Page 76 of Chaos Carnival

Tess sat perched on the arm of my chair, her fingers absently tracing patterns in the air as she tracked chords only she could see. She hadn’t had much to say, said we’d work it out ourselves.

“Perhaps a touch of Victorian sensibility would elevate this venture beyond mere cheap thrills,” Oscar's crystalline voice cut through the planning session from his perch on the mantle. “After all, nothing strikes fear quite like the crushing weight of societal expectations and proper table etiquette.”

I snorted, reaching for the bottle to pour another round. Leave it to a centuries-old playwright trapped in a crystal skull to find a way to make even a supernatural circus sound pretentious.

Lilith leaned forward on the couch, making Addie jump. “Oh darling,” she said, summoning herself a glass of wine. “I know quite a few monsters who'd love to perform. And they're excellent judges of character.”

Stone straightened, interest clearly piqued. “What kind of monsters?”

“The kind that can smell guilt,” Lilith purred. “The kind that know exactly what someone deserves.”

“We could do special shows,” Lux suggested, closing his laptop. “Private performances for... select audiences.”

Addie looked between us all, her expression uncertain. “Maybe we should focus on the regular shows first? Before we start planning any vigilante justice?”

“The girl has a point,” I conceded, though the darker possibilities still beckoned. “We need acts for the main performances. The special shows can come later.”

Stone scratched behind Eris's ears, but his expression remained thoughtful. “As long as they do come later.”

“Agreed,” I said, though I couldn't help smiling at how quickly we'd all embraced the darker possibilities.

I watched Tess's fingers dance through the air, knowing she was seeing all the possible paths our circus could take. The old stories of fae and demons were all about teaching lessons to those who deserved them. But first, we needed a show. The vigilante justice would have to wait. Though judging by the gleam in Stone's eye and Lilith's knowing smirks, it wouldn't wait long.

“I’m seeing… a knife throwing act,” Tess suggested. Her eyes had that distant look that meant she was seeing more than just our living room. “But with fire. And illusions of genuine danger.”

I leaned forward, interested. “Go on.”

“We make it look like something's gone wrong. Like the act is actually dangerous.” Her fingers kept tracing those invisible patterns. “The audience thinks they're watching a real accident unfold...”

“But it's all controlled,” Lux finished, grinning at us. “Staged violence that feels real enough to generate fear, but without actual risk.”

“I know some performers who could pull that off,” Addie chimed in. “From my old dance company. They're trained in stage combat too.”

I inclined my head, the vision starting to come together. “We need more though. A whole show's worth of manufactured terror.”

“The acrobats,” Stone snapped. We all turned to look at him. “What? High-wire acts are already scary. Add some supernatural elements, make it look like they might actually fall...”

“Or like something's hunting them up there,” Lilith added, warming to the idea. “I can create some rather convincing shadow creatures.”

“I can read fortunes,” Tess said.

I caught her hand, stilling its restless movement. “You sure about that?”

She squeezed my fingers. “Darkness likes the idea of controlled chaos.”

“Speaking of chaos,” Addie interrupted, “what about you, Maverick? Every circus needs a ringmaster.”

A grin spread across my face before I could hide it. The memory of commanding the fight club crowd, feeding off their fear and excitement, still sent a thrill through me. This would be even better—a whole circus at my command.

“Oh, look at that smile,” Lilith drawled. “He's already imagining it. All that charisma, finally put to proper use.”

“You'll be perfect,” Tess said. “You control the crowd's fear. Channel it into something spectacular.”

“Plus,” Stone added dryly, “you've never met a spotlight you didn't love.”

I couldn't argue with that. The thought made my skin writhe with anticipation. “I suppose someone has to keep things interesting.”

“Interesting?” Lilith raised an eyebrow. “Darling, you'll have them eating out of your hand.”

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