I stand there panting in the half-light, imagining lazily kissing Ryah, her naked body held tight against mine. That was wildly inappropriate. I should probably go do something constructive.
It’s just after four and nearly dark when I’m passing by the campfire and hear something that makes me stop dead.
“I mean, Ryah’s pretty and all, but I’m too young for her, you know? Heard her father was giving it to her real good before she got here. Fucked her right up.”
A sick feeling plunges through me. No. It can’t be true. Anything but that. I turn and seek out the speaker in the half-light.
It’s Tanno. Rage detonates through me as I listen to more filth spilling from his mouth.
“No wonder she’s always hanging around Cale like jailbait.”
Tanno’s companion sees me coming before Tanno does, and something in my face makes him turn pale and back off. Tanno’s too busy enjoying himself to notice me bearing down on him.
“Got a taste for old man. Once they’re fucked up like that they’re useless to the rest of us.”
Tanno turns around the split second before I reach him. His eyes go wide and he opens his mouth, but whatever he was going to say is lost as I raise my fist and sink it into his face.
Chapter Fifteen
Ryah
I don’t notice that anything is wrong until Jareth starts rearing and plunging. He’s straining at his tether, trying to get to the campfire.
“Jareth, calm down, what’s wrong?” I try to soothe him, but he won’t be placated.
Then I realize why. It’s Cale. Something’s happening to Cale.
I push my way out from among the horses and stare around the camp. Everyone’s on their feet and there’s some sort of commotion over by the campfire. Someone swings a punch at Cale, but misses.
I rush forward without thinking. Before I can reach them, a hand grips my arm. It’s Anouk.
> “Best stay out of it. Cale’s dealing with it.”
We stand together, gripping each other’s hands and staring at Cale and the man who’s trying to hit him. It’s Tanno, and his lip is bloodied. I’ve never seen Cale so angry before.
“Get the fuck out.”
Tanno is half-indignant, half-laughing. “What the fuck? What the fucking fuck, man? You on one of your power trips again?” Tanno looks around at the others, as if to say, can you believe this guy?
No one laughs with him. Cale looks steely and terrifying, and I don’t know how anyone could laugh in the face of that.
“Take your gear. Take your costume. Take your wages—” Cale reaches into jacket for his billfold and throws some notes at Tanno’s feet “—and get the fuck out of my sight.”
“What’s going on?” I whisper to Anouk, huddling against her for comfort in the midst of all this turmoil.
“I don’t know,” she whispers back. “I was inside the wagon. Tanno said something, and now Cale is throwing him out of the circus.”
Gorran steps up behind Cale and folds his arms, glowering at Tanno.
Tanno looks between the two men, and the smile drops from his face. “Fuck you, I’m not going anywhere. Fight me like a man, or are you too chicken?” Tanno swings a punch at Cale, who jerks to the side. Tanno goes crashing into the mud.
Cale reaches down and grasps Tanno by the scruff of his coat and starts dragging him away, his face like murder.
Tanno flails wildly. “You asshole. You fucking petty dictator!”
When they reach the roadside, Cale drags Tanno up, holds him by the lapels and says something to him. We’re too far away to make out the words, but Tanno’s face slackens with shock. Cale lets him go with a shove, and Tanno goes stumbling into the road.
Gorran appears at Cale’s side and drops a backpack at Tanno’s feet. Tanno’s things, I’m guessing.