Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE

I step inside, muted colors and dim light creating a heavy, almost oppressive atmosphere. The typical high-spirited energy is replaced by heated arguments, voices clashing like cymbals. Felix is in the center of it all, his hands gesturing wildly as he shouts about taking action.

“That’s going to make it worse!” someone counters, their voice sharp with frustration. “We should just move on. He can catch up when he’s free.”

“If he ever gets free,” someone else says.

Ignoring the knot tightening in my stomach, I stride to the center of the big top. I clear my throat, trying to get their attention. No one even glances my way.

“Listen up!” I shout, but my voice is swallowed by the cacophony.

Then I spot Travis, standing off to the side, his arms crossed and a worried expression on his face. Our eyes meet, and for a split second, I’m transported back to our childhood. The boy who once shared secrets and dreams with me but later drifted away under the weight of bullying and fear.

He’s changed since joining the circus—stronger, more confident—but there’s still a trace of that nervousness in his eyes.

Without a word, he moves toward me.

For a second, I think Travis is going to tell me I don’t belong, that he’s going to blame me for this predicament, just like Emerson and probably everyone else here. My heart pounds in my chest as he approaches.

Instead, he offers a small, weary smile. “You okay?”

The tension in my shoulders eases a fraction. “I’m holding up.”

He nods, looking over his shoulder at the chaos. “It’s a mess without Whitmere.”

“Yeah,” I say, the word coming out on a sigh.

“Do you have any idea what we’re going to do?” His voice drops to a whisper, almost lost in the din around us.

I glance around the tent, seeing familiar faces contorted with worry and anger. Felix is still arguing. Nadia is looking down at her phone… accepting the job offer? The harmony of the circus family has shattered.

“I don’t know yet,” I admit, hating the uncertainty in my voice.

Travis’s gaze shifts to the ground, and he kicks at an invisible pebble. “They’re scared, Sienna. We’re all scared.”

“We need to stay strong for Logan. He’s counting on us.”

“And what if we can’t?” His voice trembles slightly, eyes meeting mine with raw vulnerability. “It’s easy for you, because you’ve always been strong.”

I snort. “I just haven’t had any other choice.”

Travis studies me and then nods. He turns away and cups his hands around his mouth. His piercing whistle that echoes off the heavy canvas walls.

Arguments halt abruptly. Heads snap toward us.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what’s to come. The eyes of the entire circus crew bore into me, a mix of curiosity, skepticism, and outright hostility.

“We’re staying here,” I announce, hoping I sound stronger than I feel.

Nadia steps forward. “We need to perform. Not sit around.”

“That’s why we’re going to create a new show while we wait for Logan to be cleared.”

The silence that follows is deafening. Then, all at once, voices erupt.

“Who put you in charge?” Felix snaps, his eyes narrowing. “We signed up to follow Logan, not take orders from some townie.”

“You’re right. You did sign up to follow him. And that’s exactly why we’re going to create the best damn show this circus has ever seen.” I pause, letting my gaze sweep across the faces before me. “Logan built this circus from nothing. He gave each of us a home when the rest of the world turned its back. Now it’s our turn to fight for him.”

“And how’s a show gonna help?” someone calls out.

“It’ll keep us together,” I say, my voice gaining strength. “It’ll show this town—and Logan—that we’re not going anywhere. That we’re stronger than their prejudices and their small-minded fears.”

I see Travis nodding, a small smile on his face. It gives me courage.

“I’m not performing for these assholes,” someone shouts.

“Then we don’t,” I say. “We put the tickets online. If the circus can’t go to them, then we bring them to the circus.” I take a deep breath. “Logan’s given everything for this circus. For us. Now it’s our turn to give back. We’re not just performers—we’re a family. And family doesn’t abandon each other when things get tough.”

The tension in the tent shifts, like the air pressure before a storm.

“So who’s with me?” I ask, my heart pounding. “Who’s ready to show this town what the Cirque des Miroirs is really made of?”

“I’m out.” Nadia looks sad about it at least, but she shakes her head.

“Wait. Please.”

Her dark eyes turn to me. “I’m sorry, townie. I understand what you’re trying to do here. I even respect it, but I can’t risk my career. Better to get out now when the offers are coming in than go begging for scraps when he gets convicted of murder.”

Her words stab me. “That’s not going to happen.”

She shrugs a slender shoulder and walks out of the tent.

There’s a moment of silence as everyone processes her exit.

She’ll be the first of many, the domino that ends this circus forever.

Unless I can find some way to stop it, some magic words.

I take a deep breath, my chest heavy beneath the weight of their stares. Nadia’s exit has left a gaping hole in our ranks, and I can see the uncertainty rippling through the crowd. I need to act fast before we lose anyone else.

“Listen,” I say, my voice steady despite the tremor in my hands. “I know you’re scared. We all are. But Logan didn’t build this circus by running away when things got tough.”

There’s slow clapping from behind the crowd.

They move aside, revealing Emerson. Wolfgang is with him. Who knows how long they’ve been back there after breaking up the fight. It’s clear they heard some of what I’ve said. The ringmaster’s expression is disdainful.

“Well, well,” he drawls, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Look at our little fortune teller, trying to tell everyone’s fortune at once.”

I straighten my spine, refusing to be cowed. “I’m just trying to—”

“To what?” he cuts me off, striding forward. “To play ringmaster? To take my place? You can have it, sweetheart. It’s yours.”

His words sting, but I force myself to hold my ground. “That’s not what this is about.”

Emerson’s laugh is sharp and humorless. “Oh, isn’t it? You have no idea how Logan built this circus because you weren’t here. You didn’t see the blood, sweat, and tears we poured into it.”

Everyone’s gazes dart between Emerson and me.

“I’m not trying to replace you or Logan or anyone. I’m trying to keep his circus together until he gets out.”

Emerson’s eyes narrow. “And who gave you that right? You’re just a townie who stumbled into our world. You have no authority here.”

Emerson’s eyes blaze with an intensity that makes my breath catch. He steps forward, commanding the space with a presence I can only dream of possessing. He turns to face the crowd, arms spread, revealing the same magnetism that makes him such an effective ringmaster.

“She wants to talk about family,” he begins, his voice low and resonant, yet it carries to every corner of the tent. “What family? She’s not part of this.”

A hush falls over the crowd, drawn in by his charisma. Their focus shifts from me to him, their faith realigning with the man who has led them through countless performances.

“She’s going to drive us into the ground with her half-baked plans and misplaced loyalty.” Emerson paces with a predatory grace. “I, for one, am not sticking around to watch it happen.” He pauses, letting each word sink in. “I suggest you all leave as well.”

I watch, small and insignificant next to his grandeur. His tailored suit moves fluidly with each step, the red and black fabric almost alive under the dim lights.

“And yes,” he says, his eyes locking on to mine for a brief moment before sweeping over the crowd again, “Logan is in trouble. He got himself into trouble. By being in lust for a townie. By being pussy-whipped.”

There’s some grumbling in the crowd, some agreement and some disagreement.

He sweeps his arm dramatically. “Well, Logan may be pussy-whipped but I’m not.”

There’s a murmur of agreement rippling through the crowd, and my heart sinks further. How can I compete with this? His words are like honeyed poison—irresistible yet dangerous.

“Logan doesn’t just own this circus. He is the circus,” Emerson says, his voice swelling with conviction. “Which means it doesn’t exist until he gets out.”

Felix nods, his earlier anger replaced by reluctant agreement.

Even Travis looks swayed, his posture more tense.

My resolve crumbles bit by bit. How can I lead when I can’t even command their attention like he does? Emerson’s eloquence makes me feel like an imposter in my own skin.

He turns back to me, a sly smile playing on his lips. “So tell me, Sienna,” he asks, “do you have Logan hiding in your pockets?”

I swallow hard, the weight of their gazes pressing down on me like a physical force. Words fail me. They stick in my throat like glue.

Emerson waits, one eyebrow raised in mocking curiosity.

The silence stretches unbearably.

In that moment, I realize how outmatched I am. Emerson isn’t just a ringmaster—he’s a maestro of words and emotions, orchestrating our lives with effortless finesse.

I don’t have that kind of power.

And it terrifies me.

“I didn’t think so,” he says, sounding disappointed.

Then he turns in a whirl of graceful male and leaves.

The silence that follows is deafening. I can see the uncertainty on everyone’s faces, the fear and doubt defeating any hope. Emerson’s words have struck a chord. I realize with a sinking heart that I’ve lost them.

I lock eyes with Felix, remembering that he lived on the streets before he joined the circus. “Felix, remember when Logan found you? You were sleeping under a bridge, right? He didn’t just give you a job, he gave you a home.”

Felix’s hostile expression softens slightly, and I press on.

I realize I didn’t need the magic words. It’s not about saying anything. It’s about doing something, and Logan has changed every life here. Including mine.

All I have to do is remind them of that.

“And Cat,” I turn to the young woman who made herself my enemy, who almost got me killed. “I know Logan cares about you. It’s one of the reasons he took over the circus when your mother was in trouble.”

Cat nods, her eyes turning sad.

“Travis,” I say, turning to my old friend. “Logan gave you a chance when our hometown wouldn’t. He saw your talent when everyone else just saw…” I trail off, not wanting to bring up painful memories.

Travis finishes for me, his voice quiet but firm. “When they just saw a queer kid who didn’t fit in.”

A lump forms in my throat. “Logan’s done this for all of us. He’s taken in ex-cons, runaways, misfits. He didn’t just give us jobs. He gave us a family. And now, when he needs us most, are we really going to abandon him?”

The tent falls silent, the weight of my words hanging in the air. I can see the conflict on their faces, the battle between fear and loyalty.

“You’re more than just performers,” I continue, my voice growing stronger. “You’re a family. I might not be one of you, but family doesn’t give up on each other when things get tough. You stick together, you fight together, and you sure as hell don’t let one of your own rot in jail while you run away.”