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Casen's gaze hardens. “Your father would’ve sensed an intruder.”
“But Vince left before being banished,” I counter.
Casen wraps an arm around me, trying to calm my racing heart. “It’s okay. It’s just tickets. Maybe you misplaced them. Let's call Marabella. We'll figure this out, she can log in and print them off again.”
As we make our way to the city, Casen keeps up a steady stream of conversation, telling me about his plans for the future and how he wants to give Casey and me a better life. His words are warm and reassuring, and it's hard not to feel comforted by them.
When we arrive at the school, it's already bustling with people. Meeting Marabella, Temperance, Jonah, and the kids, the weight on my chest starts to ease. The school tour is lovely, and Corina's shining eyes when she gets her award makes it all worth it. The atmosphere is lively, and Casey bounces with excitement at seeing her cousins. It's contagious, and I can't help but smile at her eagerness.
We make small talk with the other parents while keeping an eye on Casey as she runs around with her friends. It feels good to connect with others again, to feel part of something normal.
But as the day wears on, I can't shake off my unease. Vince's presence lingers in my mind like a dark cloud on a sunny day. It's so hard to forget what he's done and what he's capable of.
As we head towards the top oval, a sense of unease washes over me. I can't shake the feeling of eyes on me, watching, waiting. Casen notices my discomfort, squeezing my hand reassuringly. But even amidst the fun of the carnival rides and the laughter of children, I can't escape the feeling that I'm being watched.
When Casey runs ahead to chase Corina, her laughter echoes in the distance, but even that sound can't drown out the unease growing inside me. The rides whirl and spin, colorful lights illuminating happy faces, but in the midst of it all, my world narrows. Every tall, dark-haired man in the crowd becomes a potential threat, a shadow from my past waiting to pounce.
Casen, sensing my tension, whispers, “Everything okay?”
“Just feels … off. Like I'm being watched.” My gaze flickers around nervously, settling on each unfamiliar face, searching for the one I fear most.
He drapes an arm across my shoulders, tugging me closer. “Remember, it's a public place. It would be foolish for Vince to make a scene here.”
Jonah has a balloon in one hand and his daughter's hand in the other as he wrangles her back with Corina. “Everything good?” he asks as he joins us.
Casen nods, not wanting to alarm the others. “Yeah, just soaking it all in.” I smile.
The kids are eager to hop on the rides, so Marabella and Temperance herd them towards the closest merry-go-round. The music, the laughter, the festivities should've been comforting, yet the tight knot in my stomach refuses to loosen.
ChapterEighty-One
Temperance
The atmosphere is intoxicating. Everywhere I turn, a rainbow of colors, sounds, and smells flood my senses. Bright lights dance in the setting sky, illuminating the laughter and joy of children and adults alike. There's so much happening around me that I momentarily forget my unease about being here without Eziah. I feel out of place among his family, an outsider trying to fit in.
I wince slightly as a child screams with glee nearby. The blaring of the carnival is starting to overwhelm me — the clanking of the rides, the chatter of families, the distant hum of music. It's a sensory overload, and my anxiety ratchets up a notch.
Suddenly, a hand thrusts a giant stick of pink fluff into my view. Jonah stands before me, a grin plastered on his face. “Try this!” he exclaims excitedly.
Confused, I look at the fluffy substance. Beside me, Lucas chuckles. Holding up his own.
“It's fairy floss,” he demonstrates by taking a big bite from the side. Following his lead, I hesitantly try a piece. Sweetness explodes in my mouth, making my eyes widen at its sugary taste.
“See?” Lucas says with a smile, and I nod eagerly.
Lucas's enthusiasm is infectious when he reaches out, and tugs on my hand, pulling me towards a towering ride. Lucas tugs at my hand, pointing towards a towering structure in the distance, his eyes wide with excitement.
“Come on! Let's go on that one!” he exclaims, already pulling me towards it. Behind him, Casey's eyes gleam with anticipation.
I raise my gaze to the ferris wheel. Memories rush back — a day out with my father, the world shrinking beneath us, the elation of feeling on top of everything. Though I was so young, the sensation of looking down at the world as if everyone were just tiny ants is hard to forget.
“I think I'd like to try it,” I admit, my voice tinged with excitement. Nova and Shadow both encourage me, excited to feel me excited for once. Jonah, however, shakes his head. “Not me,” he confesses. “I don't do heights.”
Marabella chimes in, “And you won't catch me on that thing, either.”
“I'll go with the kids.” Their shocked expressions make me chuckle. But before I know it, Lucas and Casey are dragging me to the line, their enthusiasm infectious.
From the top of the ferris wheel, the city looks magical. As the ferris wheel moves, I listen to the kids pointing out landmarks and chatting about the view. The euphoria of it all has me grinning ear to ear.
