Page 35 of The Lost Fae
"We've taken to strolling the halls at night to make sure everything is as it should be." Captain Beatrice places her hand on the hilt of the sword on her belt. "A gift to our gracious queen who has been so kind to host us for the night. She was so pleased to meet you... but her opinion may change come morning."
All it takes is the smallest tip of her chin, and the gang of pirates run forward and seize me by my arms. Their fingers dig into my skin. Even without moving, I can tell how easily it will be to slip from their grip. I focus on my breathing and only offer them a look of confusion.
"Sorry, I wasn't aware that I was a prisoner here—” I say it calmly, but as soon as the words leave my lips I sling the humans off my arms without half a thought. Their bodies smack against the stone, most of them emitting small shrieks or deep groans. I don't wait for them to stand back up before I lunge forward and snatch Captain Beatrice's sword right out of the scabbard on her hip.
Johanna is on her feet before any of the others. But she's not fast enough to stop me as I slip behind the captain and hold the blade against her throat. Beatrice chuckles. I hold the weapon a little closer, more snugly against her skin, so that if she so much as swallows it would draw a thin line of blood.
"I wasn't aware that I was a prisoner here. No one told me they expected me to stay in my room all night." I lick my lips. "Why would I stay in my room when there is so much here to admire? Like that lovely fountain outside."
"If you hurt the captain, we'll all take turns running our blades through your blackened Fae heart," Johanna hisses, lifting her ax toward me.
Even after spending days sailing with them, even after drinking and dancing with them, they still harbor so much hate for the Fae simply because of their feud with the bandits. It's sad, really.
"Oh, there will be no need for me to hurt Captain Beatrice. Because we're friends, aren’t we?" I loosen the sword just enough to allow her to speak.
"I'm not sure I'm in a position to argue that point," she deadpans. Even behind her nonchalance and apathy I can feel the rush of her pulse as it races from our contact. I even go so far as to touch her thoughts just to feel the swell of fear inside of her.
"So what I'm hearing is that you in fact did not see me out in the hallway... I've been in my room all night and I know nothing. Correct?" I lower my face to her ear speaking so only Captain Beatrice can hear me. "If I wake in the morning to find out that any member of your crew has snitched on me, I'll personally rip their organs out and knit them into a fancy scarf for you to wear on your journey home."
I don't even know how to knit but she doesn't need to know that.
I clear my throat. "Correct?" I ask again.
"We... saw...nothing," she seethes. I swear heat is rushing off her skin as her fear spikes and anger grows. Humans are loyal. Humans care. Captain Beatrice loves her crew as they love her. It's one of the many wonderful things about humanity. And one of the best ways that I can use her to my advantage.
"Good." I lift the sword from her neck and take a step back. My grip tightens on the weapon. "And I'll be taking this with me for safe keeping."
I let the blade drag against the ground, scratching with the sound of nails on a chalkboard. With a flick of my wrist, I toss my hair over my shoulder and give them a snarky smirk. I know it isn't wise to offer your enemy your back, but I can't get over the image of myself walking into the shadows with the sword running over every uneven stone in the floor behind me. So I turn until I know my figure is shrouded in darkness. Not a single pirate dares to move. Though every eye remains on me, burning into my shoulder blades.
I feel like such a badass right now. Oh, my God. Total movie moment.
As soon as I'm certain I'm no more than a blob of blackness in between the spaced out lanterns, I up my speed. Moving with the unearthly grace and speed of the Fae, I'm nothing more than a blur in their vision. I only slow when I reach our bedroom door.
I lift Beatrice's blade up in the air and usher myself in. The door slams much louder than I intend as I lean against it.
Lincoln's hand immediately reaches for the space that I had been laying in before he jumps to his feet. He looks from the bedding to the door to the sword I have pointed between us.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Adventuring..." My body trembles with jolts of adrenaline, but I still give him a calm teasing smile.
"Where did you, uh, get that sword?" His accent dips, his voice raspy with sleep. He narrows his gaze on me.
"I ran into Captain Beatrice and her crew in the hallway."
I lower the sword and prop it against the door frame. I hug my arms across my chest, chewing my lips as Lincoln glares at me with his unapproving look. He takes a swaggering step forward.
"Oh? How did that go?"
"Fine."
"I'm offended you didn't bring me along." He takes another step closer and reaches for my arms. He undoes the hold I have on myself and examines me from head to toe with a calculating eye.
"I didn't want to wake you," I whisper, though there isn't any reason to be quiet. "You were very exhausted."
"And now I'm very annoyed." He moves quickly, inhaling sharply as the gap between us shrinks. Both arms plant firmly on either side of me. The tip of his nose runs along the tendons in my neck, his lips grazing over my jaw before he stops with his mouth by mine.
I peck his lips quickly, dropping down and side stepping him. "Relax. I used to do it all the time."
