“We all read the same books. Between us, we must have read half a dozen of them, and we all saw what Jack was talking about.” I snort. “One book even had a step-by-step guide to using sex magic for an energy transference ritual. Apparently, it’s well known in witch circles as a way of increasing their power. Eitherthat or ritual sacrifices. And since we’re all out of virgins around here, I’m happy to make do.”
“Volunteered to help you, did he?” She peers out to smirk at me, her hair full of shampoo suds.
I shake my head, rolling my eyes. “He didn’t.” A smile breaks out across my face. “I’m fairly sure Aster, Kit, and Torin will cover it.”
Frannie pauses, her head snapping in my direction. “Oh, yeah?”
“Let’s talk about something else,” I say, my cheeks growing hot. “This is supposed to be a man-free zone. No men. No men talk. I’ve barely seen you this week. What have I missed?”
I’m still feeling pretty raw about missing the pretty obvious thing that Torin doesn’t have any hands and wondering what else I might have overlooked.
Taking another swig of her drink, Frannie eyes me over the top of it. “One more question, and then we can move on,” she says with a grin. “When are you supposed to do this? Just wondering when I should make myself scarce from my room, since I can’t imagine it’s something I want to overhear through the wall.”
Ah, that’s a good point.
“Tomorrow night,” I tell her, right as my gut gives a nervous twist. “Apparently the moon is perfect for it then, or so Aster says.”
“Or he can’t wait any longer.” She grins again. “All right then, I’ll clear out for the night.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I reply. “Seriously, Frannie, I don’t want to kick you out of your bedroom.”
“And I don’t want to listen to you get railed six ways to Sunday, even if it is for a good cause.” Frannie snorts a laugh, and then we’re both giggling helplessly.
“Fair enough,” I reply, wiping my eyes and sucking in a deep breath to steady myself. “But we can use Torin’s room instead.”
“Who are his neighbours?” she asks. “You know they won’t let you live it down if they hear a peep out of you. I’ll find somewhere to make myself scarce for the evening.”
I reach forward and drop clumsily to my knees in the dirt, pressing a sloppy kiss to her cheek. “Thanks, Fran. I appreciate you.”
“And I appreciate this rum.” She holds up her mug and takes another long gulp. “Say what you like about this bunch, but they know how to pick their booze.”
Snorting, I settle back onto my bum, pulling my knees up to my chest as I lean against the base of a tree. “How are you finding the madhouse?”
“It feels like things have calmed down a bit since Cookie’s birthday,” Frannie replies. “And I’ve never felt so handy. I’ve fixed floorboards, cleaned chimneys, and helped Cookie in the kitchen without losing a finger. For an ogress who never lifted a finger before I left the caves, I’ve impressed myself.” Her black eyes gleam with glee as she speaks. “I even took a trip out on the last supply run.”
“How was it?”
“I got a few odd looks to begin with. But the crew are so much more interesting to look at, so that helped draw people’s attention away. And then I wound up relighting the blacksmith’s forge that had somehow been allowed to go out. Pretty sure I left the town as a hero.”
I reach out to squeeze her on the shoulder. “Proud of you, Frannie.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty proud of myself too.”
“So you’re not bored here?” I ask.
“Oddly enough, I’m not,” she says. “I don’t think there are many here that are.”
I let out a little ‘hah’ before quickly stifling it. “You weren’t on that ship, Fran, I’ve never seen a group of people with a shorter attention span.”
“But there’s always something different to do here,” she says. “Cooking, or counting supplies or heading to the village or working out who’s next to go to the village and then spending hours arguing about it until Captain Finch gets involved. They’re all used to that, but it seems like they’re used to always being on the move too. I think staying in one place is helping them feel settled.
“Meanwhile,” she continues. “I was settling before and now I feel like I’m... recalibrating. Spending the time to work out what it is I want and how I’m going to get there.” She shakes her head. “So, no, I’m not bored.”
“You’re so wise, Frannie,” I squeeze her hand as she chucks me under the chin like a child. “I should probably be doing the same thing. But if you’re recalibrating your compass, it feels like mine’s spinning around and round. I have no clue where it’ll eventually land, and right now it doesn’t feel like it’s going to stop spinning anytime soon.”
She squeezes my shoulder before bending at the waist so she’s right in my face. “It’s been a big upheaval, for you especially.”
Because of Noush, she means.
