But I shook my head. “No, you heard what Alexander said. If anyone helps me, I’m disqualified.”

Which I was pretty sure meant “dead,” even though Alexander hadn’t spelled it out that specifically.

I could see a white circle forming around Bee’s lips as she pressed them together, but in the end, she nodded. “Okay. But is there anything I can do?”

“Leave,” I told her immediately. “You and Ryan get out of here, and if you see anyone we know, try to get them to leave, too.” The last trial had involved fire, after all. There was no telling what might happen this time, and the fairgrounds were full of people. Kids.

“Will do,” Ryan said, already taking Bee’s elbow and pulling her away. I turned from them, heading in the direction the man had gone. My heart was pounding, palms slick with sweat, and with every step I took, my knees seemed to go more watery. The colored lights that had seemed so pretty when we came in now cast weird shadows, making me jumpy as I kept pushing my way through the crowd.

I couldn’t see the man who had called me Paladin, but I somehow knew where to go, walking down the midway before turning left, then taking a right. All the rides on this side of the fairgrounds were crowded, lines of people waiting to get on the Ferris wheel or ride something called the Galactic Centipede. But one attraction was completely deserted, almost like there was a bubble around it, making it invisible to the rest of the people here.

The Fun House.

Sighing, I studied the dark building with its garish green door. “Of course,” I muttered, visions of possessed carnies dressed as clowns filling my head. I didn’t have a weapon, and I’d worn low sneakers tonight, so my footwear wouldn’t be of any use.

Glancing around, I looked for anything I could use, but the only thing I saw was a couple of corn dog sticks, batter still clinging to the ends, stamped in the dirt. Um, no, thank you.

Then I glanced to the right, dozens of bobbing balloons catching my eye.

Perfect.

The guy running the balloon dart attraction was too busy flirting with a redheaded girl I vaguely recognized from the pageant sign-ups today to notice me sneak up alongside the booth and snatch a few darts from the side. Their tips weren’t all that sharp—that had to be a lawsuit in waiting—but I figured they’d do in a pinch. And when I saw a deserted spork lying on the ground, I grabbed that, too, grimacing as I wiped it off on my jeans. Desperate times clearly called for desperate measures.

Heading back to the Fun House, I saw that it was still deserted, people walking by it like it wasn’t even there.