Chapter 11: Together Forever
Asaph barely escaped before Malec returned to the room, suspecting nothing. He glanced at my expression of hidden panic and seemed confused. "The crew and I were hopin' to talk to ya. About the plans."
I nodded agreeably. "Of course, let's go downstairs."
Sliding down the hatch to ground level, I faced the crew, who sat, making a circle around me. I lifted my hands. "First, I have to apologize for not telling you who the heir is—"
Another fire breather, a boy Father picked up some years ago, spoke up. "What do we care about that? We all know it'll be a surprise. We want to know what we're doing for the Feast of Harmony, so we can help ya."
I paused in surprise. Another member consented. "Yah, what's the plan? You have something in mind don'tcha? Something spectacular!"
Others chimed in, "Grandiose! Unmatched!"
I growled angrily. "No! It's too dangerous! You could get killed."
They objected, "You sound like your father!"
Malec expanded. "Missy, you ain't a girl all by her lonesome tryin' ta change the world. Ya apart of my crew, ya our friend, and ya one of us. We gonna help ya no matta what. So just tell us what the plan is so we can help. We came up with a few ideas, so let's work it out...Missy, whatcha cryin' for?"
Wiping my face, I embraced Malec tightly, mumbling "What would I do without you all?"
I felt other members pat my back, laughing. Malec consented. "Ya become something the circus can't function without. Ya were just a wee little thing when ya joined our merry crew, but now ya a bonified woman. So don't ya cry, and let's start plannin'."
Finally letting go, I wiped up my face with a broad smile. "I have a plan then. A very showy one. It incorporates fireworks and your every talent. This will be a show like none ever witnessed before."
The crew crowded closer as I gave more details. There was a fire among us, burning hotter than coals in the iron kilns. The costumes, the talents, everything was being set in perfect order. The signal to begin was the sound of my pipe over the crowds. The job of the crew was to signal back that everything was in place with fireworks. And then the real show could commence.
Suddenly the candles blew out and the room fell dark. The hair on the back my neck rose as dark bodies filled the room. One word filled my mind as it left my mouth. "Assassins!"
Screams of a balancer worried me. I tried to make my way to her. Barely making out a silhouette in the darkness, I dodged the gleaming blade. I was a second too slow and it sliced across my cheek. I tripped over, rolling into the feet of someone.
My hands reached out, feeling the warm, slick liquid of blood. Following the trail, my hands landed on the body. Someone kicked me, an assassin. I could see a flash of the metal as it came down. I rolled away from the body and the attacker.
Someone grabbed my arm and pulled me up. I could feel Owl's coarse hands move me behind him. I could see him lift a bottle to his lips. I braced, hands overhead as a billow of fire left his mouth. The reason why we called him Owl and not Dragon was his habit to widen his eyes and turn his head to an unrealistic point when fire breathing.
Slipping both blades in my hands, I slashed at a now visible assassin, who screamed in pain. My heart thumped loudly, realizing I made a mistake. I had left Owl exposed. Too late, I turned around watch an attacker cut him down. I reached for him, catching him as the firelight faded.
Again, someone I cared about was dying in my arms and I could do nothing to save him. I could feel his blood slip through my fingers. He lifted his hand, signing his last words in a drop of shinning moonlight. Everything will be fine. I will be laughing among flowers in heaven, waiting for you. Then...we can...put...on the best...sho...
His body fell limp. Without giving me time to mourn, a blade slashed across my back, too shallow to be deadly, but deep enough to be a warning. Rage bubbled in me until I could breathe. They were slaughtering my crew. They were my family, and I had to do something.
I pulled out the second blade, using one to slash aside the assailing blade and the other to carve his chest. In a fluid movement, I spun to my second target, making out the attackers’ masks. The attacker was forcing back a balancer, one of the girls who had never been in any formal fight. Without hesitation, I injured the assassin’s shoulder, simultaneously swinging at the nerve at the back of his leg.
He collapsed and I signaled the balancer to escape. We understood that under this kind of circumstance, the entire crew, myself included should flee. In the poor lighting, I wasn't sure who escaped, but I would stay to maximize their chances.
In moments, attackers swarmed me. It was all I could do to move around them, dodging and duck from fatal blows. There came a point where I was cornered, exhausted, and in pain. My movements were too sluggish and one assassin caught my arms, holding me as his partner brought his blade down. Heart pounding, it was all I could do to close my eyes.
The sound of clashing blades caught my attention. I glanced up to see a dark figure standing to my protection, sword in hand. Asaph glanced back at me, eyes clouded with concern.
He queried, "Are you alright?"