Rising Shadows

"So what's the plan now?" Luke asked as Emily's glass disk went dark.

"The same as it was before," she said, tucking the disk away in her bodice. Luke frowned.

"Catarina said she wasn't going to help Percy," he pointed out.

"Oh, she's going to help him. I'll see to that."

Emily scooped up her small bag and marched out of the tent after Catarina, Luke scrambling to follow her. Emily scoured the circus grounds, her ire mounting with each passing minute. She'd get to the bottom of their dispute later, but she didn't believe that anything Percy had done to his cousin warranted her wanting him hanged. Luke was eyeing her warily out of the corner of his eye.

"I've never seen that look on your face before," he said.

"Well you'd best pray you never have to see it again," Emily replied. She found the wagon belonging to Catarina after asking a few of the other performers, and barged in without knocking. Catarina was preening in front of a vanity mirror, taking her dark hair out of its elaborate bun. She jumped and glowered as the door banged against the wall and she saw Emily standing there.

"Go away," Catarina snapped. "I already told you I won't help you."

"Yes you are," Emily said, stalking forward. Catarina started to argue again but stopped when Emily whipped her small electrocution gun out of her sleeve and placed it against the back of Catarina's neck.

"I think it would really be in your best interest to shut up and listen carefully." Emily met Catarina's disbelieving gaze in the mirror with her own fiery one. Behind them, Luke looked completely stunned, his mouth hanging slightly open.

"You are going to help Percy," Emily said slowly. "Whatever bad blood may be between you two is not my concern right now. He's my fiancé and I have no intention of letting him hang. You're his best chance of survival. Do you understand?"

"Then he's in an awful lot of trouble," Catarina said haughtily but her shoulders were tense. She lost some of her coolness when Emily pressed the gun harder to the base of her neck.

"You're going to be the one in a lot of trouble if you don't cooperate," Emily hissed. "Get up."

Catarina didn't budge until Emily jabbed her none too gently with the gun. Then she rose with her teeth clenched. She spun abruptly, hand lashing out toward Emily's wrist. But Emily had expected her to try for the gun so she jerked her wrist out of Catarina's reach and shot her in the leg. A small pin flew out and sent an electrical jolt through the woman's body and she let out a cry of pain. She sank against the back of her chair, her hair standing on end. Emily tried not to snicker at the sight.

"I'm giving you one more chance to come along quietly before I turn up the setting and fry your brain right out of your thick skull," Emily said coolly.

"I can't just leave," Catarina said breathlessly. "MacDuff would never allow it."

"Leave that to me. Take me to him."

Stumbling slightly, Catarina led them out of her wagon. Emily kept the gun lodged against the small of her back in case she tried anything else. They approached another wagon and Emily knocked. The ring master opened the door and blinked blearily at them.

"Yes?" he demanded gruffly.

"Sir, I came to attend your show tonight and as I was leaving your performer tried to pickpocket me!" Emily declared, looking affronted and outraged. Catarina made a choking sound in her throat and Emily poked her slightly with the gun to keep her quiet. The ring master looked flustered.

"I'm terribly sorry, madam!" he said hastily. "I assure you I don't condone my performers trying to rob our customers."

Emily sniffed. "Be that as it may I could have this entire operation of yours shut down."

"Oh please, miss, that won't be necessary." The ring master had taken in Emily's fine clothes and cultured English accent and clearly realized her threats were valid. "I'll take care of this thief myself."

"No, no. I have a better solution. I have a situation that needs resolving, and I could use the assistance of this circus heathen of yours. She will accompany me to London, and she may return to you when her debt to me is paid."

Catarina was glaring daggers at Emily by now, but Emily ignored her. For his part, Luke still seemed completely flabbergasted by the events unfolding before him.

"Well you see, she is my main attraction." The ring master ran a hand over his chin worriedly. "I don't know that we could do with her gone..."

"Surely you can find another act to draw in the crowds," Emily said. "I could always report her to the police instead, but you'd likely never get her back then."

"Take her," he said quickly. "Little Cosette should fit into the costumes by now; she can take Cat's place."

"Cosette!" Catarina spluttered, enraged. Emily gave her a warning look and another jab with the gun.

"You've made a most wise decision, Mr. MacDuff," Emily said. She tossed him a few coins for his trouble. "Oh, and one last thing. If anyone comes sniffing about inquiring about a man named Percival, it would behoove you greatly to say he was in your employ up until about a year ago, taking care of the animals. Otherwise I may change my mind and decide to inform decent people that they shouldn't attend a show full of pick pockets and hooligans."

"Er, yes, of course madam."

"Come along then." Emily shooed an irate Catarina away, leaving the poor ring master looking positively baffled.

"You told him I was a thief!" Catarina said angrily.

"I know what I told him. It could have been avoided of course, if you had agreed to help us in the first place. Now pack what you need, we need to return to London immediately."

"You would be the sort of girl to fall in with Percy," Catarina grumbled, hastily shoving clothes and money into a bag. Feeling pleased and triumphant, Emily stepped outside the wagon and pulled out her glass disk. Percy's face appeared.

"I have good news," Emily trilled. "We're about to set off for London."

"You found a way to clear my name?"

"Catarina had a change of heart," Emily said smugly. "She's coming with us."

Percy looked as stunned as Luke did. "How did you manage that?" he asked.

"I have my ways."

"Your fiancée is bloody terrifying, Percy," Luke muttered. Percy arched an eyebrow while Emily just smiled innocently.