Page 137 of Galaxy Circus Act One

“I’ll assist him.” Caspian’s eyes glow, and I can see his beast peeking out, his voice becoming more guttural. Heaven help whoever it was, because these two don’t look inclined to be forgiving. Normally I’d try to dampen their casual killer instincts, but today I’m just going to turn a blind eye.

“Thank you, that would be most helpful.” Eric can’t even hide his grin of glee at the thought of them finding the culprits and enacting their punishment.

The four of them leave, and my machines run another scan of John’s body. Lighting up a panel on the wall, I watch the progress of the toxin in his bloodstream. It’s almost parasitic in nature in that it spreads through the blood but attaches itself to various organs and feeds. I have never seen anything quite like it before, and my concern is that it is not a natural poison but something that has been synthesized in a lab. It almost attacks like it has intelligence. It feeds from something long enough to cause pain, but then it allows that part of the body to rest and recover while it moves on to another part. That’s why Johngrabbed his chest. The poison was attacking his heart for the moment, but it has moved onto his lungs now, leaving his heart to recover once more.

There’s just something about this that seems familiar, but I can’t put a name to it. I’m hoping the head healer at Celestia can help me, and if not, I may appeal to one of the queens. I know one of them has immense healing powers, but after the loss of their child, she fell into a great despair. I just hope she isn’t too far gone, because healing powers may be John’s only hope.

Ilose track of time while I sit there monitoring John. I have my tablet open with a reference book that has every toxic substance known to the galaxy and whether there is a possible cure or not. That’s not to say there aren’t more undocumented ones, and I’m coming to the conclusion that’s exactly what this is. Just when I think I find something similar, there’s always something that doesn’t match up.

I’m reluctant to leave, but I receive a message from Xavier asking me to meet him at the security office. After setting the monitors to send updates and alerts to my watch, I make my way to the security room. That’s where all the camera feeds are monitored and recorded. He wouldn’t have asked me to leave John’s side if it wasn’t something vital to discovering what happened to Saxon.

When I get there, I find Cas and Xavier in deep conversation with Terrans, the Skarrian head of security. I take a seat and wait for them to finish their conversation.

“So what have you found?” I ask with anticipation as Terrans pulls up some video footage on a few of the screens.

Xavier scoffs, slamming a fist down on the table. “I swear that my harem members’ brains must have been damaged at some stage in their pathetic existence. For them to think that they could hide any of this from me is laughable, though I do have to admit that I think two of them have leveled up from feeding from me. I didn’t think either of them had the power to muddle the minds that have been messed with already.”

He waves a hand at the screen, and we watch as three females leave a room. “Those three should not be down here. They have been banished to their quarters on the big ship. I’m afraid I have been slightly distracted with Lila. I never thought they would disobey my direct orders, so I never spelled them to their rooms.” His tone is regretful, even though his jaw is still clenched tightly with barely contained anger. He isn’t shrouded with mist, and Terrans keeps side-eyeing him. It is unusual for Xavier to appear without it in front of the crew, and I don’t think Terrans knows what to make of it.

They make their way through the circus pod until they get to the loading dock that houses the dinosaur cage for when they are transported for the show. There, they meet up with Phillip and Fiona and another figure that makes me gasp in surprise.

“That’s Josa! He was supposed to return to Cybertronia on the transport that brought Silac and Tirrian.” I watch as the six of them huddle together, smart enough to speak quietly and hide their mouths so we can’t actually hear or read their conversation.

“Can we make that louder?” Caspian asks Terrans, pointing at the whispered conversation.

Terrans shakes his head. “No, I’ve tried to, and it just distorts. It’s almost as if there is a spell in play.”

“There might be.” Xavier shrugs. “Again, not something I thought either Nambra or Lexus could do, and Elyan is powerless, so she’s definitely not capable.”

“What about Phillip or Fiona? Do either of them have those kinds of powers?” Cas muses. We know the siblings are sneaky in their own way, but I hadn’t even considered the possibility that they could be the culprits trying to sabotage the circus.

“Who knows? I don’t actually know much about them except that they are the Adams brothers’ wife’s sister’s grandchildren. They are supposed to have animal powers, which is why they are working with the dinos, but they certainly didn’t display or use them the other day when Htaed went crazy in the ring,” I point out, and Xavier snorts in disgust again.

“Clearly,” he deadpans.

We watch as the group finishes their huddled conversation. Phillip and Fiona leave the camera view, and Terrans presses a few buttons. We follow their progress to the teleporting room and watch as they teleport back to the big ship.

“You’ll need to access the camera files on the big ship to find out where they went next. Once you arrive, speak to my brother Ferron. He will be able to do what I just did,” Terrans explains to Xavier. “I can’t access the footage from here just in case anyone human actually finds their way into this room. Security protocol.”

“I’ll be going there next. I want to have all my farlucks in a row to present my findings to William and Eric.”

Terrans returns to the loading dock, and we follow the warlock girls and Josa’s path through the circus pod. Finally, the direction they are headed in is obvious as they make it to the medical wing. I freeze and watch in horror as Nambra and Lexus hold hands and manage to override my security wards.

“Remind me to fix that for you so it will never happen again,” Xavier says through gritted teeth as he leans forward. I knowhe’s not mad at me but at the situation. Even if that may be the case, a sense of guilt washes over me because the security I have is weak. I’ve never really needed it in the past. There has never been a situation like this since I’ve been with the circus.

The camera shot switches again, showing the security footage inside the room. Nambra and Lexus stand back against the wall, exchanging frightened glances as Elyan and Josa step up to the sedated Vilaxian. With my wards now broken, Josa pushes a few buttons on the medical screen, overriding my commands and taking control of the programs.

“I’m just going to reduce his sedation. I would stand back, though, because when he comes out, he could be feral,” Josa warns Elyan, their voices not hidden this time. Maybe the Adams twins were responsible for the sound distortion when they were huddled together after all.

She huffs and rolls her eyes but moves backward. “As long as he kills that bitch during their bonding, I don’t fucking care.”

“How did any of them know about Saxon and Lila? It was supposed to be kept quiet. The Adams brothers asked the Vilaxians to keep it to themselves for now,” Cas muses as we watch Josa reduce the sedation and Saxon’s eyes snap open. It doesn’t take long for him to recover, and he roars his fury, ripping himself from the restraints keeping him on the bed before tearing the fluid lines from his veins.

“Well, they didn’t,” Terrans states matter-of-factly. “Radella and Estrella have been denying it to anyone who will listen. It’s all anyone has talked about for days in the dining room. None of you have been there though. They are even placing bets on how long she survives the bonding.”

The three of us exchange a glance, and I can see the two of them are as annoyed as I am. Xavier shrouds himself in shadows, and Terrans shudders, flinching back in fear. I think he’d temporarily forgotten whom he was talking to. Xavierwaves a hand in his direction, and his eyes glaze over slightly. I’m sure Xavier is making him forget what he looks like. When they clear again, he shrinks back when he realizes who is in the room with him.

“I think it’s time I reminded everyone who I am, what I’m capable of, and that Lila falls under my protection. We will worry about the twins later. For now, I have three warlocks to punish. Care to join me?” He directs the question at the kraken and me.