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20.2: TRAILS (part 2)

Meanwhile, three people Fang didn't know were there were also making their way through the fairground. Elizabeth, Edmund, and Pim, all swathed in their cloaks, were battling their way through the crowds while trying to remain inconspicuous. At least, Elizabeth and Pim were trying; Edmund didn't seem to understand the concept. Initially, he had enjoyed surprising other fairgoers by emitting excited Weeeeee!s from under his heavy hood. Then he had decided to chase a toddler while flapping his cloak and roaring. Thankfully, most onlookers assumed he was an entertainer and merely chuckled. The toddler's mother, however, was not amused. Neither was the toddler, who bawled his head off. Elizabeth mumbled an apology while she and Pim took Edmund by either arm and guided him away from the scene.

"Edmund, darling," Elizabeth murmured. "You cannot behave like that here. You must keep quiet, do you understand?"

"Quiet," repeated Edmund. "Quiet like... an ogre!"

"Ssssh." Elizabeth glanced around. "This isn't a game, darling."

Pim shot a look at Elizabeth. "We should have left him in the coach."

Elizabeth bridled. "Edmund is your elder and better, Philomena Caroline Ursula Dragonspike Morbid-Hilt. You will not presume to dictate his behaviour. I am his wife, and I shall decide what is best for him."

"Sorry, Aunt Lizzie."

"Quiet," Edmund whispered. "Must be quiet like a really quiet thing. Like a mouse. Or a pincushion."

"Exactly, darling," Elizabeth said, giving Pim a meaningful glare.

"I didn't mean anything impolite about Uncle Edmund, Aunt Lizzie. I just-"

"Look, the beard," said Edmund.

"Sorry, darling?"

"The red beard."

"Red...?" Eyes widening, Elizabeth followed her husband's gaze. Edmund was right. Through a gap between two tents, she caught a glimpse of the bearded Middler with whom Fang had been travelling. He was sauntering along with some sort of cooked flesh in one hand, ripping off chunks with his teeth and munching it with his mouth open.

And they call us uncivilised, Elizabeth thought.

"Quick," she said, herding Edmund and Pim against the wall of a tent. Leaning out, she peered again through the gap. The bearded Middler was no longer in view, but instead a willowy figure in a black cloak glided into sight. Fang. But he passed out of view almost as soon as he had entered it, and the brief glimpse had told Elizabeth nothing of his feelings. What is going on here? Elizabeth wished she knew more. Why was Fang still with that Middler? And the other...

The other stepped into her field of vision. Elizabeth gave a small hiss and drew back. There was something not right about that man. It wasn't his size or his muscles, it wasn't his fashionable clothing, it wasn't his spurs, it wasn't even that large, clanking pack slung on his back. No, it was something less palpable than any of these things. He just felt wrong, different to the other humans. Which was strange, because he seemed to be acting entirely normally for a Middler. He was chatting and smiling, taking a bite of this toffee apple and a sip of that ale, and occasionally letting out a resonant laugh that set others around him chortling too. If anything, he was one of the most animated people there. But still, to Elizabeth, he seemed somehow... alien.

"What can you see, Aunt Lizzie?" Pim asked, craning over Edmund to try and catch a peek around the tent's corner.

"Get back," Elizabeth snapped. Pim did so, scowling. Elizabeth turned to her and Edmund. "We must be careful," she said. "Fang is still with those two Middlers. We mustn't let any of them see us."

"But how can we stay hidden when Uncle Edmund gets so..." Pim trailed off, seeing that Elizabeth was about to scold her again. "I'm not being rude, Aunt Lizzie, honestly. I'm just saying-wouldn't it be better if you stayed here and kept Uncle calm while I went to look around?" She set her shoulders. "I'm good at creeping, you know I am. I got a Distinction in it last year."

Elizabeth regarded Pim with some suspicion; it wasn't like her niece to volunteer help. "Promise me that you will look out for Juggalug and Rupert?" she said. "I don't want you just rushing off after your banshee."

"I promise. Truly."

After a brief hesitation, Elizabeth nodded. "Fine. Meet us back here in an hour, whether you've found anything or not. And remember-keep out of sight."

Pim nodded, then slipped away into the crowd before Elizabeth could so much as blink. Elizabeth smiled reluctantly. The girl was an expert creeper.