Page 110 of Summer of Sacrifice

A string of curses flew from Sorscha’s mouth until Anne blushed.

Winnie stomped in wearing her forest green and gold-adorned performance gown. “Get in here. All of you.” she snapped. “Chop, chop!”

Anne and Sorscha traded comically fearful looks and followed Gaius and Arielle to the sitting area with the others. Laurent was furiously scribbling something at the table and Tindle was biting his nail.

“We don’t have time for a hiccup like this,” he hissed at Anne.

“Gaius,” Winnie commanded, “find Augustus and Eleanor. Have her and Tomás tell the Druids what’s happened. Then you and Augustus get courier ravens out to the faction leaders. They need to change course for Helsvar immediately.”

Laurent turned from the table, handing a bundle of hurriedly scribbled missives to Gaius. “Take these.”

“Of course.” He brushed a kiss on Arielle’s cheek and ran out into the corridor.

Winnie spun to face Sorscha. “Can you get word to Asa?” Sorscha nodded. “Good. Tindle and Anne, find Dulci and keep this fair on track.” Looking around at the faces in the room, she sighed. “Where is Emile?”

“He’s been down on the green since dawn,” Tindle said. “This fair is his baby.”

“Seleste, find him and tell him what’s going on. We’ll need to leave the moment Aggie and Grimm return.”

“Have you heard from them?” Seleste asked.

Winnie pulled out a small note and waved it. “Only just before Sorscha started shouting. They stopped off in Eldritch, but they’ll be here by nightfall. Apparently, with a Dreadful in tow.”

Sorscha perked up. “Livie?”

Winnie looked back at the note. “Gideon?” She shrugged and Sorscha’s lips pulled back from her teeth. “Aggie says his magic is too weak right now to transport far, so they’re taking it in shorter strides.”

“Bábóg,” Laurent interrupted. “We need to go.”

“Let’s get this show on the road!” Sorscha shouted as they all filed out of the room.

SELESTE

All of them crowded in her rooms had been loud and exhausting, but the fair was nauseating for her cunning.

Still, each step into the chaos was equally exhilarating. Much of the sprawling green and garden area outside Castle Merveille—opposite its cliff and seaside—was similar to the cirque grounds. There were people from all walks of life milling about, just as there were at the cirque, but here, at Emile’s fair, they were mingling. Children of different races and statuses ran amok together with sticky faces and filthy knees. Women in gowns far too extravagant for an outdoor event whispered and laughed arm-in-arm with those who were clearly witches. Men played carnival games alongside warlocks without a care in the world. Many of the stalls were run by merchants from Gemme Road, but there were also ones from Mer Row, and several even boasted witchy wares.

Seleste hoped with all her might that Aggie could return in time to see this. The culmination of their work, her work. She couldn’t help but also hope that this would be the first of many such celebrations of unity and not the last.

“Seleste!”

She turned to find Emile beaming from ear to ear in his Grand Magus robes. Finally. She’d been searching for him for ages.

His arms spread wide, pure, unadulterated joy alight on his face. “Well? We did it!”

“We did.” She came forward and looped her arm through his, giving it a little adoring squeeze, her hand concealed by his billowy sleeves. They walked along together, enjoying the fruits of their labour. “We have something to discuss, I’m afraid,” she finally said.

“Ah. One moment.” Emile paused to purchase a stick of spun sugar, handing it to a little girl nearby. She and her mother thanked their Grand Magus profusely as he waved them off, returning to Seleste’s side. “That would mean we have two somethings to discuss, then.” He darted off again, this time purchasing a bundle of lovely smudge sticks from a young witch’s stall. Walking with Seleste, he handed them out one by one.

“Perhaps you should go first,” she laughed, “considering I can’t hold your attention.”

“No, no. I’m sorry, dear.” He made a show of his hands, then clasped them behind his back. “I’m all ears.”

They stopped next to a stall overflowing with children. Sorscha sat in one chair and Gaius in the other, painting an endless sea of little faces.

“You’re supposed to be painting a squid!” Sorscha shouted over the boisterous noise as she laughed at Gaius’ work. “That looks like eight wet noodles!” Several of the children joined in the laughter and Gaius groaned.

“I’m particularly excited to see Winnie perform,” Emile said as he sat with a grunt on a bench. “Now, what is it you need to talk to me about.”

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