Promising Light by Emily Ann Ward Read Free Book Online Page B

fear the Protectors. I stay out of their
way, and they stay out of mine.” He paused. “For the most
part.”
    “And…” She hated herself for
asking, because she knew what the answer was. “And the
curse?”
    He shook his head. “Nothing’s
changed. They’re still looking for someone.”
    A chill went through her, and she
glanced over her shoulder. Jewel and Becca were leading the horses
out of the other end of the stables. “Dar, I should go.”
    Dar’s face fell. “Do you need
anything? I—my father—”
    “I don’t want to see your father.”
She wouldn’t go back to that life, and she couldn’t see
Alastor.
    “I could help you with anything
you may need.”
    “I have enough. The circus pays me
well.”
    “Is it going to be another two
years before I see you again?” His voice sounded pained.
    Sierra remained silent at first.
She didn’t mind if it was another year or ten years. She wanted to
forget everything about Dar and his family. They used to be her
family, before they used her, before they let the Protectors kill
her husband. “I don’t know.”
    “Sierra, I’m sorry.” Dar stepped
closer to her. A note of urgency entered his voice. “I should have
done more to keep you and Sashe safe. And Seth and Evan. You know
how much I loved them, how much I loved the two of you.”
    “Dar, don’t—”
    “No, I haven’t seen you for two
years. You disappeared, and I didn’t have the chance to apologize.”
He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry.”
    Sierra nodded, meeting his eyes. “I
know you’re sorry. It wasn’t your fault, though.”
    Dar looked as if he wanted to
argue, but he cleared his throat and stepped away. “Perhaps you
could send me a letter, tell me where you’ll be next. I’d be happy
to write you.”
    “Thank you. I should go now.”
Sierra backed away. If he was here with the prince, she didn’t want
to be found by him or any other politician. She paused, studying
his face. “It was good to see you.”
    He smiled, his eyes shining with
tears, and she had to leave before her own came. Dar had been like
her brother once, had protected her and looked out for her. He’d
taken care of her and Sashe until that last year, until the lies
and the murder.
     
    * * *
     
    After the circus, Grace spent a
short while in the city with William and some of the other
politicians. The circus had set up their tents and stopped their
carriages in a large field, and merchants had gathered on the roads
next to it. Grace was hardly interested in the merchant booths they
shopped at. Her gaze kept wandering to the performers and circus
crew as they packed up animals and tents.
    William turned to the face the
carriages. “‘Childress’ Traveling Circus,’” he read the paint on
one of them. He glanced at Grace. “Would you like to meet the
ringmaster?”
    Grace gasped. “Could
we?”
    “Come, let’s meet him.” William
waved to his guards. “I’ve seen his circus a few times, but I’ve
yet to meet Childress.”
    He approached two men who were
hooking horses up to one of the carriages. “I’m looking for
Childress,” he announced.
    One of the men eyed the prince’s
guards and nodded to his friend. “Go get him.”
    The other man, who was shorter than
Grace, sighed and jogged off.
    The main tent was down already, and
the carriages were lining up next to the second, smaller tent.
People were loading the carriages with trunks, bags, and more.
Grace saw the performing dogs following their trainer out in a
single-file line. They were bringing dozens of horses out of the
stables as well as wheeled cages of other animals.
    Just before someone dropped a large
blanket over their cage, Grace saw the tigers that had been with
the wild child. The ‘wild child’ was nowhere to be seen, of
course.
    The short horseman returned a few
minutes later, leading a large man with dark red hair and ruddy
cheeks. Childress, the man who’d announced most of the acts, the
namesake of the circus.