Page 46 of Fate and Flame
“You’re a prisonerandyou’re a servant?”
“All of the lesser fae in the sea are either soldiers or servants. Isn’t it that way up there also?”
I hesitated, but what harm could answering a question bring? “In some places, I suppose.”
“I have to go now,” she said, abruptly straightening. “I’ll bring you something nice for lunch.”Again, she slipped out of the room.
She was a servant, but she was obviously able to come and go through the castle. That was enough to become an ally as far as I was concerned. I waited and waited for her to return, and, reaching a new level of boredom, I tasted the fish. It was awful. But she had tried. She had given me some kind of crunchy seasoned vegetable that wasn’t bad.
Hours later, could have been forty-two days for all I knew, she returned bringing another tray of food.
“Can you stay longer?” I asked.
“Only a bit. I’ve got rounds to make. I work for the kitchens and deliver the private meals around the castle.”
“Do they always feed their prisoners so well?”
She shook her head slowly, the water pulling her in waves “Not all of them. You are special though. You’re not here to die.”
“That’s only because the queen is an idiot,” I mumbled.
She beamed so brightly the radius of her soft golden light doubled. “You shouldn’t talk like that, though it is nice to hear from someone else’s mouth.”
“Do you have friends?” I asked casually as I shoved whatever was on the tray into my mouth and swallowed whole so I wouldn’t have to taste it.
“Oh yes. There are lots of servants within the castle to talk to when we are allowed.”
“Good gods, what is this?” I held up the slimy mass that was on the tray.
“Oh, that is very good. It’s a mollusk. The red ones are my favorite.”
“Mmm,” I said with wide eyes the size of a Grendel’s ass as I looked down to the oozing creature in my hand.
“Try it.” She smiled, nodding her head like she was excited to prove me wrong.
“You first.” I held it out to her.
“Oh, I couldn’t take your lunch from you.”
“I don’t mind.”
She grabbed the sea slug from my hand, ripped it into two, and shoved half into her mouth. She closed her eyes and shook her bottom until she swallowed.
“Your turn.” She handed me the other half, leaning in, waiting for me to eat it as she bit her bottom lip in an attempt to hide her excitement.
I closed my eyes and shoved it into my mouth, instantly gagging as I swallowed. The thick, salty slime trailed slowly down my throat.
“I told you.” She clapped, as if the look on my face was contentment and not absolute torture.
“What is your name?” I cleared my throat and wondered what would happen if I vomited at the bottom of the ocean.
“Leora.”
“I’m Ara.”
“I know. All the servants are talking about you and how you aren’t afraid of the queen.”
“She is far less intimidating in her land form. That’s for sure.”
