Adammair Walker

Past midnight, paper collected in piles like fallen leaves around the table in the Salon.

Who knew that a carnival would require so much planning?

Adam went over his list, knowing it was woefully far from complete.

A packhorse full of meat for the wyrm (just leave the horse, the handler said).
Banners and barriers, seats and tables
Wax for the bearded lady’s moustache
A bed for Aylena, the enchanted maiden
Liniment for Jackal the acrobat
Food and drink for all the other performers and beasts
A stage that might be erected anywhere

There were letters to be written, permits to be obtained, travel arrangements that must be made.

With the wyrm and its handler aboard, Adam worried less about the carnival’s security. Anyone stepping out of line or harassing any of the fair’s beautiful ladies might be fed to the beast without regret.

But Adam was becoming acutely aware there might be other help needed – someone to make arrangements with prospective cities, to coordinate arrivals and departures. He even needed someone to do maintenance at the carnival itself, to ensure that screens remained standing and signs were not torn down.

It was all quite overwhelming.

He closed his eyes and reached for the warm, bright spirit that had come to him when Cherry healed him, the Elder Arcana that called itself Summer.

But the spirit had faded, leaving only the season, and the mysterious woman who called herself by the season’s name, the mistress of the carnival, and the object of his fascination.

Alraune came downstairs and into the Salon, her eyes misty with sleep. She laid a hand on Adam’s shoulder.

Save for a collar of red leather, she wore only her own beauty and Adam’s breath caught in his throat, worry a momentary ghost there for the dream she had told him about, a dream that promised slavery and shame in the service of the Arcana, but then worry fled before Alraune’s silent insistence on his full attention.

She pulled him to the rug, scattering the discarded scraps of paper that would rule his morrow.

Surrendering entirely to pleasure, Adam embraced the shadows and dreamed of summer skies.

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