Page 52 of Knave

Ferris

The Jabberwocky’s cry shook the ground beneath Ferris the very moment his body was no longer stone. He gasped for a breath, finally able to fill his lungs, and leapt up to stand beside Mouse, pulling her close. He’d heard every word the fae had spoken and wasn’t sure exactly how they were meant to help these two fuckers. A sea witch? Bullshit.

But he’d think on the conversation as soon as they figured out where the beast was. Not a beast—a cursed fae. Whatever the fuck he was, the Jabberwocky would eat each and every one of them if given the chance. The sky was still free of danger, even though the beast’s screech had echoed from a distance.

“Ferris, I presume,” Tik-Tok said, then held up a golden compass. The face looked normal enough with the usual north, south, east, and west, but it emitted a soft golden glow. And, instead of pointing north, the needle aimed in the same direction from where the Jabberwocky’s sounds had come. “Andthatwould be Pipt.”

“Yes, that’s the Jabberwocky,” Mouse confirmed.

“Here, take this.” Tik-Tok tossed a black vial at Ferris without looking up from his compass.

Ferris caught it and rolled the glass between his fingers. Even though the fae’s blood pumping in their veins had an intoxicating smell, he had no desire to lay a single fang in them. “I’m not going to bite you.”

“Nevertheless,” Tik-Tok quipped.

Bloody hell.Was he really going to ingest mystery blood just to humor this asshat? But Mouse had drank it, so that meant he would risk it. Only for her. Popping the top off with his thumb, he sniffed it.Fruity.Tempting… Ah, fuck it. He tipped the contents into his mouth and swallowed the thick liquid. Savory, alluring, and it sated his hunger completely.

Tin held out his hand to Ferris. “Dagger.”

“What?” He wasn’t giving up the dagger to this conceited looking fucker—especially not now. The fae claimed to want their help but Ferris wasn’t about to lower his guard before he was sure of them. Not after having survived in the Ruby Heart Palace where trust didn’t exist. “Fuck you.”

“Fuckyou,” Tin retorted. “That’s a fae blade and iron hurts like a bitch. I won’t risk you using it on one of us.”

“Well, now that I know it’s extra effective against you…” Ferris tucked it into his belt and offered a smile, his fangs bared. He cast a glance at the axe over Tin’s shoulder. “Besides, you already have a weapon.”

“Play nice, you two.” Tik-Tok pulled his satchel off and held it out to Mouse without looking away from his compass. “What we need is in here.”

“And you want me to carry it?” she asked.

“Your paramour can, if you prefer it.”

“No, it’s fine.” Mouse grabbed the leather bag and tilted her head at Ferris in confusion. When Tik-Tok released it, her arms dropped from the unexpected weight.

“It’s spelled to carry more than its size and helps lighten the load,” Tin explained, though no one questioned it.

“I’ve got it.” Ferris took the bag from Mouse—not because she couldn’t carry it but because it was the gentlemanly thing to do—and swung it over his shoulder.Damn.It had to weigh almost as much as he did—if this waslightened, what the fuck was in there? Lifting the flap, he peered inside to find a ludicrous amount of large, heavy-linked chains. He picked up a section to test its weight and his brows rose. “That’s a good fucking spell,” he mumbled to himself. Just one of the links had to be around nineteen kilos.

Tin released a sharp breath. “It’s beginner magic.”

Well, la-de-fucking-da.“So, what’s the plan then? Because I hate to break it to you, but chains won’t do shite against the Jabberwocky.”

Tin’s nostrils flared when he looked down at the chain in Ferris’s hands. “Those are iron chains, dumbass.”

“And they will do jack-shit,” Ferris said again.

Tin tilted his head and tapped the metal trailing over his cheek, wincing. Twisting silver lines covered most of his right cheek. If iron hurt fae so much, why would this fae imbed it on his cheek? Unless it wasn’t there by choice...

“It will do plenty against a fae,” Tin said in a low voice.

“That’s where you two come in,” Tik-Tok interjected. “Tin and I will distract Pipt. You’ll immobilize him with the chains, just long enough for me to turn him to stone.” He snapped his fingers. “Then voila. Cured.”

“Just like that?” Mouse asked in disbelief.

“I may have skipped a few minor details.” He glanced at Tin, his red eyes alight with mischief. “Are we moving out or do you prefer to stand here all day?”

Tin hefted his double-sided axe back onto his shoulder. “The sooner we get this over with, the better.”

Ferris couldn’t agree more.

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