A Shadow of Light |girlxgirl|

Chapter 5

|CHAPTER 5|

Feeling oddly satisfied, a small smile curved the right side of her lips upward.

She was glad that Ringo had avenged his sister, and hoped that a beating was the worst thing the girl would ever have to face in her life, wherever she was right now.

The Ring Master mirrored her smile, and draped an arm loosely over her shoulder.

As he led her across the room, he leaned down to whisper, “That thought you just had? It is the first time you have addressed me as ‘Ringo’ instead of ‘the Ring Master’, my dear.”

Blushing at her rudeness, she realised he was right.

“I… I’m sorry…” She tried to make amends, but he waved her words away.

The flap of the tent opened by itself, and he pulled her out of his tent.

Plunged suddenly into darkness, Liana could only see the flash of his perfectly white teeth as he grinned at her. “I don’t mind. I’m rather happy that you’ve started calling me by my name. We are family now, my dear. And as a demon, I am especially protective of those I call mine. No more harm shall fall upon you if I can help it.”

Before she could even think about responding to his befuddling words, an acute burning sensation flared across her left wrist.

Hissing, while the unexpected pain drew tears from her eyes, Liana clutched her arm to her chest.

The muscled arm around her shoulder tugged her to the side.

Blind in the shadows engulfing the entire world, she stumbled into the Ring Master’s warm chest.

A feverishly hot hand stroked her cheek, as his soothing voice sounded above her ear, “Shh. Be calm, my dear. It is my mark. I have laid claim to you, so that all of the other members know not to harm you. See.”

She blinked as light flared from nowhere.

Blinking again, her eyes focused and she saw a small ball of flames resting in a pale palm.

The Ring Master removed his other arm from her around her shoulders and pulled her still searingly sore wrist towards the flickering orange flame in his hand.

She could see her own dainty wrist, covered by skin fairer than even the Ring Master’s.

Her fingers, the ends bruised from the weight of Father’s knees pressing them into the ground while he beat her, shook slightly.

A tattoo design of intricate black swirls, accented by slashes of gleaming silver, was burnt into her wrist.

The skin around the wound was an inflamed red, and swelling extended upwards towards the deep laceration from the Ring Master’s blade.

“I apologise for the pain, but it had to be burned into your skin. If I had just given you a bracelet, it could be removed or fall off. If I had tattooed it normally, someone may have just flayed the skin off. This way, it is marked through your skin, muscle, down to your very bone. No-one, not even the devious creatures of my world, can remove it.”

Her mind dazed at the precautions - which she would never in her life have even considered - she nodded her understanding. 

The Ring Master once again wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and jerked his hand outwards so the flame hovered in mid-air in front of them, lighting the path.

“The lanterns are extinguished after each show finishes, and the guests leave, as extra light can be painful to our eyes.” He explained, before leading her further down the path.

He stopped in front a small tent, striped grey and black, before pushing the flap open to reveal a dark room.

With a snap of his fingers, the ball of fire in front of them split into three smaller bodies and rushed towards the walls of the tent, to rest inside the lanterns and bring light to the room.

She could now see that the tent held only a small wooden bed made with grey cotton sheets and shoved against the farthest wall.

“It is not much, but the walls will keep you well insulated from the weather. I know that is all you really wish for with the setting of each sun.” The Ring Master stated quietly with an impish grin.

It was disconcerting that anyone knew her that well, but Liana appreciated the effort.

Returning his grin with a small, grateful smile, she moved out from under his arm.

“When the sun rises, I shall send the twins to wake you and show you where Mira’s tent is. He will assess your wounds and treat them, then start discussing your training with you. Worry not - everyone, especially that sadistic little cannibal, Shine, has been warned of the consequences if they hurt you. Sleep in peace, my dear.”

With that, the Ring Master stepped back towards the tent entrance and, before she could even thank him, faded into the shadows of the night.

Smiling gently at her toasty warm new room, Liana moved towards the bed, as the events of the night melded into a single weight of exhaustion that pressed down on her eyelids.

“Good night, Ringo.”