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On the opposite side of the encampment, Graham and Elinora continued following the Messenger, who was drawing them deeper into an area that was tucked away and hidden from the public eye. The glamour of the big top and entrance to the grounds was absent here in the residence areas of the circus laborers, where the path was sloppy with dried mud, and hay was strewn about in a meager attempt to keep it tolerable. The air was stagnant, and tattered tents were crammed closely together, giving their inhabitants little protection or privacy.
A quiet young girl with pink, dirt-flecked cheeks gazed up at Elinora with wide eyes as she and Graham passed by. Elinora and Graham both felt discourteous wandering through in clean, tailored attire, sensing they stood out amongst the circus workers who were dressed modestly in their well-worn uniforms. There were adults and children alike living there, some of whom Coddlefin had plucked from their homes in Eldmoor or from distant lands, having been lured by hollow promises of a grand life—of fame and wealth. Others had been blackmailed or were indebted to him for various reasons—business loans and gambling debts mostly—and were forced into labor to work it off.
Elinora took off her blue, woolen cape and quietly gave it to the girl.
She remained silent, but she nodded, thanking Elinora.
Elinora slogged forward, tears filling her eyes as she tried to process what they were seeing—the harsh reality and foul living conditions borne from a cold, calculating heart. In that moment, she felt her fear of Coddlefin and his men begin to transform into something much deeper and more complex, and a defiance she had never known she possessed was sparked. She was certainly frightened, but her rising rage toward the cruelty he inflicted on others revealed a profound sense of strength and determination within her.
Graham shook his head. “This is awful. I hope we find Henry quickly. How could we ever leave him—or anyone—behind in this mess?”
She nodded and drew in a deep breath, then moved forward purposefully.
Together they continued following the Messenger, cautiously moving through the patch of woods that surrounded the area.
He soared overhead, then landed on the roof of a very large, red building in the clearing ahead and shook his wings.
“The red barn,” Graham whispered.
“What?” Elinora whispered back, creeping forward.
He pointed to the top of the massive barn. “The sign—up there. It says The Red Barn, Keep Out. Training in Progress.”
She glanced up. “Do you think he’s in there?”
He raised his eyebrows. “The Messenger certainly seemed to know where he was going.” He put his fingers to his lips and looked back at the barn again.
She nodded. There was no one around so they moved out into the open together, approaching cautiously.
But the violent crack of a whip came from inside seconds later, stopping them. It was followed by the chilling trumpet of a horse in distress. “You stupid beast!” they heard a man yell as another snap cut through the air.
Elinora bristled. She looked over at Graham.
He furrowed his brows and looked around again. Then, spotting a door on the side of the building, he motioned for her to follow him. There was a large stack of barrels piled at the entrance and he crouched and tucked himself amongst them, making room for Elinora to squeeze in next to him.
The door was opened a crack, just enough for them to look through.
“I can see everything going on in there,” Graham said, peering through. “They’re definitely training animals here. I can see the horse we heard—boy he’s beautiful—and two tigers, and...Elinora, look.” He moved aside.
Elinora leaned over and peered through the crack. Inside she could see two trainers, one off in the distance at the back corner of the ring working with the tigers, the other in the foreground, red-faced with anger, fighting with the horse. She gritted her teeth—if only she could rush in right then and there and stop him; she knew Tillie would have. Then she looked to the far right and reflexively drew in a deep breath. Not twenty feet from her was a large, beautiful wolfhound. “Henry!” she gasped.
Graham looked up and signaled to the Messenger.
He flapped his wings silently, then bounded into the sky to find and alert Tillie, Jamie, and Lina.
Elinora quickly realized Henry was not being treated like the other animals; he looked well, almost relaxed—not at all in the condition she expected to find him in. He stood beside a young man, who was treating him respectfully and with compassion, unlike what was going on elsewhere in the arena. He carried no whip nor anything with which to prod or discipline; instead, he was using hand signals and verbal commands, and was smiling. Even from a distance, she sensed the boy’s confidence, and his kindness. Her face lit up when she saw who it was. “Gray, look!” she said.
He peered back in. “That’s who we saw on the carousel, isn’t it?”
She nodded, smiling.
“There are too many people inside; we can’t get to him yet. What do you think we should do?”
“Let’s wait a minute and watch, all right?”
Graham nodded. They remained in their hiding spot and kept their eyes on Henry and the young man with him, who of course, was Alister. He and Henry seemed to be very in tune with one another. They watched breathlessly as Henry broke into a run, his powerful legs pounding the ground at top speed. Then, leaping high into the air, he touched his nose to a ball that had been suspended seven feet off the ground. He landed gracefully and shook his body, invigorated by the jump, then returned to Alister’s side.
Elinora smiled again when she saw Alister ruffle his fur lovingly. Henry wagged his tail back.
Meanwhile, some of the other less fortunate animals were receiving a much harsher workout. They could see the horse they had heard in distress earlier. He was a proud and beautiful, but the scars on his back hinted at the treatment he’d suffered at the hands of his trainers. Now and again, when he wasn’t being hit with the switch or cracked with a leather whip, he would let out an angry snort.
“That horse was on the carousel, too,” Elinora whispered.
The horse stomped his foot, which made a dull thud when his hoof hit the earthen floor of the arena. Sawdust clouded the air.
“Alexander! Canter!” the trainer shrieked, whipping him again.
Alexander didn’t budge, refusing to make the circuit around the ring. He trumpeted again, then gave a single sharp kick at the trainer.
“Bloody horse!” the trainer cried out and crumpled to the ground when his hooves connected with his knees.
“Serves him right!” Elinora whispered to Graham.
Another man with a sparse beard barged into the arena gripping a flaming torch in his right hand. He was coaxing a bear cub forward with an iron poker he held in his other hand. “Leopold, you’re a sorry excuse for a trainer. Someone other than fancy britches over there should be able to ride that horse by now,” he said, casting a dark look at Alister. “Alexander is lucky the Boss hasn’t already turned him into horse meat, and you with him. Watch this,” he snapped, picking up a ball.
“Shut up, Byron,” Leopold barked back.
Byron nudged the cub with the poker to make him catch the ball.
But the cub was startled by this and fell backwards onto the ground. He rocked back and forth anxiously, not understanding what was wanted of him.
Byron swiped at him with the torch, causing him to scramble back up onto his hind legs, then he pressed the flame into the bear’s tender front paws.
The cub cried in agony. He remained on his hind legs, crying and growling.
Byron tossed the ball into his outstretched paws. “That’s it, you big, ugly beast,” he chuckled. He turned back to Leopold, laughing. “How about that.” A second later he was on the ground, flat on his stomach. He looked up in confusion.
“Don’t ever let me see you treat any animal like that ever again,” Alister growled as he stood back up, having tackled him.
At that moment Ghant entered with Wildflower. Just as he had done in the wings during the performance, he was using a bull hook to move her. He poked the sharp end of the hook into the tender flesh of her armpit and nudged her forward into the center of the arena. “Get in there!” he yelled.
She made a feeble trunk call of distress to Alister when she saw him.
He jumped up, releasing Byron, and he rushed to her side. “What is wrong with you!” he shouted.
Byron got up and brushed himself off.
“Why is she here, Ghant?” Alister said between clenched teeth. “She should be in her stable where I left her to rest.”
Ghant flashed a gnarly smile and raised the bull hook over her head.
She fell to the ground onto her knees, shrinking in fear, struggling to curl her tiny trunk around herself for protection. But the wound on her trunk was deep and painful, making it difficult to move.
Ghant leered, then smiled. “What will you do to stop me, Alice?”
“Don’t you dare touch her,” Alister said, stepping between them. “You know Mudd’s orders.”
Ghant scoffed, but Henry approached him with his back arched and stood at Alister’s side. Ghant winced, though he still didn’t back down. “No biggie, I just had her in the ring for the show.”
“What did you just say?”
He cocked his head and smiled, raising his voice. “You heard me, I took her into the ring for the show.”
Alister suppressed his urge to fight with Ghant and instead turned his back and knelt beside Wildflower. Henry watched over them. He placed his hand gently on her back then ran it down her side and discovered the cut on her trunk. He touched it, then pulled away when he saw streaks of fresh blood on his hands. His face twisted with rage, a tear forming in his eye when he sensed Wildflower’s pain, but he refused to allow Ghant and the others to see he was upset. “What have you done to her?” he asked steadily.
“I wanted to see what she could do. But she was a flop in the ring—you should have seen it. That worthless little runt still needs a lot of work. You might want to do something about that.” He laughed wickedly.
Elinora and Graham could see that Wildflower was trembling. Graham clenched his jaw. Elinora stood up abruptly, but he put his hand on her shoulder and she lowered back down. “Hang on, I think he’s handling them,” he whispered.
“She isn’t ready for the ring, and you know it,” Alister said tersely to Ghant. “You stay away from her.”
“You need to stop trying to make us look bad,” he hissed, but he stepped back when Henry curled his lips and bared his teeth.
Leopold, however, had witnessed Coddlefin’s reaction to Ghant’s performance in the ring and pulled him aside.
Ghant sneered at Alister, but he backed off and walked away, stepping right in front of Elinora and Graham.
Elinora stifled a gasp when she realized he was one of the hunters who had been in Kellandale Wood. Her eyes narrowed.
“Just let her be,” Alister said coolly. He grabbed the cloth that was draped over his shoulder, and tearing it into thin strips, he fashioned a tourniquet to tie around Wildflower’s wound.
“Oh sure, of course, anything you say, Alice, dear,” Ghant taunted again from a distance.
Alister rose to face him. “Let them all be. They trust me. Let me do it my way. You can take all the credit if you want, I don’t care. I just want them to be left alone. They shouldn’t be treated like this. You see Hector over there; he’s not tormenting his tigers to teach them. You don’t need to, either.”
Hector froze when he heard his name.
“Oh yeah? Hector is weak then,” Byron sputtered, but he quickly closed his mouth and glanced back at Ghant.
Ghant waved his hand in the air to silence him as he pondered Alister’s offer. Even though he didn’t want to agree with anything he said, he knew he was right; clearly, Alister could handle his animals and get them to do what he wanted. He especially liked the idea that Coddlefin would think that he was doing a great job without having to do a thing. He thought perhaps it would get him out of hot water after his failed performance. “Byron, come on, let him at it. We’ve got to go help Hector and Ellis get the dogs from the big top and put them away for the night, anyway,” he finally said.
Byron shuffled his feet in the sawdust.
Ghant walked back over to Alister, pressing his face close. “It’s a deal. But you’d better have these animals doing some top tricks, real fast. And you better be sure to let Mudd and Coddlefin know about the great job I’ve been doing.” He paused. “There’s something fishy about you that I haven’t figured out quite yet. Sooner or later it’ll catch up with you, and mark my words, I’ll be there to make sure your life is miserable when I find out what it is.”
“You heard him. Sooner or later it’s all gonna catch up with you, Alice Jeffries,” Byron echoed.
“You’re filled with original thoughts, aren’t you?” Alister snapped.
“What’s that mean?” Byron asked. He turned to Ghant. “What’s he mean by that?”
They both ignored him.
“Leopold, Nigel, get your animals and head back to the stables,” Ghant barked.
“Right, mate,” Leopold replied.
Alister locked eyes with Ghant. “I’ll take Alexander and the others back to their stables myself.”
“Suit yourself,” he said, spitting on the ground, then he abruptly turned and exited the barn out the front door, along with Byron and Leopold.
Nigel followed with his head down, jaw clenched, glancing back at Alister with a mix of smoldering frustration and sadness on his face.
Alister nodded to him as he passed by, acknowledging this. Then Alister sighed loudly. “Come over here, guys,” he said standing up. The bear cub, the tigers, and Alexander came to his side.
Elinora and Graham watched silently as Alister patted each of them and checked them for injuries, then walked over to the side of the barn and out through a back exit. They could hear a spigot being pumped, and then he returned with a bucket and two new rags.
He approached the bear cub and reached for his paw. “That’s it, easy there, Caelus,” he said dipping the cloths into the bucket and putting the cool rag on it. He turned to Wildflower and placed the other cloth on her back. “I should have never left you alone. I thought it would be all right to let you get some sleep for a moment, but I won’t leave your side ever again. I’m going to keep even closer watch on all of you now; I won’t let them hurt you anymore. Meanwhile, we’re all going to find a way out of here sooner or later, aren’t we Henry?”
Elinora listened to the sound of Alister’s voice, gentle and reassuring. She closed her eyes and tears ran down her cheeks. “Oh, Henry,” she said quietly.
Henry was standing beside Wildflower when he suddenly turned and looked to the side door. He pricked up his ears.
“Who’s there? Show yourself!” Alister demanded, turning to face the door. But he felt Henry’s demeanor shift—he was suddenly relaxed and not afraid, and even seemed happy. Curious, Alister waited for a reply from whoever might be outside.
Elinora, trusting him instinctively, took a risk and pushed the door open. She slipped through, revealing herself and Graham.
Henry recognized them immediately. He bounded over to greet them, his tail wagging frantically.
“Elinora!” Alister called out, grinning when he saw her. He stood up.
She looked over to him, surprised by his familiarity. “How do you know who I am?” she asked, then looked at Henry. “But of course. Henry, I’ve missed you so much!” She threw her arms around his neck and burrowed her head into his shoulder. He turned and licked her cheek.
Graham stepped forward. “Hello,” he said to Alister.
“Hello, Graham. Henry has told me all about you,” he replied, coming over to greet him. He shook his hand. “He’s told me about all of you,” he said looking back at Elinora with a warm smile.
Elinora felt a bit of a jolt when their eyes met and an unexpected wave of familiarity washed over both of them. She composed herself and smiled back. “I see you can understand Henry, too?”
Graham cracked a smile. “I’m not surprised. Henry trusts you, and I can see why. Thank you. He’s really lucky to have you.” He gave Henry a ruffle on the head.
“Yes, thank you—Alice, is it?” Elinora asked.
Alister laughed. “It’s Alister, actually. Alister Jeff...Alister. It’s Alister Pedronyn,” he said firmly, shedding the surname he had inherited from Garibaldi and Rodene and reclaiming his parent’s last name. He stepped closer and put his hand out for her to shake. She took his hand and he felt his cheeks flush slightly.
Henry communicated to Elinora and Graham the tale of how he and Alister had come to meet. Alister’s story also passed to Elinora and Graham in a flash.
“Thank you for helping Henry,” Elinora said to him. “And I’m sorry, it sounds like you were living with some not so nice people.”
He nodded. “Yes. It’s all right now, and Henry and I have been a good team.”
“You have probably guessed that we’ve come to bring him back home,” Elinora replied. “Henry, we want to take your family back with us, too, if we can get to them in time.” She looked at Alister. “We saw them in the ring. Do you think it’s possible?” She had hoped Henry would be relieved to hear this, but she felt panic rushing through him.
Alister paused a moment and sighed. “Henry is beautiful and magnificent, not to mention he’s extremely intelligent. Mudd, the man who brought us here, recognized this and now he’s Coddlefin’s prize, which unfortunately complicates things greatly. They keep close watch on him; Coddlefin would know if he went missing in a heartbeat.”
Elinora and Graham looked at each other when they heard the name Mudd.
“Coddlefin only sees money and fame—he thrives on adoration. Henry, he believes, is a way to all of that. He wants him trained to be the star of the show. If you try to take him back with you, Coddlefin will go to great lengths and do terrible things to stop you.”
Elinora looked down.
“I’m sorry, Elinora,” Alister said quietly.
Henry’s thoughts washed over them again. He was overjoyed to see Elinora and Graham and wanted nothing more than to go home with them. But he couldn’t leave—not now, not without his family, not without Wildflower or the other animals, and not without Alister.
“This is not a kind place. But I’m here, and with Henry at my side I can communicate with all the animals. They’re able to learn tricks quickly, which will help keep Coddlefin satisfied, and them safe for the time being. Eventually we can work out how to get away, when the time is right,” Alister reassured her.
“I do think we could figure out a way to get him out of here quickly, right now,” Graham replied.
“Please, Alister,” Elinora pleaded. “You can come to Kellandale with us, too. You would have a safe place to stay.” But she looked at Wildflower, Alexander, Caelus, and the two tigers, Jazz and Tango; she thought of the people she had seen, and she understood Henry’s dilemma.
“First of all, it will take more than just the three of us to pull anything off,” he answered.
“There are six of us; Tillie, Jamie, and Lina are also here,” Graham said hopefully. “They went looking for Henry on the other side of the grounds, behind the fence. We have the Messenger with us, too.”
“Oh no, they’re headed into Coddlefin’s compound? They’ll be discovered immediately. He has people watching—always. He’s not anyone you’d ever want to be caught double crossing.”
They were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. “Alice Jeffries!” Ghant’s voice echoed from outside the arena.
“Quick, hide,” Alister said to Graham and Elinora. They slipped out the door and crouched behind the barrels again.
“Hey, boy! All hands on deck!” Ghant yelled again as he entered. “Three runts were just seen nosing around Coddlefin’s tent. I’m gonna go take care of them myself. Leopold is searching for Coddlefin to tell him. You might want to help him out, Alice.” He rubbed his hands in excitement.
“I’m right behind you. I’ll take Henry and the others to their stalls first,” Alister said, feigning concern.
This seemed to satisfy Ghant, who rushed off to the tent.
Elinora and Graham stepped back into the arena.
“You need to go help them,” Alister said quickly. “If you take the shortcut, there’s a good chance you will get to them before Ghant does. If you do, get them out of here as fast as you can, and don’t worry about us; Henry and I will figure out how to get out of here later.” He reached for Alexander’s halter. “But if they get caught before you arrive, don’t panic. Stay put, and stay out of sight. I will be right behind you, and I can diffuse Coddlefin. First, I have to take these guys to the stable. I’ll have Henry and Alexander watch over Wildflower while I’m gone. She needs to rest and heal.”
Elinora and Graham nodded.
“I’ll see you there. Cut back through the woods. Look for the big red tent—it’s hard to miss. And be careful, all right?” he said quickly rushing to the door.
Henry followed but turned back to look at Elinora and Graham, his eyes filled with grief.
“Henry, we love you. We will come back for you,” Elinora called out.
His ears drooped and he wagged his tail, then he turned and followed Alister out of the Red Barn.
Graham put his hand on Elinora’s shoulder. “Alister’s right. We’ve got to help them. We’ll come back for Henry and the others soon; at least we know they’re in good hands for the moment.”
“Oh, Gray, what will they do to them?”
He took her hand. “Come on, we just need to get to them first before they can do anything at all,” he said as they ran.
Moments later, Coddlefin’s velvet tent came into view. They made a mad dash toward it, but Ghant appeared from around the corner and approached the tent from the other side. They quickly ducked down to hide behind a stand of tall grasses outside the tent.
Elinora kept her eyes fixed, listening and waiting. She looked at Graham anxiously.
“We’ve got to trust Alister,” he said. “But we’ve also got to be ready to do something fast to help them if he doesn’t get here very soon.”