Page 58 of Shadows in Bloom

“Teeth has been researching. We have reason to believe that in addition to the Chosen’s crimes against you, he murdered his wife and covered up the evidence. After you left, he took on another child. Fortunately, the child was taken in by another family after a short time, and an investigation began regarding allegations made by the child. This happened before the murder of the Chosen’s wife.” He paused, clearing his throat again before continuing. “Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough evidence to convict him. He was barred from fostering children, but he managed to escape any harsher punishment.”

“I-it’s my fault,” I whispered, staring down at the glossy surface of the table. “I should have spoken up. If only I?—”

“No.” Vivienne’s voice was soft, but threaded with steel, and the other three immediately nodded in agreement. “You did nothing wrong. None of the blame belongs to you. It rests entirely on his shoulders.”

A faint creak that sounded like the motorhome door opening sounded behind me, but I paid it no attention. I had to get my words out. “I was too scared to speak up,” I confessed. “I didn’t know where to turn, and if anyone would even believe me. He kept me so isolated. I felt as if—as if I didn’t have a voice.”

At my back, a soft noise of distress sounded, and then a shadow moved in front of me, arms outstretched, pulling me into a familiar body. Hands stroked up and down my back, while a soothing voice spoke low in my ear.

“It’s okay. It’s not your fault. You did nothing wrong. It’s all him. He’s a sick, twisted man that needs to be purged from the earth. He’ll never hurt you again. I promise you.”

Wrapping my arms around Amélie’s waist, I breathed her in, letting her words sink in, healing something raw and aching inside me. When I raised my head, I unwrapped myself from her, but kept a grip on her hand, letting her touch steady me. I looked at each of the others in turn. When I spoke, my words were certain.

“Okay. It’s decided. We have our next Chosen.”

Florin clapped his hands together happily. “Yay! I can’t wait!”

“Little psycho,” Teeth muttered, but flashed him his fangs, and the next thing I knew, they were kissing, completely uncaring that the rest of us were sitting right there.

“Ohhh...blood...” Florin breathed when they drew apart, tracing his finger across the red blooming on his bottom lip where I guess Teeth had nicked him with one of his sharpened canines. “We need Darius.”

“Get out of my sight,” Judge ordered them both, and they wasted no time in exiting the motorhome. I could hear them calling out for their other partner, Darius, as they left.

When they were gone, Judge curved his hand around Vivienne’s arm, and she nodded. “Wren. If you’d like us to, we can take care of everything. You don’t even need to look at him. You can be as involved or as uninvolved as you’d like.”

“Thank you.” I meant the words with all my heart. These people had proved time and time again that they were there for me. They owed me nothing, and yet they’d taken me in without question, giving me a home and a job and a family all in one go.

“Don’t even mention it.” Vivienne gave me a soft smile. “We’re here for you. Whatever you need.”

“I’d like to be involved.” I needed this. To face my former tormentor. To look him in the eyes and know for certain he would never hurt anyone again.

“Very well. Let us know how you wish to proceed,” Judge said.

“I will.”

WREN

The plan was in place. Everything was ready for tonight. I’d been on edge all day, but there was an undeniable thrum of anticipation in my blood.

Amélie’s eyes sparkled behind her mask, and my lips curved upwards. My own mask covered the top half of my face, so she could see my smile. The crowd gasped and cheered far beneath us as we both paused in complete synchronisation and then crossed in the air in a flying leap we’d done hundreds of times—a leap that never failed to wow the audience. Swinging up onto my hoop, I tossed my head theatrically before tipping my body backwards to hang down, my arms outstretched. The hoop began to lower at the same time as the roar of the motorbikes sounded, signalling the next part of the show. Soon it would be time. Time to face him.

When I touched down in the ring, I bowed to the crowd, and then ducked behind the curtain, my heart pounding out of my chest with adrenaline. Amélie was there waiting for me, and when I reached her, she slipped her hand into mine, leading me out of the big top to the smaller tent that housed the fortune teller and mirror maze.

Everything was set up and ready. Now, all we had to do was wait.

The big top had emptied out, the satisfied crowds had gone home, and the cirque members were assembled. It was time. Seated in the corner of the tent where the fortune teller would normally be, I traced my fingers over the heavy glass jug, brimming with a dark liquid. Two glasses were placed on the table next to the jug, the glow of the fortune teller’s crystal ball reflected on the polished surface. I adjusted my mask, still a little nervous that my former guardian would recognise me before it was time. I reminded myself that it was highly unlikely, given the fact that a large portion of my face was covered, the lighting in the tent was dim, and most importantly, he wouldn’t be expecting me to be here. From the information Teeth had provided, it appeared that he thought I’d run away, and rather than searching for me, he’d put me out of his mind and moved on to his next victim.

“Right this way, sir.” Amélie’s raised voice echoed through the tent, preparing me for his arrival. Pulling up the hood of the fortune teller’s cloak, I readied myself. When she came into view, leading the man by the wrist, I swallowed hard, my hands shaking. I’d thought I’d been prepared, but in actuality, nothing could have prepared me for the sight of the man who’d spent years abusing me.

He looked the same as I remembered. The same as he did in my nightmares.

Stringy, greasy hair, greying at the temples. Harsh lines around the pinched set of his mouth. That flinty gaze. The large, hulking body that had pinned me so effortlessly in the past.

My ears were ringing.

I came back into myself at the touch of Amélie’s hand on my arm.

“Take a seat, sir.” She waved her hand towards the seat opposite me, and he leered at her, his sweaty palm daring to skim over the curve of her ass as she stepped around him. She flinched almost imperceptibly, and my nerves instantly dissipated, replaced with steel resolve. This man would pay tonight for everything he’d done.

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