Chapter 13

Home always welcomes you back.

They drove all day and all night while Kal sat in the passenger seat and Benjamin sat in the back of the truck. They only stopped for gas and food for the road, but they kept moving to find their home. Somewhere in the state of Arkansas, they started to hear about the Circus, and they followed the rumors heading east to the other side of the state.

Kal laid her weary head against the back of the seat, allowing her legs to reach almost across the seat to Thomas's lap. She stared out the window at the world passing by. She was lost in her thoughts, wrapped in fear of the unknown and the thrill of going home. She wasn't sure what was to come in her life, and she wore the slave bracelet around her ankle, thinking she might be a slave to her fate. The bracelet was going to stay on until she died for those who were trapped by their fate. She might start to write songs about those working girls and, in her downtime, she might move to help them. She was sure Azrael would add his wealth and power to free them from their bondage, but for now, she was thinking more of herself, thinking of how she was a slave to her life.

She watched the trees roll by, hoping this deep sadness would leave her soon. Thomas hadn't said much to her. She hadn't said much to him, and Benjamin was keeping to himself. It made for a long road trip, but it was needed to clear their minds of the endless weariness following them from the fighting.

She saw some posters of the Circus, and Thomas started to follow them, heading out to the middle of nowhere.

"We need to talk before we get home," Thomas said, and Kal moved her eyes toward him as he leaned against the open window. One of his massive arms was hanging out of the window, and somewhere along the way, he picked up a nice straw hat that sat lazily on his head.

"How mad is Azrael?"

"I don't know. I'm more worried about us."

"Us?"

"Come on, Vilas, you saw the real me."

"The monster?"

"Yeah. Mary Shelley would have loved to meet me."

She sat up, moving closer to him, taking one of his massive hands and holding it close to her. "Oh, Thomas, the monster isn't the real you."

"I'm not sure that's true, doll."

"Trust me, I know. I've seen a man who turns into a monster cry over a dead bird."

"I spend a month trying to keep that damn thing alive."

"See, you're still upset about it."

"But the beast?"

"Is scary but I do not fear him."

"Then what's wrong with you, because you should be, but we got you. We are coming home."

She sat back against the door with the wind rushing to play with her hair. She let her feet rest in his lap, and she frowned before she looked out the window to see the flags of the Circus.

"There's a price for what we did," she said, "I'm not sure we are ready to pay it. I'm not sure Azrael understands what he did by sending you two to save me."

"I think Azrael understands it more than you think," he said, seeing the large gates of the Circus. He slowed down to pull right up to the ticket booth. One of the workers looked up and smiled at them all as everyone came pouring out of the truck. They all started to stroll through the gates, and everyone rushed to see them.

Lucille Nightleaf came running up, throwing herself into Villa's arms, and the singer swallowed up the girl, pulling her close.

"I was so worried about you," Lucille said on the edge of tears. "No one knew anything, and no one would let me go looking for you."

"Oh, I'm sorry, clown," Vilas said, kissing the top of her head. "I didn't mean to worry you. I just got scared, you know?"

"We would have kept you safe," Lucille said, looking up but not letting Vilas go. She frowned at the nasty black eye.

"I know, I know."

"Please, don't do that again," Lucille said, burying her head back into Vilas's chest. "Please."

"I won't, clown," she said, feeling the weight of the bracelet, "I don't think I'll be leaving for a long time now."

"Ring Master Odd wants to see you, ma'am," one of the workers said, pointing to the Big Top.

"Thanks, Fed," Vilas said, heading for the tent with Thomas, Benjamin, and Lucille following behind her. Lucille was holding her hand like a child, and there had always been something odd about her. She was sixteen, which meant in some parts of the world, she would be married off, bearing children, and considered an adult, but she acted as if she was younger than her age. Her body whispered of her age, but her mind spoke a different story.

There was something odd outside of her cats, always following her and doing as she commanded them. It was something Azrael knew, but like everything about the man, he kept it to himself.

They strolled into the tent, the whole place being cast into a thick darkness except for a small center of light coming from the top. It was hot in the tent, with the heavy smell of hay hanging in the air, but Azrael wasn't anywhere to be seen.

Vilas and Lucille got into the middle of the stage, standing right in the light while Thomas and Benjamin stood on the edge, waiting for the Ring Master to show up. No one said a word when they heard Azrael's cane echoing all around them. He stepped out of the darkness as if the blackness was hiding him from sight, and it opened like a cloak around him. He stood in front of them, and Vilas heart started to race, looking him dead in his dark red eyes.

She wrapped her fingers in Lucille's hand, locking her jaw. Azrael was staring at her hard with rage and disappointment, making her choke up a little. She felt the salt of her tears starting to get close to the edge of her eyes, and her knees were becoming weak.

She had built up this moment in her mind back in the truck. She was an adult woman who had lived a hard life and told herself over and over she could stand up against Azrael, but now, she was standing in front of him. She felt as if she was coming home to her father, knowing she had hurt him deeply.

Vilas dropped her head under the weight of his stare.

"Everyone but Vilas out," Azrael said in a deep calm, which was keeping his rage at bay.

"Sir," Thomas said, stepping forward in the defense of Vilas, "I just �""

"Out." The darkness all around them shuttered like windows being kicked by a windstorm, and everyone with a great rush to get away from the storm out of the Big Top, leaving Vilas alone with Azrael. The second they were alone in the massive tent, Vilas covered her face, weeping hard and dropping to her knees.

"I'm sorry," Vilas said, shaking her head. "I'm so sorry."

Azrael stood above her, and she wasn't sure how he got to her so fast, but he was staring down at her. His cane was between his legs as he rolled his jaw.

"Vilas," he said, making her look up at him. The tears were falling down her face in heavy rivers, and she reached out, grabbing his leg.

"Please, forgive me, please."

"Damn it, Vilas." He took a step back and reached down to look at her face. He shook his head at the black and blue. "I told you no matter what comes from tomorrow or what demons walked through those doors from your past; I would protect you. I would stand in front of the whole world along with Heaven and Hell if they came for you. Did I not tell you this?"

"You did, sir."

He kneels with his cane, standing right up and holding it, frowning at her.

"Do you not trust me?" he asked.

"I trust you, I've always trusted you, but when Carter showed up," she shook her head, "I didn't want everyone hurt here because of me."

"No one will be hurt here, except for my trust in you, now."

She dropped her head.

"But love and family," he said, standing back up, "is about forgiveness, always have been, always will be."

She nodded but stared at his boots. There were silver skulls on the ankles of those shiny boots.

"I'm disappointed in you," he said, taking her arm and pulling her to her feet, "but I will forgive you for this wound."

She stared at him as he took out a pocket square dotted with red bats matching the dark hue in his suits and handed it to her. She started to clean her tears.

"It will take time, and you will work hard for it."

"Yes, sir."

"It will happen, Vilas, it will. You got a long list of chores for your punishment. Chores, you will do alone, and you will not let Lucille help in you."

"Yes, sir."

"Now go," he said, taking a deep breath.

She didn't move for a second and asked, "What about Carter?"

"I'll handle it," he said. "Now go."

She spun on her heels, rushing out of the Big Top with Charon Lewis, the Tremendous Magician, coming out of the dark. He stopped right beside Azrael, waiting for the orders of what he knew was coming.

"You have your Traveling Stones?"

"Always," Charon said, rolling his bowler hat off the top of his head. It rolled down his long arm, stopping in his hand, and he reached into the blackness, pulling out a small stone about the size of his palm. The stone was perfectly smooth, and Charon reached into his jacket, took out a golden pen, and asked, "Where to?"

"Let's go talk to the bosses," Azrael said.