I kept all the money I earned now, which was more than I had thought it was when Elina was taking it. This was offset by the unbridled joy of having Vrack visiting my tent every night, usually drunk, wanting to tell me how lonely he was. I got into the habit of leaving early, and abandoning my tent for my caravan, where I would lock the door and hope he would never come near me again.
That summer, I could feel change coming like some people say they can smell a storm. I told Erik, who I saw much less frequently now thanks to Vrack, and he asked me to see for him again. I obeyed, but there was only darkness, and the sound of a woman singing.
I shook my head in annoyance and tried to concentrate.
"What? What can you see?"
"Ugh, I can't concentrate with that singing going on."
"What singing? I can't hear any."
He was right. The camp was silent. I shrugged, and supposed I had imagined it.
I must confess I had not thought much about our escape plan, but it was mere weeks before the opportunity arose. It was decided, by the elders of the camp - a sort of council I suppose - to leave the small villages and towns through which we had always travelled, and to try our luck in the capital. We were on the outskirts of Reims then, a town perhaps ninety miles to the west of Paris, so it was not a quick journey. We didn't even stop in the villages along the way, but just continued on and on from dawn until after dusk when the horses were too tired to drag the caravans any further. I did not see Erik, did not even know where he was, I just kept myself to myself.
It was a Sunday when we reached Paris, and the sun was setting causing the sky over the city to turn a strange red. It looked like a city damned. We set up camp in the Bois, ate a quick meal, and retired to bed. Well, the women and children did, the men stayed up for hours pitching the tents and setting up the 'attractions'. I heard them long into the night, and did not fall asleep until the birds had begun to sing.
The next morning, there were already visitors to the camp - well, the 'fairground' part of it where the attractions were set up. I had never seen people come to see us before the evening before, but then these were people who actually had leisure time, and not the peasants that I was used to entertaining.
I worked all day. My gift was heightened, and I saw something in almost every hand I held. All the evils of the world were there, far more so than in any farmer's hand. Murder, robbery, rape, adultery - I laugh now to think how my fourteen-year-old self judged this last evil. Everyone that faced me across my rickety table, watching me pretend to gaze into my crystal ball, read their palm, or tell their cards - as if I need any of that - seemed vile and hideous to me.
I must have sat in that tent for fifteen hours, with barely time to eat. By midnight, I was exhausted, physically and mentally. When I finally, finally got up to leave, Vrack appeared in what I suppose I must call my doorway.
"Good evening, little Sibyl, and how are you?"
He was drunk, and more than drunk. As he came forward into the tent, the light from my solitary candle caught his face. Tonight, he did not intend I should escape him.
"I don't see you so much anymore," he slurred as he stumbled forwards.
"I was just leaving. Goodnight." I tried to get past him, but he blocked my way.
"No no no, little Sibyl," he growled, backing me up against my little table. "I think you should stay here. I think you should be a little more friendly."
He reached out and ran his hand over my cheek. I tried to suppress my revulsion and not let my disgust and hatred appear on my face.
"We used to be such good friends" he chuckled, "I think we should get…reacquainted."
He made a grab for me, and I clutched at the first weapon that came to hand. As hard as I could, I hit him over the head with my crystal ball. He staggered, so I hit him again. He fell to the floor, unconscious. I would never have been able to best him if he hadn't been drunk.
I started to run, but then it occurred to me that this could be the opportunity Erik and I had waited for. I crouched over the prone Vrack, and unhooked his ring of keys from his belt. Then I ran.
I ran all the way to the tent in which Erik was caged. It took me longer than I expected as I did not yet know which one it was, but when I finally found him he was utterly asleep.
"Erik! Erik! Wake up! We're going to get out!" I hissed frantically, poking him through the bars of his cage.
He woke slowly, while I began the tiresome process of discovering which key unlocked the door to his cage. I was lucky, and it was the third key I tried. I threw the key ring aside, and ducked through the door into the cage. I dragged Erik to his feet, and was suddenly overawed by his nearness. There would never be bars between us again. There was no time, however, for emotion. Shouts came from the other end of the camp.
I took hold of Erik's hand, and pulled him towards the door.
"Come on, we don't have much time!"
Dragging Erik behind me, I ran and ran and ran as fast as I could. I ran until I thought my feet would burst into flame and my mouth was dryer than desert. By the time the angry shouting from behind us had silenced, the Bois was far away and we were deep in the maze of streets that was one of the less-affluent parts of the city.
We sat down in a doorway together, and he put his arms around me.
"We're free, Arielle! I have never know what it's like to be free."
There were tears in his eyes as he kissed me for the first time.
