Strings Of Fate

Chapter 14

"Simple, really. Do you know the conditions in which the spell works?"

"Conditions?"

"Oh dear, maybe you weren't as clever as I thought," Madame shook their head. Terrence tried to ignore the punch in the stomach that felt like. He hadn't cared about the details of the spell, just as long as it worked. "As long as you are tied to the spell, the only way to dispel it is if you are happy being Jaz again."

"So, me returning to being a lion was always a possibility if I'd learnt to accept Jaz and the circus as a good thing," Terrence swallowed, his throat dry. Maybe not going to therapy about all that had entailed was a good thing. Not that he would have been able to talk about much. He would never have broken the code about revealing what the circus was to an outsider. He hadn't even told the old man.

"It is a good thing," Madame warned, voice lowering again. "You being unhappy about your place there is not."

"So the game is what, you let me use the spell again, and if Marquez and the others can get me to transform back naturally, I go with you, and if they can't, you leave me ago?"

"Simply put, yes," Madame nodded, pulling the shard away as Terrence reached for it. "But also not quite. As you pointed out, the devil's in the details, darling. If you play, the game only relates to you and you alone. We will continue to hunt and feed as normal. If you have not transformed back or returned willingly to us by Sunday night, we will take what prey we have found and leave a normal on Monday morning. Or you can choose not to play, and we can all leave tomorrow morning. No one but the souls we have already snagged."

There was one person the implied threat applied to: Daniel. Terrence could play for being human, but the circus would continue to groom Daniel to be spirited away with them. Or Terrence could surrender now. And pray that Daniel wasn't already bundled up at the circus, ready and waiting to go.

"You have to include others in this," Terrence growled, the sensation alien. It had been too long since he'd been in this form.

"When do we not?" Madame laughed, the sound more like their female persona, light and echoing in the cafe. The shadows were moving again. "So what will it be, Terrence? Will you come with us, or will you take a chance?"

There were no guarantees Daniel had not been snagged. If he played the game, Terrence could make sure Daniel was safe on Sunday night. It was a risk, but Terrence was sure Madame would rather him more than Daniel. If the moment came, he could break the game and surrender to save Daniel. If he played the game and succeed in keeping Daniel safe, he'd be human and free was watching his back. At least until the next time the circus came to town.

It was a stupid idea. Almost as stupid as the fact he'd willingly walk into the circus last night. It was going to get him hurt. It might even get Daniel hurt. Yet that glimmer of hope.

"I'll play."

Madame let him have the shard. Swallowing it a second time was almost harder than the first. The pain this time was enough to make him pass out, Sanvish clutching at him the entire time.