Page 3 of Surfaces
Unlike my sister, I didn’t enjoy risk.
Ugh.My chest lurched uncomfortably, and even though my heart wasn’t present, my emotions still erupted from that spot like a phantom limb, spreading over my body and prickling. I rubbed at my chest bone, trying to get the sensation to die down. “I thought I wasn’t supposed to have feelings once I gave my heart away.”
"Let me grab the x-ray fish and we’ll just confirm that my spell actually worked, and your heart is gone," Lizza said before turning back to her bag. She dug into the battered black leather, and an alarming number of sounds erupted from within—including a wail that sounded much like a small child.
“You mean you’re not sure it’s gone?” I sat forward on the bed in a panic.
“I meant what I said. I want to check,” the crotchety old mage shot back as her hand dug into the bag.
Oh, well then. That’s reassuring. Thanks, Lizza,I spat back. But only inside my head.
Lizza pulled out a small glass jar, the lid sealed on with wax. Inside, layered and tightly packed, were at least forty x-ray fish. Their translucent bodies revealed their backbones and bits of organs. Lizza deftly broke the seal with a large knife and then pried off the lid. Immediately, the charming scent of dead fish floated around the room, carried by the current.
My nose wrinkled and my stomach jumped in rebellion as Lizza stomped forward with the jar, eyes set grimly on me.
“That looks disgusting.”
“Probably tastes worse than it looks,” she replied. “Now, head back, mouth open,” she ordered gruffly.
My stomach sank, though as soon as I’d seen the jar, I’d been expecting bad news. Lizza’s magic always seemed to involve eating something horrid. I had a feeling she was secretly a sadist and enjoyed a bit of torture alongside her magic. “Only one, right?”
“Just swallow,” the mage replied, holding the rim near my lips.
Not the answer I wanted.
Suddenly, my tongue was coated in a thick slime interrupted by the occasional scratch of a fish scale. But, to my utter shock and amazement, once I got past the strange texture, the taste was … strawberries and cinnamon. I could almost imagine it was jam if I ignored some of the textures. It was surprisingly sweet, almost delicious even. I swallowed once, trying not to inhale through my nose so that the scents couldn’t call my taste buds liars. If these fish didn’t taste like strawberry jam, I really didn’t want to know. I couldn’t hurl. I was certain that if I puked these nasty creatures up Lizza would have a fit and then make me eat them second-hand off the floor.
The undead woman didnotmess around when it came to magic.
The second swallow I took was even worse than the first because the scent of decay finally hit me when I had to breathe. Immediately, I gagged and had to fist my hands in my golden hair as I swallowed.
“Please,” I begged after the third swallow.
“Anything. My kingdom. You can have it. Just no more.”
But Lizza was relentless. Perhaps her heart had rotted along with her skin. She made me finish theentire jar.
By the time I felt the last little fin flop down my throat, I desperately shoved past her for the pitcher of bubble that perched on my nightstand. It was supposed to be for washing, but I grabbed the glazed clay handle and tilted it back to chug down all of the contents trying desperately to rid my mouth of the awful film coating it.
When I set down the pitcher and stared into the mirror, I gave a startled cry. I hadn’t looked at myself thoroughly since I’d returned to my quarters. I was expecting to look a fright. What I was not expecting was for Lizza’s spell to work instantly. Eating the enchanted x-ray fish had turned my pale skin translucent from the waist up. My gold hair seemed to float eerily just above my skull. My wide violet eyes now blinked oddly in their eye sockets, pink muscles flexing each time my gaze changed direction. I reached up to touch the cartilage of my nose only to be distracted by the muscles and veins in my hands. My skin was as clear as the tips of the betta fish fins that sprouted like fairy wings on my back.
“Holy sarding shite,” I whispered. “This is scary.”
Lizza rolled her eyes. Or attempted to. It appeared as though one of her eye muscles no longer worked properly, and so one eye just bounced from side to side eerily for a second before popping back into focus. “You need to see a bit more of the world if you still think body parts are scary.”
I turned a little to my right, staring down at my left pectoral muscle and trying to see if I could tell if my heart still lay underneath. I couldn’t, though I could see the steady surge in my veins. My blood was pumping ... where was the source? I turned further and leaned forward as I tried to gaze between my ribs.
“Is it really gone?” I asked as Lizza bent down near me.
She only hummed in reply. But then her fingers prodded at my ribs as she shoved aside my slinky top to get a better look.
"Ack, too many muscles in the way," she muttered before turning away and shuffling back to her bag of doom.
“I’m full. Stuffed. I can’t eat anything else,” I called out futilely.
“Only a man’s testicle, no big deal this time,” she replied.
I clenched my teeth together, uncertain if she was joking.
