Christine's POV

I left Erik's caravan with the shackle around my leg. I looked down at the heavy piece of metal and knew that Erik wanted to torture me for what I had done to him. I knew I wasn't going to get the shackle off my leg without earning Erik's trust or finding a key.

"He put the shackle back on your leg again."

When I heard Gustave's voice, I looked up to see him standing there with the camp's elephant. I gasped and backed away, for I had never been this close to one before. Gustave giggled at my fright and pulled a peanut out of his pocket.

"What's wrong?" he questioned. "You act as though she's going to eat you."

"They're dangerous, are they not?"

Gustave pointed to the elephant's mouth and from what I could see, there were no tusks… I found this strange, for when I had seen pictures of these creatures in books, the first thing I always noticed was their pointy ivory.

"The master saved Lucy from poachers. They sawed off her tusks and were going to shoot her for her hide. He paid them not to kill her and she's been with us ever since…."

I never thought Erik held a soft spot for animals, but what he had done for this elephant was a kindness.

"One of the employees trained her and now she works in the show each night."

"W…What does she do?"

Gustave seemed excited over this, for he stepped in front of her and held up the peanut. I watched in amazement as the elephant wrapped her trunk around Gustave's body and lifted him into the air and placed him on her back. I was frightened at first, afraid that the elephant was going to kill him, but I trusted the boy and watched.

"Now it's your turn."

"My turn? I think not…."

"She's harmless, Christine. Come on…"

The boy threw down a peanut and I picked it up. I didn't even have the chance to hold it up to Lucy for as soon as I picked it up, her trunk wrapped around my waist and I was lifted into the air.

I closed my eyes and wanted to scream in fear, but as fast as I was lifted into the air, I was placed beside Gustave on her back. It was so strange being up this high, but my fear was finally starting to subside. The boy called out a command and Lucy began walking towards the fair where everyone was setting up for the night's show.

"I take care of Lucy and the other animals," Gustave said. "That's my job. After I feed Lucy, I ride her towards the tent and hand her over to Dr. Gangle."

I watched the performers practicing outside a large tent. Some were juggling, others were balancing themselves on strange objects, and some were even dancing. Every time we would pass by someone, they would look up at us before going about their business. Lucy entered the tent and stopped when she was near a few bales of hay.

"How do we get down?"

Gustave patted Lucy's head and yelled out a command. From there, the elephant knelt down and we were able to both slide off.

"Come on, I want to show you something."

The boy grabbed my hand and led me towards the center of the small arena.

"This is where the main show happens. Everyone sits on the wooden benches and Dr. Gangle starts the show. He announces each act as they come out. He's the ring leader…"

"So Erik runs a circus…"

"No, it's a traveling fair… The tent here is just one act. Outside of the tent there are oddities that display themselves to the crowds. I want to be in here performing one day."

I smiled. "You do? What would you do?"

"I really like the animals… I'd like to work with them somehow… Maybe I could tame lions or put a snake to sleep…"

I giggled at the boy's excitement.

"Lion tamers and snake hypnotizers? Where do you come up with this?"

"Well, there is one thing I can do."

"What?"

Gustave ran away for a few seconds and returned with Erik's black stallion. The horse was saddleless and willingly following Gustave into the tent.

"Does Erik know you have his horse?"

"No, but he doesn't need to know."

Gustave hopped onto his back and began riding him around in a circle. A few moments later, the boy stood up and balanced himself on the horse's back while it galloped around the tent at a high speed.

"What are you doing?" I frantically asked. "You're going to fall."

"I've practiced!" he called out. "Isn't it great? No one here can do this…."

This went on for another two seconds until a loud and angry voice interrupted.

"Boy, you're going to get yourself killed if the master sees you doing that to his stallion!"

This knocked the child off balance and he went plummeting off the horse's back. I was there to immediately catch him, causing us to both fall to the ground. The man who had shouted at Gustave grabbed the reins of Erik's horse to calm him down before grabbing Gustave by his ear.

"One of these days, boy you're going to get yourself killed! The master hates gypsies enough as it is. I'm sure he wouldn't mind burying a little nothing like you."

"Hey!" I stood up to the man who was covered in tattoos. "Don't talk to him like that. He's only a child…"

"Ah," the man seemed to lose interest in Gustave the moment I stood up to him. "You're the new girl. Well, new girl, let me tell you how things are run around here. First of all, you don't speak up to me."

"And who are you?"

"Mr. Squelch, the world's strongest man. You will do what you're told in this camp and nothing more. This boy was told time and time again by me not to ride the horses like that. If you have a problem with that, madam, you can leave the camp. Are we clear?"

When I didn't say anything, Mr. Squelch grabbed my wrist, causing me to gasp.

"I'm sorry, I'm a little hard of hearing… I said, are we clear?"

"Yes," I growled. "We're clear…"

"Good…Now, get out of this tent. Some people have to work tonight."

"You don't have to be so cruel!" I cried. "You're cruel because the master is cruel to you."

Mr. Squelch had been walking towards the exit when he stopped and turned to face me once again. His eyes met with the shackle that was around my leg and he chuckled.

"Why is the master cruel? Because he placed a shackle around your leg? That shackle should be the least of your worries, girl. You're lucky the master didn't torture and leave you for dead. He's capable of that, you know…"

"I'm sure he is," I sarcastically replied.

"Then we're clear with you knowing your place around here…Good day."

When Mr. Squelch was gone, Gustave tugged on my skirts.

"He used to bother me, but he doesn't anymore."

"I'm frightened…"

"He's only mean because his family was killed."

"Killed?"

Gustave nodded. "Nadir told me that before he came to us, he worked in a circus with his wife and two twin boys. While they were traveling through Russia, a ban of thieves raided the circus and did bad things to the women who worked there. They trapped everyone inside and burned down the tent. Mr. Squelch was the only one who survived."

"He doesn't have to hate the world for it," I said. "Not everyone in this world is bad."

"Most of the performers that came here went through some kind of traumatic experience. The master said that's why this camp is so strong. He said our experiences and hate for the world make us unstoppable."

Knowing that it was close to show time, I exited the tent and made my way towards the ticket booth. The crowds were going to be coming in soon and I knew Erik would expect me to sell lots of tickets. I was nearly to my booth, when I saw three men walking towards the camp. I immediately stopped in place as soon as I saw them, for I knew these men! They were the ones I had been running from for the past few years! One was a tall blonde man, that looked exactly like Raoul, for he was his brother Phillip! The other two men were the two authorities that had been helping Phillip look for me. I panicked and knew that my only means of salvation was Erik. Before they could find me, I hurried to his caravan and went inside, ducking beneath the man's bed. I could only hope that the men would see that I wasn't there and leave.

Erik's POV

I had been resting comfortably in my bed before tonight's show, when my caravan door came open and Christine came running in. I wasn't sure what she was doing, and pushed myself upward on my elbows. The girl seemed frightened and darted beneath my bed. Oh, I was in no mood for games!

"Girl, what in the Devil's name are you doing beneath my bed?! You best come out before I have to drag you out myself. And oh, if I have to do that you will regret it."

"There are three men wandering around the camp," she cried. "Two of them are authorities, and the other one is Raoul's brother. They're looking for me… They think I killed my husband. If they find me I will be thrown into jail or put to death… Please…."

I stood up and fastened my trousers. After adjusting my mask, I came around the side of the bed and found the girl lying there in a ball.

"They are walking around now are they?"

She nodded. "Wh…What if your employees tell them about me?"

"Everyone here is under an oath. We don't rat anyone out…"

"Please, don't make me go back out there…"

"I'm a cruel man, remember?" I mocked. "That's what you called me… A cruel man. If I truly were a cruel man, I wouldn't keep you safe now would I?"

The girl shook her head.

"That's what I thought… Perhaps you should choose your words more wisely next time, Christine."

With that being said, I stepped outside of my caravan and looked for the three men Christine spoke about. She was indeed right, for there were three strange men walking about my camp. If there was one thing I detested more than the human race, it was snoopers.

"Excuse me?" I snapped, walking towards the three men who were currently looking beneath another caravan. "Can I help you?"

The tall blonde haired man pulled out a flyer of some sort and showed it to me. On it, a drawn picture of Christine.

"Yes, freak…Have you seen this woman? She's wanted for murder."

"Murder, you say?" I questioned. "And why do you believe I would house a murderer in my camp?"

"Who's to say that a freak like you wouldn't house a desperate girl in return for her pleasure?"

Oh, I hated this fop! This was indeed Raoul's brother for the man was just as despicable as he was.

"You called me a freak, and that's exactly what this camp is filled with. Freaks only, fop…"

"So you haven't seen the girl?"

"No, can't say that I have… We have so many people coming through our camp each night that I don't remember faces. We strive on money, not identities. Now, if you'll do me a favor and leave my camp that would be greatly appreciated."

"All right, we'll leave, but to clear your name, you have to do one thing."

"That being?"

"Let us search your caravan…"

I was about to protest, when the two authorities flashed their badges at me. Before I could say a word they were already headed towards my caravan. Yes, I could have fought them, but what was worse than being arrested was them finding Christine hiding beneath my bed…