Steampunk Carnival (Steam World Book 1) by Cassandra Leuthold Page B

bigger so it’s easier for certain people to win a prize.”
    “What sorts of people?”
    “I can’t give them to children very often. If they all start winning prizes, people will get suspicious. Mr. Warden’s very strict about that.”
    The rule seemed to pain him to say it, but Katya could not tell if it was the name or the restriction that stuck in his throat.
    The game runner flipped the rings over in his hands. “I usually give them to a parent or sometimes the man in a young couple so he can win a prize for his lady.”
    “That’s very kind of you.”
    The game runner shrugged. “More suggestions from Mr. Warden.”
    Katya studied the game runner. She had never stood this close to him before or paid him this much attention. He was younger than his beard and the unruly hair escaping his hat made him look from a distance. Katya realized she had mistaken him for five or ten years older. Whether he was younger or older than Mr. Warden, she could not guess.
    “Do you want to play?” he asked.
    Katya nodded. The game runner stepped aside, and Katya bought Magdalene’s plan a few more minutes. She edged up as close to the counter as she could.
    The game runner smirked good-naturedly. “I can’t let you lean over the counter.”
    Katya inched back. “What’s the point in rules if the whole game is rigged?” She tossed the rings one at a time, each ring bouncing off the bottles before she tried the next one with no success. “I’m a horrible aim, aren’t I?”
    “Try these.” The game runner offered her the larger set of rings.
    “Do these really work?” Katya made sure she was not bowing over the counter and tossed the first ring. It danced around one of the bottles’ lips before diving to the side. Katya whooped with delight and steadied herself before she tried again. The ring landed around one of the bottles on the right. “It only took me five tries.”
    “Some people never get it.”
    Katya handed the final ring to the game runner. “How do you keep all the rings straight?”
    “It takes a practiced eye for slight variations in diameter.” The game runner collected the rings from the ground, the table, and the bottle’s neck. He put them away under the counter. “There are several sets down here. Sometimes a customer asks for another set if he thinks the ones he has are rigged. I have to give him another identical set, or he’ll know they are.” The game runner stored the bottles away.
    “You haven’t worked here the whole time the carnival’s been open, have you?” Katya asked, trying to remember.
    “No, miss. It was open a few months before I came here.”
    “Do you know what happened to the man you replaced?”
    The game runner adjusted the fit of his hat. “I don’t know exactly. I offered to work dirt cheap because I needed the job, and within a few days, there was this opening for me.”
    Katya stopped herself from asking more questions. She sighed gratefully as Magdalene breezed up to her side.
    “Good evening, Miss Harvey,” the game runner greeted her.
    “Good evening.” Magdalene brushed sweaty curls back from her forehead. “How are you?”
    “I’m fine, miss. And you?”
    “Fine, thank you. I’m glad you’re still here. We wanted to talk to you.”
    The game runner raised his eyebrows, but he did not look completely surprised. “Oh? What about?”
    “We found something we think might belong to you. We found a notebook full of plans for the carnival.”
    The game runner’s mouth dropped open, his composed facade breaking quickly. He wiped his sleeve at his forehead. “You found the journal.”
    “So it’s yours?”
    The game runner motioned with his hand for her to keep her voice down. “We can’t talk about this here. Would you be willing to meet with me?”
    Magdalene nodded.
    “Do you know the church St. John the Evangelist? They’ve been leaving their doors open to the homeless at night. We can talk in there.”
    “Yes. Mr. Davies will take