Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

B efore sunset a few days later, Solomon and Cormac finished with the last of the vines. He had a tidy pile of bags full of gemstones in his pocket. Now they walked through the small town and toward the extensive field where the Carnival of Mysteries set up the previous evening.

“I remember Emrys telling me about this carnival. He attended it with his graduate students,” Mac said. “I’m keen to check it out. Nana mentioned something about her and the owner. Not that we wanted to consider it. That’s gross.” He shuddered and wiggled his shoulders.

“I went with Julian. Some students and I introduced him to the carousel. We wanted to visit the tents, but I set him up with an appointment with Madame Persephone. Our time was limited. The food was excellent, some of the best carnie food I ate. We planned on returning to go through the other tents, but…”

“Julian went up in flames.”

“Things went haywire. Didn’t get a chance to return.”

“Perhaps we could do that before we ask for their assistance,” Cormac said.

“That would be nice. I would prefer to speak with Mr. Ame near closing time. Their highflying aerialist act is supposed to be one of the finest. They’re in the biggest tent.”

The enchanting music dominated the general ambience while they crested the last hill and stared upon the carnival stretched out. The sun continued its descent, but the carnival was lit up in an array of colors.

Joining the line, they reached the archway stretched across the path. Painted red and white, ‘Welcome Traveler’ was on the sign. A ticket booth was underneath to sell entry tickets.

At the ticket booth, the man greeted them. “Welcome travelers to the Carnival of Mysteries! Plenty of time to enjoy all the delights. Two tickets?”

“Yes, two, please.” Mac exchanged currency for the two golden tickets with a bright red star stamped on the center.

“These tickets will give you entrance into all the shows. Rides, attractions, and games are priced per rider or player. If you need to leave, the ticket will allow you reentry for the same evening,” the man said. “Enjoy your visit, travelers!”

Cormac handed a ticket over to Solomon.

They passed underneath the archway. Entering the carnival almost felt like stepping back into history. A combination of old world simplicity with a touch of magic and steam.

Solomon enjoyed that old-fashioned part. Holding out his hand, he sensed the flow of the unique and unusual magic that surrounded them.

“The magic…” Mac whispered.

“Unique, but welcoming to those who enter under the arch,” Solomon said.

“I can see why you believe we can enter another realm through this place,” Mac said.

They moved down the midway.

“I hope we can. This magic is unique. Different from our realms. All depends on Mr. Ame helping us.” Solomon pointed out the different areas. “Over there are all the tents with shows. To the right are the rides, attractions, and games. Food is a little further back.”

“Who’s the fella in the middle?”

“That’s the Master of Ceremonies. He explains everything the carnival offers,” Solomon said.

They walked to the edge of the crowd surrounding a man standing on a small platform. The Ringmaster was a tall, slim man. He wore a fabulous tailored jacket, pants, tall boots, and a top hat.

Swirling around, the Ringmaster pointed his cane at the medium yellow tent. “What brilliant carnival would we be without the finest juggler? Master juggler, Parcifal, who can juggle anything you can imagine, often blindfolded, swallow swords, and ride a unicycle. Sometimes it’s all at once. Sometimes there is more, but juggling is only a mere portion. To discover more, you must enter the tent.

“In that medium green tent, you will discover our cleverest act. Our most adored and beloved one is found there. Darius the Wonder Dog will dazzle you with all kinds of tricks. From balancing acts to answering questions. He might even find an object that you lost.” Tapping his cane to making it jump in the air, he spun, caught it, and pointed it to the medium indigo tent.

“Do you like a little heat? A little fire? That indigo tent is the home of Abdullah the Fire Eater. Fascinating and frightening, his show is not for the faint-hearted.

“Dearest travelers, may I point all of your attention to our smallest purple tent? For a private and unique showing for each traveler, you can visit with our dearest lady with an appointment. Madame Persephone can reveal your future or past in a myriad of ways. For her to create this divination, a traveler should cross her palm with a tip.” Removing his hat, he bowed with respect to the purple tent.

“That’s the tent where Julian got his fortune read. Like the rest of this place, there is far more to her than a fortune teller,” Solomon said.

Walking back to the center of the Midway, the Master of Ceremonies motioned toward the main tent. “Last but definitely not the least, all travelers should visit the Big Top tent. Taking place three times a night is The Flying Galliers, a family of acrobats and aerialists. Be sure to witness this amazing event. That is all of our wonderful, dazzling acts of the Carnival of Mysteries. Have fun exploring our carnival and creating your own memories, travelers,” the Master of Ceremonies said. He ended his performance with a deep bow.

“That’s not the same fellow from Nucira. And there’s a tent missing. Looks like there’s been some changes,” Solomon said.

“We should explore everything since we have time.”

“I’ll show you where I got the idea,” Solomon said. “Then we can walk around. We’ll speak with the Master of Ceremonies near closing time. See if the owner is willing to meet with us.”

“Lead the way.”

Moving through the crowds, Solomon led him toward the attractions area.

They discovered the old-fashioned wooden carousel. Mystical animals moved up and down the poles while all ages rode them. Other travelers leaned back on benches while the carousel lazily went around. It was a mix of steam, magnetic, and magic along with the music and lights.

“The animals are different, but this is the carousel I rode with Julian and the students.”

“I wouldn’t mind a lazy spin around an old-fashioned carousel,” Mac said.

“Cuddle up on a bench or hitch a ride?”

“Please. I’m getting a Pegasus and flying.”

Solomon sniggered and promised himself to purchase a pair of tickets for a carousel ride.

A high overhead wheel spun while riders sat in seats that hung down on chains.

“That’ll make me sick,” Mac said.

“Just looking at it makes me dizzy,” Solomon said.

They skirted the area.

Next up were two completely different houses.

The first was a creepy haunted house that was black and gray, shingled, and creaky. Magical touches made it appear covered with mist and low lights that highlighted spider webs with ‘ghost’ figures appearing in windows. The carnival turned the front porch into the ride entrance with curved buggy seats with red velvet cushions.

“Want to cuddle in a buggy with me? A chance for spooky music, dancing ghosts, and all other things that go creepy crawly,” Solomon said while skittering his fingers up Mac’s back.

“Eep!” Mac jumped to the side and smacked Solomon’s hand.

Solomon laughed at the overreaction. “Guess that would be a no.”

“Evil.”

Sniggering, Solomon wrapped his arm around Mac’s waist and tugged him back to his side.

“Would you protect me from the ghosts and creepy crawlies?”

“Of course I would.” Solomon placed his free hand on his heart and fluttered his lashes.

“Evil.”

They walked past the growing line for the haunted house and over to the next one that was the complete and utter opposite. Half of the house was built upside down. The other half tilted at a crazy angle. The entrance was in the middle with everything angled. Instead of buggies, this one was a walk through and you could choose your own path.

“Here we are. This one could be our way out,” Solomon said.

“What? This is a fun house. Twisted paths. Crazy mirrors that change you. And it appears that you go upside down halfway through it. Why would you think about this place?”

Solomon pointed to the sign.

Mac read it aloud. “‘Mirrored rooms, shifting floors, stairs to nowhere. And you might exit into a different realm…’”

“When the carnival was in Nucira, I listened to the students rave about it for months. Half of them ended up somewhere back on campus in the oddest of places. Some appeared on the opposite side of the carnival. A few were sent to Rosemire Village. The rest made it back out the front entrance.”

“You believe that it could bring us straight into Abbethan.”

“I think if we speak with the Master of Ceremonies or the owner, they might help us create a more accurate landing zone. If they agree, I’ll contact Layton for an exact address.”

“If they can’t alter the house?”

“I’ll ask if they know of another way to bypass the standard portals or gates. If there’s no other way, we’ll chance a gate or see if Layton can create one. He’s skilled at them like Tara, but his arcane magic helps hide them.”

“Why not ask him now?”

“I’m putting him at a high risk by spying. He has a family, children, and a husband.”

“And you want to protect him.”

Solomon nodded.

“Then we’ll try the carnie way.”

“We have time before things close up. What would you like to do?”

“Take me for a spin on that lovely carousel. Then I want to stuff myself with carnival treats.”

Laughing, Solomon turned them around. They joined the queue at the carousel. Leaning to the side, Solomon saw the sign for the price and pulled out some currency. “My treat. You got the entrance tickets. I’ll pay for things in here.”

“Aww… Such a gentleman.”

“I would have paid for the entrance tickets, but you beat me.”

“Just stepped up first,” Mac said.

When the queue moved, Solomon handed over the currency and they passed through the gate.

With a little burst of glee, Mac raced around the far side to find the Pegasus. Yipping when he found it empty, he climbed up to claim it.

Laughing, Solomon raced after him and chose the gryphon that had stopped a little higher on the pole. When he was about to reach for the step, he saw two boys trying to climb up on two unicorns.

“Can’t reach,” the smallest one said.

“Hold my gryphon,” Solomon said.

Mac waved him on.

Solomon went over to the boys and crouched down to their height. “Need a lift up?”

The freckled-face cutie turned and smiled big. His two front teeth missing. His brown eyes sparkled under the carousel lights. “Pweese?”

“Not allowed to talk to strangers,” his big brother said in a low voice.

“It’s okay on carousels. Just this one time. Plus, I’m a teacher. A professor. Is that your mama?” Solomon pointed out a lady who was by the fence and resembled both of the boys.

The boys nodded. Then the little one held up his arms.

Solomon waved to their mama and motioned to the boys. She gave him a big thumbs up. After lifting both boys onto the unicorns, he helped them secure the strap around their waists.

“When it stops if it’s too high, call out for some help. I’ll get you both down,” Solomon said. “Wave to mama, the ride is about to begin.”

The boys waved hard to their mama.

Solomon wove around the different mounts. Then he climbed up and swung a leg over. He noticed the sappy look on Mac’s face. “What?”

“You’re such a soft-hearted sweetie.”

“I’m a professor. I can talk to kids,” Solomon said. “Otherwise they would have to choose a bench or wait till the next round.”

“Soft-hearted sweetie,” Mac repeated.

It was the last thing he said because the music increased along with the lights. Then their mounts moved along the poles.

Leaning against the pole, Solomon watched Mac enjoy the ride. Sometimes he checked on the two brothers as they switched between grasping the poles, wagging the reins to ‘race’ their mounts, or wave when they spotted their mama, who waved back from her spot.

It was a simple ride filled with old-fashioned love, memories, and childhood. That’s what a carousel meant to any carnival or seasonal fair.

At the end, they got off their mounts.

Mac patted the neck of his Pegasus. “Too bad we can’t slip in a little magic to make them respond.”

“Might make things a little more interesting.” Solomon checked the boys, who hopped off their lower mounts with ease and raced away.

Leaving the gate, they wound their way through the rides. Then they moved past the other attractions and shops beyond the houses. They both pointed out the variety of options within the booths.

Maid Marion’s Marionettes promised a show that you’d never believe. Along with marionettes that were more than simple puppets on strings.

Though there was a clear sign that there were ‘absolutely no refunds’, Peter Parson’s Plentiful Potions offered up a variety of options. Everything was random. Flavored water. A touch of poison. Some promised to make you fly, turn you into an animal, stretch you out, shrink you small like a mouse, or make you invisible. You could fall in love with the first thing that caught your eye — object, person, or being not guaranteed. You could get high. You could get low. The possibilities are endless. Absolutely no refunds. No matter what.

“Not sure I want to tempt fate with that one,” Mac said.

“Same.”

Then there were all the games with the hawkers calling out all kinds of prizes and odds. Lights flickered. The cacophony of buzzes, rings, and cheers rose around them.

“There was a game in Nucira that captured everyone’s attention. It was one of those fishbowl games where you toss a coin or hoop to try and land in a bowl to win the prize,” Solomon said.

“I sense there was a catch to the game.”

“They were live fish. When someone tossed the ring, you started watching the fish, their eyes, then the rings.”

“Oh no.”

“When a ring was tossed, all the fish eerily turned. Then their beady little black eyes moved. The ring started flinging all over the place, defying gravity and all other rules of motion. Most of the rings never reached a bowl, let alone landed in one.”

“Oh, dear flames. The fish were telekinetic,” Mac surmised.

“Yup.”

Mac cracked up laughing. Solomon had to place a hand to catch a teetering Mac at times. He tried not to laugh too.

Gasping for air, Mac waved a hand. “I so wish I could see that happen.”

Solomon looked around at the carnival. “I don’t see the booth. It was quite prominent.”

“Perhaps the fish caused too many problems.”

“Perhaps.”

They exchanged glances and broke out into laughter again.

Seeing the prizes for one game, Solomon altered their course. “Want me to win a little stuffed Pegasus for you?”

“What?”

Solomon pointed up to the back where stuffed Pegasi stood all in a row in a variety of colors.

“How adorable,” Mac said. “No need. I’m not forgetting tonight. Promise. I’ll keep our main ticket as a memory. You could feed me though.”

“Of course. They had a delicious sausage or beef sandwich. Plus those crazy curly fries with or without cheese and bacon. Lots of fried options. Some others that were a little easier on the belly. All kinds of sweet treats.”

“I’ll try a little bit of everything.”

While moving past the bright lights and sounds of the arcade zone, they came out the other side. In an open area, there were several large tents with a central section filled with picnic tables.

“Looks like we got a beer garden with all the fixings. There’s the general food tent. And over there are all the treats and sweets,” Solomon said.

“General food. I could go for one of those sandwiches and curly fries.”

“Curly fries it is.”

Choosing the center tent, they joined the queue. Placing their order for sandwiches, curly fries with the fixings, and two cups of lemonade, Solomon handed over the currency. After a few minutes, their order appeared. Scooping up their food and cups, they added napkins and straws before finding a pair of empty chairs.

Sitting at the edge, facing each other, Solomon placed the curly fries on an opened napkin. He ordered the shredded beef sandwich while Mac ordered a spiced chicken sausage sandwich.

“Nights like this. A place like this… you could almost believe that everything is normal. This is a date night,” Mac said after a few bites.

“For everyone else, everything is absolutely normal. Outside of a particular group or two, everyday folks have no idea what is going to happen,” Solomon said after using a napkin to catch some wayward cheese. “And this absolutely counts as a date night.”

“Missed it…” Mac swiped at the cheese sauce and licked it off his finger. “Yum. Provolone. Other than mozzarella, it’s one of my favorites.”

“All I need to do is feed you cheese.”

“Sometimes.”

“Will remember that.” Solomon returned to his sandwich. In between bites, he snatched up some cheese and bacon covered curly fries. He glanced around and knew Mac was right.

No one else knew of the lurking battle that could threaten all the lives here.

Win. Lose. Lives were going to change. How the battle ended, well, that would determine the outcome for everyone in the realms.