Free The Lampo Circus by Alexandra Adornetto

tear-streaked faces and looks of confusion Milli saw that they did not have the resources to deal with what was happening. Finn and Fennel stepped back awkwardly as if unsure what to do with such small and vulnerable people.
    ‘When are we going home, Milli?’ one of them asked.
    ‘We don’t like it here,’ another stated firmly in case there was any misunderstanding about their feelings.
    Their questions then erupted like a flow of lava and Milli could barely keep up with them. ‘Why do we have to stay here? Where are our parents? Won’t they expect us home by now? There isn’t really going to be a war, is there?’
    Milli looked despairingly at the others. She could no more answer these questions than fly to the moon. Besides, she was equally as afraid as the little ones—but it would do no good to show it. Milli tried to imagine herself in their shoes and decided that the best thing to offer was reassurance. To explain their situation would take time and patience and there was little of either at Battalion Minor.
    The children needed someone to tell them that things were on course and would right themselves soon. Milli half-wished there was someone to comfort and reassure her, but she was acutely aware of her responsibility and knelt down before the children and mustered whatever remnants of courage and determination she could find.
    ‘Of course there isn’t going to be a war,’ she said comfortingly. ‘And there’s absolutely no reason to be frightened. This is all a game, yousee. A game that Lampo, the Contessa and Oslo have decided to play with us. They present us with challenges and we have to overcome them. Sometimes it seems uncomfortable, but that’s just part of the challenge. All we need to do is follow what Oslo says and at the end there will be a big party with balloons and ice-cream cake to celebrate.’
    The children brightened at the prospect of a game that ended in a party.
    ‘Will there be prizes for the winners?’ they now wanted to know.
    ‘Certainly,’ Ernest contributed, deciding to help out his friend. ‘Prizes so wonderful that no one actually knows what they are!’
    Bombasta’s voice rising above its usual volume interrupted the children’s whispered discussion.
    ‘Well, I suppose we had better be off! There is no time to lose and patience is not one of my virtues. It isn’t the carefree life it’s cracked up to be, being Patroness of the Arts, you know.’
    ‘You heard the Contessa.’ Oslo snapped to attention and glared at his troops. ‘Back to work.’
    This was the part of the day that many had been dreading: what Oslo referred to as ‘real training’. But when Milli stole a glance around the rows of children, she did not see the worried faces she had expected. The children, it seemed, were waiting attentively for Oslo to announce the first challenge and their expressions were eager. They had privately made up their minds to try their very best.
    Milli hoped that if they could get caught up in the game at least for the days that followed, they might be able to put aside their longing for home. In the meantime, the older children would work on a plan to escape Battalion Minor and this new life of deprivation. Although Milli and Ernest were heartened by the children’s new enthusiasm, they could not extinguish their own apprehension as they made their way to the training ground where, no doubt, some new ordeal had been set up for them. Milli and Ernest had not been at Battalion Minor long but they could already see that it was wise to expect the unexpected.

CHAPTER SEVEN
The Exploding Boils
    A huge catapult dominated the desiccated plain where Oslo led the children. The area around was dotted with wine barrels. These were filled with peculiar balls about the size of grapefruits and the colour of autumn leaves that have been quietly decomposing in the gutter for a while. The children were not able to determine exactly what the balls were made of, but the few that had