Twenty-six acts were billed, and Luna forced herself to pay attention to each one. There were astounding horses that raced, performed tricks, and even danced. Acrobats swung across the dome of the tent, earning loud applause, and gymnasts earned equal accolades as they leaped through the air from one bar to another.

The woman who had asked if Luna would like to sit on an elephant rode into the tent on the tusk of a huge pachyderm, drawing gasps from the spectators as she appeared to put her life in the hands of the five elephants in her act.

Luna joined her resounding applause to those around her as Zora, the elephant tamer, left the tent.

“Look! There he is,” Dally said, pointing to an older man with long hair, a goatee, and a regal bearing as he rode into the tent.

Luna studied the famous Buffalo Bill Cody while his Wild West performers filled the tent with excitement and noise. He didn’t seem particularly enthused to be there, but she supposed, after all the years he’d spent entertaining crowds, and the prestigious places he’d performed, Pendleton probably didn’t seem all that wondrous to him.

After the Wild West performers left, there were clowns rolling and tumbling around. The band played a rousing tune. Unfortunately, the cymbals crashed at the same moment someone set off a string of firecrackers. Between the acrid smoke, the popping noise, the heat, and the jostling crowds, Luna felt the darkness begin to swallow her whole.

Before she fainted in the midst of the bleachers, she hopped up, scrambled past Dally and Nik, and raced out of the tent.

Outside, she kept running until she got past the vendors and braced a hand against a fence post. She closed her eyes, bent halfway over, and dragged air into her burning lungs.

Even though she knew she was in Pendleton, it felt like she was back in New York City. The screams and shouts of one terrible day echoed around her while she recalled her blood mingling in the pool surrounding Matteo as she held his head on her lap and he drew in his last breath.

“Luna?” A gentle hand touched her shoulder and she snapped upright, turning a panicked gaze to Hunter.

Concern etched a furrow across his brow, making the scar above his left eye stand out against his tanned face. Without thinking, she traced her finger over the white line. “How did you get that?”

He seemed confused, then realized she meant the scar. “My brother, Jeff, and I wanted to try fly fishing. Dad told us to wait, and he’d take us, but we decided to go without him. The first time Jeff cast his line, his hook caught me right there. I am eternally grateful I didn’t lose an eye that day. Needless to say, once the doctor finished stitching me up, Dad paddled our backsides and sent us to our rooms without supper. Grandmama snuck up our plates later, but it was a lesson we never forgot. The scar is a reminder to me that I don’t always know what’s best, and it sometimes doesn’t hurt to listen to instruction from those who are wiser.”

Luna nodded and dropped her hand. “I’m sorry, Hunter. I don’t want you to miss any of the fun.”

He made a dismissive motion toward the tent. “It’s almost over anyway. I will walk you home before the streets get crowded, unless you’d like to go back inside.”

“No!” Luna shouted, then lowered her voice. “No, but thank you for offering. I would very much like to go home.”

“Okay. I’ll tell everyone I’m walking you home. Caterina and Ilsa, especially, are concerned for you.”

“I didn’t mean to worry anyone. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine, Luna. Truly.” Hunter gave her hand a light squeeze. “Would you like to wait outside the tent or stay here?”

“Here, please.”

Hunter nodded and released her hand. “I’ll just be a moment.”

He took off at a jog and was gone only a few moments before he returned. Hunter wrapped her hand around his arm, and they started off toward Ilsa and Tony’s house at a leisurely pace. Luna’s legs felt shaky and weak, and she was grateful to have Hunter’s arm for support. They were nearly to Ilsa and Tony’s house when she felt a wave of dizziness pass over her. She stopped, and Hunter waited as she took several deep breaths before they continued up the drive and around to the back door.

Luna had her own key and used it to unlock the door. Inside, she yanked off her gloves, unpinned her hat, and motioned into the kitchen. “Have a seat. I’ll be back shortly.”

She walked down the hall to the bathroom, rolled up her sleeves to nearly her elbows, and washed her hands and forearms with cool water before splashing her face and patting it dry.

The image in the mirror above the sink showed not a happy girl who’d just come from an exciting circus performance but a woman who carried pain in her eyes and scars on her heart.

Luna stuck out her tongue at the image, then hastened to the kitchen where Hunter stood by the table looking out the window at the peaceful backyard.

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