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I would have complained before I learned about Dyande, but now that we knew, Esther and I were reluctantly okay with just chilling out while he visited his mate. It sounded like there time together was rare and finite. I wondered how they made it work, all that long distance had to take a toll.
But then, that was likely why they were a-okay with three intruders in their home. I noticed that they weren’t very affectionate. Hadn’t been really since Dyande came running up to him at the pier. They talked a lot, their communication skills seemed somewhat good, but either they weren’t into PDA, or they just weren’tintoit. Know what I mean?
I felt kind of guilty for crashing their party, but Lyv could have told us about that at any time. He chose not to and brought us here anyway.
Still, by nightfall, I was ready to head back to the ship just in case they were holding back for our sake. The two of them didn’t make it easy. Dyande kept insisting that we stay and Lyv didn’t have much of an opinion either way.
She convinced us to eat a meal before heading out and that was at least worth the awkwardness because it was more than justfish. There was a leafy vegetable and some kind of root. All of it had a distinctive salty taste that could only come from the ocean, but it was hot food, cooked well, and was a huge step up from the raw fish we’d been eating on the ship.
Also, during this quiet little dinner, Albert found out the surface of the planet was entirely water.
“No land masses?” Albert asked, clearly fascinated.
Lyv shook his head. “Not since the great flood have we seen land.”
“How long ago was that?” I asked, swallowing a mouthful of bittersweet tea.
Lyv shrugged, relaxing back with a pat to his stomach. “Long before our lifetime.”
“Fascinating,” Albert murmured, settling in to learn all he could about Vyessa.
For me, I was pretty stuck on imagining a world with no land. For a girl that couldn’t swim, it wasalarmingto say the least.
We finally convinced Lyv to take us back after hugging Dyande goodbye. Truthfully, I was kind of sad. She was pretty cool. Sweet and very honest, a very refreshing change of pace. I knew it was unlikely we’d ever see her again, or the floating city of Lyessa, so I soaked it all in on the long walk back.
At night, candlelight lined the bobbing walkways, the stars and moons illuminating the buildings that were much taller than the huts. It was chillier than when we’d arrived so we couldn’t linger too long, but it was so beautiful that it was difficult to climb back aboard the little raft that would take us to the ship.
“We’ve got it from here,” I told Lyv. “Stay with your mate.”
Lyv stood on the raft, eyeing the three of us warily. “Go straight to your room.”
“Go one,” Esther shooed him. “We are perfectly capable on our own.” Albert didn’t seem so convinced, likely still mulling over the news that the captain had plans to sell us.
There wasn’t much we could do about that though. And for some reason, I wasn’t freaking out over it anymore. There was a part of me that didn’t really believe he’d go through with it. And that part was steadily growing since learning about his past.
Didn’t mean Arys was going to walk away scot-free. I had a few words for that guy, and I’d bet Albert had even more.
Lyv waited for the three of us to enter through the door that led to the crew’s quarters before I heard him gently begin rowing back to the pier. It was eerie being on the boat with most of the crew gone. It was quiet. Our footsteps echoed through the hall.
So it was a surprise when I found Arys leaning against our door. He startled Albert, who marched in front of Esther and stood tall in a protective stance. Arys seemed just as surprised, he stiffened, the tips of his pointy ears flushing in that way they often did around me.
He then did this awkward sidestep, half-bow, half-curtest thing before grimacing and settling into a stiff stance that was trying way too hard to appear relaxed. The faker.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest. I didn’t miss the way his eyes dropped to my breasts smooshed together in the black singlet.
Clearing his throat, he tore his eyes away to stare up at the ceiling, shaking his head as if clearing it. “Here as in, my ship? Or here, as in, right here?” He waved casually at the floor and Esther smothered a laugh.
“He’s not very subtle, is he?”
Albert wasn’t having any of it. “Leave.”
Arys blinked, his lip twitching as he examined Albert’s fierce scowl and fisted hands. “I’ve killed males for far less offences.”
Albert didn’t seem fazed by the softly spoken threat. “We’ve been made aware of your nefarious plans.”
Esther and I both blinked, watching Albert single handedly confront the intimidating captain. He sounded a little like Velma fromScooby-Doo,but he totally made it work for him.
Arys’ reaction to this bold statement was just as compelling. The flush he was sporting spread down into his cheeks and then his thick neck and his eyes revealed a little bit of shame, but his lips quirked, and he seemed almostimpressed.
