The wave of relief and joy Lion Boy expected didn’t come, no matter how many times he repeated to himself he was free.
Instead, sheer, undiluted fear overwhelmed him. His muscles trembled against his will. The world spun. His vision darkened, and a choking sensation gripped his throat. Breathing brought fire to his lungs. The walls closed in on him. London was so big…the streets would swallow him. He couldn’t do this.
He tried to open the cab door although he wouldn’t know why. But he had to leave. To run away so he would not get caught again.
“What are you doing?” She shut the door with a snap. “You’ll get hurt.”
His breath came out in quick pants. He thumped the seat and the walls.
“What is going on there?” the driver asked, slowing down the horses.
“Nothing,” Dobkins said. “An argument. Please do go on.”
Lion Boy reached out for the knob again, but the captain yanked his arm back.
“Please stop it. You’ll get us caught.” Vivienne’s face filled his field of vision.
He hissed, desperate to shout his fear. His throat hurt with the effort as he thrashed about on the seat.
“Lad, calm down.” Captain Jackson trapped him into a steely hug. “Take deep breaths, close your eyes, and stop moving. You’ll get all of us into big trouble unless you stay calm.”
He struggled to get free, but the captain didn’t loosen his grip.
“Please.” Vivienne searched his eyes. “We’re all in danger.”
“Breathe.” Captain Jackson held him tightly. “Close your eyes and breathe.”
He did as told, but try as he might, breathing didn’t help. The captain gripped him like vines, crushing him. He fought against the captain as panic overwhelmed him again.
“Sorry, lad, but if you leave now, you’re going to get hurt, or worse, caught.”
“You’re safe with us,” Vivienne said. “We don’t want to exploit you as Cade did. You aren’t going to pass from one master to another. We really want to help you. We care about you.”
She’d misunderstood his emotions, and to be honest, he hadn’t even thought about the possibility they wanted to use him. He wasn’t even sure where the panic came from. But her voice calmed his erratic pulse a little.
Dobkins sat horrified in a corner. “What have we done? We’re making his situation worse.”
“He’s frightened. That’s all,” Vivienne said.
“Calm down.” The captain blocked Lion Boy’s arms. “I don’t want to knock you out, but I will if you don’t give me a choice.”
“Tonight, you aren’t going to sleep in a cage or with a shackle on your ankle,” Vivienne said.
As Captain Jackson kept holding him and Vivienne talked to him, he could breathe a little better.
“Keep talking to him,” the captain said. “I think it helps.”
Vivienne inched closer to him. “You’re going to stay with the captain for a while. He’s an army surgeon with a lot of experience, and he’ll keep you safe until the police stop looking for you. But you must stay hidden in the captain’s flat. I’ll visit you. You won’t be alone. Just a bit more patience. The captain’s flat will be a nice change from your cage. The circus will have to leave London sooner or later.”
He regarded her from under the rim of the hat, fascinated by how confident she sounded. The way she’d explained the situation made everything seem so simple and easy.
“We’ll cut your hair and beard and give you new clothes,” she said. “After the circus leaves London, you’ll be able to go out. I know I’m not giving you a lovely future for the next few weeks, but this sacrifice will be worth it. I’ll keep you company as much as I can. We’ll work together, and you’ll be safe and free forever.”
He stopped shivering, and his breathing evened.
“I’ll be there with you along the way.” She sounded serious.
The captain slowly released him. “Breathe, all right? We’re nearly there.”
