“That might be possible,” Sandra said. “Take care inside. Anything you can learn about the individuals running the operation would be useful. And investigating your dreams could prove informative as well.”

  “Mr. Stott gave us a potion to limit our dreaming,” Nate said.

  “You should continue to use it,” Sandra said. “But there may come a time when I ask you to skip repressing your dreams for a night.”

  Zac leaned forward. “Lady, if I hadn’t spent last night doing low-gravity jumps with Summer, I’d think this sounded like the plot of a comic book. But when I combine the Moon Rocks with the huge bowling ball and the other objects appearing around town, I’m glad you’re on the case.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Candy

  The carnival parking lot was filled to capacity, cars spilling onto side streets. Nate pedaled past the rows of vehicles until he reached the bike rack. Zac stood alone near the ticket offices, waiting in the colorful shadows cast by helium balloons. His face was partially hidden beneath a Giants baseball cap and behind sunglasses. Nate hurried over to him.

  “Are we the first ones here?” Nate asked.

  Zac nodded. “The more important question is, are we sure this isn’t a dream? Do you remember how you got here?”

  “I biked over after checking in at home.”

  “Can you change me into a butterfly?” Zac challenged.

  Nate scrunched his nose and silently commanded Zac to transform. “Doesn’t seem like it.”

  “And I’ve been trying to turn you into a penguin since I first caught sight of you. No luck. I think we’re awake.”

  “How should today work?” Nate asked.

  “We split up,” Zac said. “Play our best cards. You and Summer grab info from Edward. I’ll take the others to make my video and try to book a meeting with the owner. Here come Trevor and Pigeon.”

  The two skidded to a stop at the bike rack, then trotted over to join Nate and Zac. Benji’s mom pulled up to the curb in a somewhat dusty SUV and dropped him off. Finally, Summer showed up on her pink bike.

  “Sorry,” Summer said. “I had to do some chores before I could come. And my mom cut these stupid bangs.” She tried to push the hair off her forehead, but it fell back, hanging in a straight line.

  “It’s a pretty good disguise,” Trevor said. “I hardly recognized you.”

  “Let’s move on,” Summer said shortly.

  Nate had never seen Summer change her hairstyle. It obviously made her uncomfortable, but he thought it looked nice.

  “Your hair looks great,” Zac said. “Should we get going?”

  Summer flushed a little and followed Zac into the carnival. Stopping at the Currency Exchange, he obtained a hundred tickets and ten coins for each of them. Nate felt rich as he jingled the coins in his palm.

  The main boardwalk looked grander than before. Was it wider? Longer? A grandstand had sprung up toward the center where a brass combo played “When the Saints Go Marching In.” The walls between games were taller and more elaborately decorated, and in many cases, bigger prizes had been added.

  Long lines of people waited at the rides, games, and food stands. It was a Wednesday afternoon, and the carnival was packed. Didn’t the adults have jobs? What were so many people doing here?

  “If they keep advertising, there won’t be room for anyone to move inside the carnival,” Zac said.

  “I think this place will just expand,” Nate said.

  “Doesn’t it already seem bigger?” Benji asked. “I came with my family on Monday. The bandstand wasn’t here. And they didn’t have that golfing game.” He pointed at a golf simulator called Long Drive where players whacked real golf balls into a screen.

  “Web Crawlers is new as well,” Pigeon said. He indicated a tower three-stories tall. Layers of crisscrossing ropes formed a crude pyramid. A silver ring waited on a hook at the apex, just below a ticking timer. A player was climbing toward the ring, but sections of the webbing were designed to flex and pivot. As they watched, the girl fell and was trapped in lower funnels of netting.

  “Summer and I are supposed to meet Edward at the Ferris wheel in ten minutes,” Nate said.

  “Then you better hurry,” Zac said. “We’ll head to the Fun House.”

  Nate and Summer split off from the others.

  “I wish we had found more secret places on our own,” Summer said.

  “We tried,” Nate replied. “Now we know it’s hard to find new secrets without help. If Edward gives us real leads, he could be useful.”

  They reached the line for the Ferris wheel to see Edward already waiting for them near a cotton candy cart. Even without his sword, his clothes looked better suited for a pirate movie than for normal life.

  “Greetings, Nate, Summer,” Edward said.

  “Where are we going?” Summer asked.

  Edward tapped the side of his nose. “The wishes you made at the fountain are about to come true. Follow me.” He turned and started walking briskly away from the ride’s entrance.

  Nate had to adopt a shuffling jog to keep up as they passed between the Crafts Tent and Livestock Central.

  “Are we going to see the Swindler?” Nate asked.

  Edward shook his head. “Same building. Do you know the Swindler? Have you lost to him yet?”

  “Yes,” Nate said. “Have you?”

  “Many times,” Edward said.

  “Have you beat him?” Summer asked.

  “Never,” Edward said. “Nor has anyone I know. It doesn’t stop some of us from trying.”

  The Swindler’s building came into view, the neon cursive less impressive in the brightness of the sunny afternoon. Ignoring the barker out front, Edward led them around to the back of the building. He pointed at a narrow, black fire escape ladder. “Did you notice the building has two stories?”

  “I hadn’t,” Nate said, looking up. The ladder led to a wrought iron balcony. On the front side, the signage covered most of the upper story.

  “Up there is a shop that sells magical items, including candy,” Edward said. “It opened yesterday, and only admits kids under the age of fifteen. The candies cost coins, but don’t be afraid to negotiate. Nate, I believe this will satisfy your wish. Summer, this candy shop is a secret place. You wished to discover multiple secret places, so I will share two others.”

  “Right now?” Summer checked.

  Edward motioned for them to huddle close and lowered his voice. “The front car of the roller coaster has a coin slot. If you insert a Carnie Coin, your train will visit a different destination than normal. When you reach the secret station, trip the lap bar release and hop out. The release is on the underside of the lap bar, down on the left-hand side. You’ll only have a few seconds to exit before the train will return you to the normal loading area.”

  “Where will the coaster take us?” Nate asked.

  “You’ll see,” Edward said. “Here is your last secret. The Fun House is larger than it seems. To reach new parts of it, wade around the ball pit. When you find a spot deeper than the rest of the pit, search the floor for a coin slot.”

  “How is anyone supposed to find that without hearing the secret?” Summer asked.

  “It’s theoretically possible,” Edward said. “Not likely though. Part of the challenge of exploring the carnival includes gathering information however you can. The Fun House gets more fascinating and dangerous the deeper you progress. Take care. The mysteries of this carnival are not for the faint of heart.”

  “You talked about safe places where a person could sleep inside the carnival,” Nate said. “Do any of the workers stay overnight? Aren’t some of them traveling with the carnival?”

  “Some workers sleep here,” Edward replied. “And some who are trying to solve the mysteries do as well. Certain parts of the carnival are easier to explore after hours. I rarely leave.”

  “Where can we find safe places to sleep?” Summer asked.

  “I’ll share some thoughts for a coin.”

  Nate handed over a Carnie Coin.

  Edward gave a nod and glanced around. “You won’t find any of those safe zones in the regular carnival. You have to venture into secret places to locate them. The Grotto has some if you hunt around. Wherever you see a spiderweb symbol, that place is safe—a door, a room, a bed. Fall asleep anywhere else, and you won’t be seen again.”

  “What happens?” Summer asked.

  “I honestly don’t know,” Edward said. “Nobody who has fallen asleep in the carnival has returned to tell the tale.”

  “We think the carnival is somehow harvesting our dreams,” Nate said.

  “I suspect the same,” Edward replied. “Just read the signs. I don’t know how they do it, but I appreciate the results. This carnival is full of mysteries and treasure like the world has never known.”

  “Any examples?” Nate asked.

  Edward winked. “I wouldn’t sell those details no matter the price. But I’ve glimpsed wealth and treasure here that would make royal families jealous. A person could start a dynasty. If you investigate, you’ll see. For now, I’m off on my own errands. Are you satisfied with how your wishes were granted?”

  “As long as we actually get some magical candy up there,” Nate said, glancing at the balcony.

  “And find the secret places,” Summer added.

  Edward waved a hand toward the ladder. “Go live out your wishes. My Carnie Coins won’t become enchanted until you do.” He saluted with his forefinger.

  “Now I’m curious about what riches are here,” Nate muttered to Summer.

  “Treasure to bait the trap,” Summer replied. “Anything could be here if they can pull stuff out of your dreams. But we have to figure out why people are going missing, not chase some mysterious treasure.”

  “Or maybe both,” Nate said with a shrug.

  “John and the others can’t get inside,” Summer said. “If we don’t figure out what Camilla is doing here, nobody will.” She looked up at the fire escape ladder. “How much can we trust Edward?”

  “His tips have been helpful so far, but we should still be cautious,” Nate said. “Let’s find out what candy they have.”

  Summer went up the ladder first. Nate caught up to her on the balcony in front of a small door clearly designed for kids. No signage offered clues to what lay beyond.

  Nate tried the little doorknob and found it unlocked. Ducking through the low doorway, he entered a room decorated with lava lamps and art pieces made of neon lights. Reaching almost to the floor, maroon tablecloths cloaked several round tables. Drapery covered the walls in such abundance that Nate could imagine the curtains opening on any side to reveal an audience.

  Preston Wilder sat at the farthest round table, black hair slicked back, shuffling cards. He wore a white shirt with jeweled cuff links and a black vest. The carnival’s director of publicity did not look up but kept the cards dancing with perfect control, fanning them out, waterfalling them from one hand to the other. He spread them across the table in long rows and flipped them over, offering glimpses of numbers and suits, then snapped them back into a tight deck.

  When Nate and Summer reached the table, he looked up.

  “We meet again,” he said, his smile slightly confused. “What are you two doing here?”

  “Looking for magical candy,” Nate said.

  Holding up the deck, Preston cut the cards into three separate stacks using only one hand, then recombined them. “You found this place quickly. Who sent you? What exactly are you after?”

  “I wished for magical candy at a fountain in the Grotto,” Nate said. “It guided us here.”

  Preston shook his head. “This carnival could benefit from fewer shortcuts. Then again, I always use them when I find them, so who am I to judge?”

  “Shouldn’t you be running the big top?” Summer asked.

  “I have understudies,” Preston said. Cards cascaded from one hand to the other. “I play many roles at this carnival. In here, I’m the Dealer.”

  “Are you friends with the Swindler?” Nate asked.

  “Because I do business in his attic?” the Dealer asked. “You could call me an apprentice of his. A protégé.” He paused, regarding the kids. “I have limited quantities of magical candy for sale. What made you wish for such a thing?”

  Nate glanced at Summer. He decided to play it straight. “Our other magical candy doesn’t work here.”

  The Dealer nodded. “You already know that magic is real! Congratulations on being early adopters.”

  “What kind of candy do you sell?” Summer asked.

  “How about you try to win some in a game of cards?” the Dealer asked.

  “If you’re anything like the Swindler, that won’t go too well for us,” Nate said. “We already saw you shuffling.”

  Grinning, the Dealer set the deck on the table. “Name a card.”

  “Three of clubs,” Nate said.

  Using one hand, the Dealer quickly cut the deck, holding up the exposed three of clubs.

  “Queen of hearts,” Summer said.

  He divided the deck again, displaying the queen of hearts.

  “You know where every card is,” Nate said.

  The Dealer held up a single card facing away from them. “Name a card.”

  “Ten of diamonds,” Nate said.

  The Dealer turned his card around. It was the ten of diamonds. He faced it away again. “Another card.”

  Nate watched the card carefully. It seemed there was very little trickery that could be done while holding a single card in plain view.

  “Jack of spades,” Summer said.

  With a slight flourish, the Dealer turned the card around. It was now the jack of spades.

  “Etcetera,” the Dealer said, returning the card to the deck.

  “You’re not doing a very good job luring us into a game,” Nate said.

  “It doesn’t hurt to show off a little.” The Dealer shrugged. “You seem to have no intention of playing me. That’s smart. You won’t get much that way. If you’re clever, I’d like to do business with you. What kind of candy are you looking for?”

  Nate shrugged. He wasn’t sure if he should name candies that would link him directly to either of the Whites or Sebastian Stott. “We’ve been able to give people an electric shock. Jump high. Fly. Become indestructible. Make animals talk. We want something powerful and useful.”

  The Dealer nodded. “You’re no amateurs. Good for you. At this carnival, candy levels the playing field for kids, since most of it doesn’t work on grown-ups. Here’s how it works—the first samples are cheap, then the price goes up sharply.”

  “How expensive are we talking?” Summer asked.

  The Dealer shrugged. “Your first piece of candy might cost two Carnie Coins.”

  “That sounds like a lot,” Nate said.

  “It’s less than twenty,” the Dealer said casually. “Or a hundred.”

  “For one piece of candy?” Summer asked. “That’s robbery.”

  “We don’t have to do business,” the Dealer said. “You understand that this candy grants you magical powers, right?”

  “We need to be able to afford it,” Nate said.

  The Dealer laughed. “So does everyone. Would you like to try a first piece or not?”

  “Sure,” Nate said. “We’ll take seven first pieces.”

  The Dealer laughed hard. “My friend, there is only one first piece. You don’t get to sample the catalog. In fact, in my shop, each individual can only buy one type of candy. This allows you to specialize and keeps any single person from having too great an advantage.”

  Nate nodded. “So just one first piece each?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Do we get to choose what type?” Summer asked.

  “Only by name,” the Dealer said. “I’ll cite four varieties. After you pick and pay, I’ll inform you what the candy does.”

  “Two Carnie Coins each?” Summer verified.

  “Just this once,” the Dealer said. “To build loyalty. Once you know what you’re getting, you’ll figure out how to pay more.”

  “What if we each pay one Carnie Coin for the first candy?” Nate asked.

  “Then you would have no deal,” the Dealer said. “You can pay three coins if you prefer. Try changing the terms again and the price goes up.” He picked up the deck. “You can’t negotiate with the guy holding all the cards.”

  “What are the candies called?” Summer asked.

  “Drip Drops, Cannon Blasts, Tempest Beans, and Clown Lips,” the Dealer said. “Take your pick.”

  “Can we see them?” Nate asked.

  “Not until you make the purchase,” the Dealer said. “They’re all among my best. I want you as repeat customers. You won’t be disappointed with any choice.”

  Nate leaned toward Summer. “Clown Lips don’t sound great.”

  “Neither do Drip Drops,” Summer replied. “But who knows? Maybe the silliest names are the best candies. This guy seems tricky.”

  Nate looked at the Dealer. “With a name like Cannon Blast, I have to try that one.”

  “Wonderful selection,” the Dealer said. “And you, young lady?”

  “Clown Lips,” Summer said, awkwardly pushing her bangs to the side. “A name that weird has to be cool.”

  “Or the worst,” Nate mumbled.

  Nate and Summer both placed two Carnie Coins on the table. The Dealer passed a hand over them, and they vanished, leaving candies in their place. One looked like a set of large, bright-red plastic lips. The other was a black sphere with tiny orange flames stenciled on the exterior.

  “The Cannon Blast has a hard outer shell and a soft interior,” the Dealer said. “Put it in your mouth, and you will become charged with kinetic energy. Focus on where you want to go, then bite down on the candy. You’ll be launched at your area of focus as if shot from a cannon. Your mass will temporarily increase by about ten times, and until you come to a stop, your anatomy will be fortified against any damage.”