"What? Are you crazy?" I pushed past Pearl to get to them but before I could reach them, she grabbed me with a strength I never would have imagined from a woman her age. For a moment, I saw her face change, revealing pale blue skin and red eyes, then it went back to normal.
The pieces were coming into view. If they were decades old Sayges with the power they were stealing from other magical creatures, they should be able to do the curse themselves. Something didn't add up. "What are you?"
Pearl smiled, showing jagged teeth. "You're perceptive. Much more so than that mother of yours."
The two women stood in front of me with matching sinister smiles and their faces melted away, revealing pale blue flesh that extended into a beak, pointed ears, and ruby irises that stared down at me. Bat wings stretched out behind them, then tucked in behind their backs. Their fingers were replaced by curled claws that looked like they would tear right through your flesh.
My eyes widened and I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out. My whole body tensed, paralyzed with fear. I'd seen a lot since joining the Rose Circus, but never had I seen creatures like this.
Mercy wrapped long blue fingers with curled claws around my neck and moved in closer to me. Nose to nose, I stared into those red eyes. My pulse raced. These were the creatures I'd seen in the book. These were the Evils.
"You're going to re-curse that Circus, then, you're going to open the gate. We've been banished here for far too long." She turned to look at Pearl. "It's time to go home."
"And if I refuse?" I said.
"Then we let these two die while we hunt for your brother and kill every member of the Rose Circus one by one while you watch."
I could tell she was telling the truth. Whatever an Evil was, I had a feeling it was capable of killing the people I cared about. There was no way I was going to help them, but right now, I had no idea how to stop them. I needed to buy myself more time. "I don't know how to curse the Circus."
"You better figure it out soon," Pearl said, pointing behind her at Joe and Kay.
Chapter 33
"I need Tristan," I said, knowing they'd never agree to let me see Brenon or Evangeline.
The Evils looked at each other, then back to me. "Why?"
"I'm still new to this, and I don't know how to channel the Dark Fae magic I have. He'll help me."
"Tristan was helping the Circus," Pearl said.
"Only because he wanted some land in exchange. He's only loyal to himself. You know that."
They were silent for a moment. Then, finally, Mercy gave me a little shove. "Fine, but only Tristan. If you try to involve that Ringmaster, we start killing people."
Not waiting for them to change their mind, I took the steps two at a time to get out of the dark and creepy basement, beelining it for the front door.
To my surprise, Brenon, Evangeline, and Tristan were still standing in front of the house. They hadn't even tried to hide.
At the sight of me at the doorway, all three of them ran to the base of the stairs.
"Stop." I held my hand out in front of me. "Just Tristan."
I looked over at Brenon nodded at him. "It's going to be okay."
He took a few steps back and inclined his head.
Tristan looked over at the others before walking up the steps. "What's this all about?"
I closed the door behind us, not wanting Brenon or Evangeline to hear what I was going to say. The last thing I needed was for them to do something that might get them killed. "The twins aren't Sayges."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Hello, Tristan, been a long time," Mercy said.
Tristan's whole body tensed when he saw the Evils in their true form. "How did you get out? You were trapped."
"That doesn't matter right now. You help us, and we'll all be back home. We'll have eternity to discuss how we've wronged each other."
"Why would I help you?" Tristan's words came out like a growl.
"Your child is the one who volunteered you. She seems to think you can be bought." The Evils both laughed. "How's that for irony?"
"They should never have let you into the Dark Realm," Tristan said.
"Tick-tock, Ara," Pearl said.
Tristan opened his mouth to say something, but I put my hand on his arm, and he turned to look at me.
"Please, I need your help." Turning from Tristan, I looked at the Evils. "Can we have a few minutes alone?"
"Take all the time you need," Pearl said. "It's not my friend's lives on the line."
As soon as the two of them left the room, I dragged Tristan to the love seat and pulled him down. "I need your help."
"Why did you involve me with this? What are you thinking? Letting them in without Terra or Brenon to keep them in check is worse than death," he said.
I lowered my voice, hoping the creatures couldn't hear me, "Tell me what would happen if I opened the gate."
"If everyone is cursed again, those things will head right for the Dark Realm, where they'll find my family - our family, and wreak havoc on a level you can't even imagine." He shook his head.
"No, you misunderstand. What would happen if I opened the gate without casting the curse?"
Tristan's lips curled into a sly smile. "Then you'd see true power."
"Would it be enough to defeat them?" I asked.
"You get any of the High Fae or me through that gate, the Evils won't know what hit them." He leaned in closer to me. "You sure you're willing to do this? You have to use blood magic."
"Is there any other way?" I asked.
Tristan was quiet for a moment, then he reached down and lifted his pant leg. Strapped to his calf was a small dagger with a black sheath covering the blade. He handed it to me. "We'll need to make it look good. They'll be expecting a show."
He pulled the sheath off of the blade. "Fae Iron. It'll hurt like hell, and you'll probably be passed out for a few hours, but they'll buy it."
Carefully, he slid the sheath back over the blade, then held it out for me.
Swallowing against the lump in my throat, I took the blade. "Let's do this."
Tristan followed me to the kitchen, where we found the Evils sitting at the table sipping coffee. It was a disturbing sight that might be enough to kick my coffee addiction.
"Ready?" Mercy asked.
"We need to do it at the gate," I said.
She narrowed her eyes and looked from me to Tristan.
"She has to channel both realms. It'll be stronger there," Tristan said.
I held up the dagger. "And I have to use blood magic."
"Fae Iron?" Pearl asked, straightening in her chair.
I nodded. "But I have a condition before I do this."
"You're not in the position to barter," Mercy said.
"If I have to poison myself with iron, I think I deserve something in return," I said, staring at Mercy.
She lifted an eyebrow. "Which is?"
"You save my aunt and Joe after I re-curse everyone. I don't know how long it will take me to recover from the iron. I don't want them to die because you're waiting for me to heal. You don't have to let them go, just don't let them die."
Mercy took another sip of her coffee, then set the cup down. "Fine."
I'd never been in the backyard at my aunt's house. The neat, green lawn stretched out behind the house before it was met by tall, untamed yellow grass.