Free The Sequin Star by Belinda Murrell Page A

cage had snapped, crumpling the bars. In a moment, the lion slipped through the narrow gap and leapt lightly to the ground. He looked around, shaking his great tawny head. He stared at Claire and Kit with large golden eyes, white whiskers twitching.
    One minute the lion was standing still, the next he was bounding straight towards them. Claire screamed. Kit grabbed her by the arm and held her close. We’re going to die , thought Claire . That lion is going to tear us to pieces.
    â€˜Don’t run,’ Kit urged. ‘Hold my hand and stay perfectly still. He won’t attack us if we stay still.’
    The lion charged closer and closer. Claire stood frozen to the spot, her mouth dry and her heart thumping wildly. What if Kit’s wrong? How can a city boy know anything about foiling a lion attack?
    Panicking, Claire was about to turn tail and flee, but at the last moment the lion veered around them. Claire could feel the rush of wind as he loped past.
    Jem dashed towards the cage to stop the lionesses and cubs from escaping too. Rosina hurried towards Claire and Kit, fear etched on her face.
    The lion raced towards the elephant. Elsie trumpeted in panic, pulling free of her harness and charging for the gate. Flash Frank ran after the elephant, bellowing her name. Everywhere was chaos. People were yelling and shouting. Lula jumped off Rosina’s shoulders and clambered for safety, chittering on top of a neighbouring truck.
    A nearby roustabout turned and fled. The lion swerved after him and pounced. The roustabout was knocked to the ground with the lion crouched on his back. The lion snarled – a low, chilling rumble. Rosina was there in an instant, standing tall and still, hands on her hips.
    â€˜Sultan, back ,’ Rosina ordered calmly. The lion twisted around, revealing ferocious yellow fangs. His tail lashed back and forth. ‘ Back ,’ she repeated, raising her arms above her head. Lula jabbered angrily from her high perch.
    Slowly, carefully, the magnificent lion stepped off the winded roustabout, moving backwards with a deep, muffled protest.
    â€˜Good boy, Sultan,’ Rosina said calmly. ‘Now sit.’
    Claire nearly laughed at the ludicrous suggestion, as though the lion were some tame poodle instead of a wild beast. Sultan lashed his tail and sank back on his haunches, watching Rosina.
    Rosina stepped slowly and surely towards him. She lay her hand on his mane. ‘Good boy. Lovely boy. Now come, Sultan.’ She walked back towards the cage, the great lion walking steadily beside her.
    Claire watched, hardly daring to breathe. By this stage, Alf the ringmaster had arrived from the far end of the lot. He stood by the lion cage with a large ring of keys in his hand.
    â€˜Good job, Rosina,’ Alf said as he carefully unlocked the door to the lion cage and pulled down a ramp. Inside the cage, the three lionesses paced back and forth in front of their cubs, upset by the disturbance.
    â€˜Back, girls,’ ordered Alf. ‘Sit.’
    The animals obeyed sullenly.
    â€˜Sultan, hup .’ Alf tapped the floor of the raised cage with his crop. The lion crouched on all fours then leapt up into the cage, ignoring the ramp.
    Alf climbed into the cage with his lions. ‘Good boy,’ he cried, rubbing the lion’s big, furry face. He ran his hands over the rest of Sultan to make sure he wasn’t hurt. The lion rubbed against Alf’s legs like an overgrown house cat. Roy, the menagerie worker, set to work fixing the damaged cage.
    With Sultan back in his cage, people now crowded around the truck. Kit and Claire followed to watch, standing beside Rosina. Claire could feel her legs trembling. Her hand was sore from clutching Kit’s arm. Back inside the cage, Sultan seemed smaller and less fearsome. He blinked at Claire slowly.
    Rosina turned to Kit. ‘That was well done,’ she said. ‘How did you know not to run? Most townies would’ve