Page 22 of The Lost Fae
"That's the grease. I’ve never had any issues before." I wave his comment off. "Do Fae not eat hamburgers?"
"Maybe not in this exact fashion...Because as we may find later, thisgreasedoesn’t sit well with us."
"Doesn’t sit well for humans either, but they adapt! Mmm, if humans have done one thing right it's perfecting the art of junk food. Not so good for you, but oh so tasty." I think back to all the suppers I've had with the Fae. "You lot seem to stick to the basics of meat and vegetables. Good for your body, but lacking in foodgasms."
"Food--Foodgasms?" Lincoln coughs on the burger.
"It's like an orgasm in your mouth."
"I want that," he says all too quickly before he gets kind of quiet. "Someday."
"I can't wait to show you all the new cool human things you have yet to explore. I can't believe you never ate a burger before."
Once we get out of this place...
We both look at each other, chewing in silence. The conversation coming to a close as we finish eating. The fear of never leaving grows in the back of our minds, always there.
Only when Johanna strolls from the captain’s quarters and stands in front of us, with her hands planted on two swords that hang from her waist does the feeling quell.
"It's getting late. If you two would like to sleep somewhere that isn't so uncomfortable you better mosey on down those stairs." She points to our right. "And find yourself a couple bunks. Captain has ordered the crew not to touch or bother you unless you make the first move. So if I were you, I'd be on my best behavior. Some of these women are just looking for a reason to stab a Fae."
"What a good way to say thank you." I give her a fake grin and blink up at her.
Johanna moves on with a shrug, leaving me and Lincoln alone again. We stand up in silence and head for the stairs. Both of us give the sky one last look as we descend into the hull, trying to capture its beauty and serenity in our minds forever. I doubt anything in the human realm could ever be as beautiful as this.
Six
Sweet Nothings
Under the topdeck there are only three rooms. The stairs descend into the largest of the three, putting us in the sleeping quarters. Bunk beds are screwed into the walls, and hammocks hang from the ceiling. There is a small hallway that extends to two smaller rooms, both closed off with their own doors.
Lincoln and I don't bother to venture and explore. These pirates already hardly trust the Fae, and we aren't looking for any reason for them to choose not to take us to the queen. So we keep our eyes pointed down and look for a place to sleep. After a minute of weaving in-between the beds, some filled with sleeping humans, we find two in the corner, empty and covered in dust. I wonder if Ellie had slept here before she ran off with the Fae bandits while I shake the dirty covers and climb into the bed.
The beds creak as Lincoln hoists his weight into the top bunk. The fraction of my mind that likes to worry more than anything else offers me the image of the bed collapsing on top of me. Not a fitting ending to this life. Lincoln's rumble of laughter repeats inside my mind as he considers the possibility as well. Though he finds it much more preposterous than my mind does.
I tuck the blanket under my chin and sigh. My body is curled to fit on the bed that I'm much too tall for. The mattress is thin and lumpy filled with what I imagine is hay that clumps annoyingly, but if I shift just right, I can place it in such a way it almost...almost feels like support for my back. This has to be better than the upper deck...
When I close my eyes, I realize how tired my body is. I swear I can already hear Lincoln snoring. At some point, his snores and the ocean that beats against the boat become background noise that pulls me into slumber.
In my sleep, there aren't any dreams. I close my eyes half expectant to see Lincoln in The Shadow Fae Court, in that big mansion with Cordelia and Bellion with his poison. Perhaps nothing is the better alternative.
My eyes open only as the ship lurches. Sunlight filters through a small oval window and shines down on my face. Every blink makes my eyes ache, wishing they were still closed. But a roaring cheer fills the air and the boat rocks again.
Nervously, I realize that all the beds are sloppily made and no one else is around. I sit up, my forehead making contact with the underside of Lincoln's bunk. My skull bounces off the bed with a crack and I cradle my forehead with a groan.
"Are you okay? You hit your head so hard you woke me up andmyfucking forehead hurts." Lincoln swings his legs over the edge of his bed.
I smack his boots, making his legs swing gently. "The boat’s moving."
"Hmm." He slips off the bed, landing loudly on the floor before sauntering toward the tiny window and pressing his face against it. "That it is. Guess they didn't need our help pushing the boat off the shore then. That's for the best, I didn't want to chance them leaving us."
"Why would we leave you?" Captain Beatrice grins at the bottom of the stairs. She holds her arms out at her side and fists her hands making her leather gloves squeak.
"You got the boat working." Lincoln casually walks between us and leans on another bunk.
"Our engineer worked all through the night and the wind came to our aid first thing this morning!" She claps her hands together, rubbing her palms. "Use the door on your right and find you both some warm clothing. As the day goes on, we'll lose the heat as we head for the queen. And as much as my crew has enjoyed admiring a fine species such as yourself..." she points to Lincoln's bare chest. "your nipples will damn near freeze off if you don't cover them. We have so much celebrating to do!"
"What kind of celebrating?" I shift from under the top bunk, careful this time not to hit my head.
