Strings Of Fate

Chapter 11

The smell of baking bread surrounded Terrence and he was in his element. Cakes and pastries were on sale and his regular customers were coming in on clockwork. Assistants picking up selections for meetings had been in and brought a good portion of his products. All dark thoughts were banished under the wave of joy that interacting with his customers brought. If it wasn't for Mika dancing around him, he'd almost be able to forget about the circus in town too.

Almost.

Changing out of Marquez's top had proved harder than expected. Being surrounded by the man's scent was reassuring. There was no way he was going to let the tiger know that and the man was sure to hunt him down soon enough. Despite the urge to keep the top on, he changed into something cleaner, fresher and pulled himself together. He could do this.

"Terry?" Mika chimed, hand on his lower back.

"I'm fine," Terrence reassured, blinking away the blurriness in his eyes and giving his customer a shaky grin. The woman looked at him concerned but didn't comment. She paid and left the shop. "I need a sec," he patted Mika's shoulder and ducked out into the back.

Who was he kidding? He hugged his arms and breathed, the walls closed in on him. His haven from the world outside threatened for a moment as everything bubbled up inside his chest and threatened to make him collapse. It would be too easy to fall back into their arms and let them do what they wanted. Maybe it would make the pain go away.

But then, why had he left in the first place?

Marquez was going to want an answer. Madame was going to want an answer and their will was law. Teenager rebellion? Plausible. Jaz hadn't been happy and wanted to see the world. Now Terrence had. He couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't going to be open arms. He would be hurting one way or another. No one ran away and had no repercussions coming back. Last night had been a reprieve at best. A moment of calm before the storm, where Marquez could get a read on the situation and how best to proceed.

It took a few moments but he pulled himself back together again. Or rather the feelings were no longer overwhelming his ability to function. If it was his fate to return to the circus, then it would be so. There was no reason to bow down to it unless he gave them a reason. In five days, they would be gone. And he knew where to find them if he decided that staying was the wrong choice.

The sounds of Mika chatting to customers filtered through the curtain separating the two spaces. Mika was good with dealing with people. Most surprised to see a hybrid working in the bakery. It wasn't a normal thing, magic. Normal people never came across it, and the circus was almost unique.

He caught a glimpse of himself in the shiny worktop and took another few deep breaths. Five days. That was all.

"There he is," Mika beamed as he reappeared from the back, carrying a fresh tray of bread.

"Mrs. Wharton," Terrence greeted the regular. An older lady who always brought Danish pastries and sat in was of the stalls drinking a coffee, usually writing in a notebook for a while.

She smiled but he didn't miss the wary look in her eyes as she looked over at Mika and then behind her at some of the other hybrids in the cafe. He hadn't noticed them arriving but then, with Mika serving, it had been busier than normal. "Interesting customers today?" She asked, her tone polite if not curious about the sudden collection of magical beings in his little bakery.