3. Belle #2
When I don’t respond, she rolls her eyes and carries on. “You’re apparently the last living pixie—the last born with magic in your blood.”
“Do you mean like a fairy? Like from fairytales?”
She shrugs. “I've heard the word on my travels, although we call them pixies in our realm.”
“But I don’t have wings.”
“Wings were bred out centuries ago. We can only hope your blood provides enough power for a reasonable price.”
“Okay, lady, I don’t know what’s going on, but I think you’ve got the wrong girl. I’m not a fairy.”
“Pixie. Haven’t you ever experienced unexplainable abilities? Powers?”
Memories climb the ridges of my mind. From hotwiring cars to bringing broken batteries back to life, I’ve always had uncanny luck when it came to electronics.
But of course, those could all be explained by science.
I don’t know shit about the subject, but if I did, I could find a realistic explanation, anything other than this.
“No,” I respond, because I want out of these allegations.
She shakes her head. “We tested your blood already.” She grabs my hand, holding up my arm to reveal a small cut on my wrist. It’s new, despite the scab.
I’ve always been impressively capable at healing.
I blamed tough skin, but now I’m questioning everything.
“Captain gargled it, and his rotten tooth was good as new.”
“Someone gargled my blood?” I hold my stomach and dry heave. She might think I’m a pixie, but right now, I have a suspicion I’m aboard a ship of blood-sucking vampires or cannibals. I remember her mentioning something about my price, and a new wave of panic straightens my spine. “Why am I here?”
She faces the port, coming into view. Men scurry around on a wooden dock, preparing to secure our vessel. “Lord Pan is the current ruler of Neverhaven. He hired us to fetch you, track you down through the realms. The more powerful you are, the bigger our payout, so be on your best behavior.”
“Fuck that. You want me to just accept being sold to some king of your realm? To be on my best behavior?” I press against her, rising on my tippy-toes to appear taller. “I will scratch anyone’s eyes out who touches me. They’ll have to kill me before I lie down and take it.”
She takes a step back, smirking. “Good luck with your pride. You’re going to need it.” She winks before jumping off the box and skipping away from me.
The absence of her presence weighs heavily. I wanted to punch the bitch, but now, as I draw the eyes of the men around me, I wish she’d return to my side. Serena glances over her shoulder before picking up her pace, running before jumping onto a hanging rope and climbing to the top of the sail.
I might have dismissed her too quickly. She didn’t have to vaguely answer my questions.
She could have been toying with me, or she could have been offering me a shred of insight before I’m off to my demise.
I want to pull her back and question more, specifically about the blood harvest she mentioned, but I think my time is gone as I can’t find her amongst the ramble on the ship.
Perhaps Neverhaven isn’t much different than my world.
Maybe women here must play a part to survive.
I may have mistaken her small kindness for cruelty.
A man, seemingly taller than the rest, walks toward me, his face familiar, except his teeth lack the brownish hue from when I saw him last. It’s the pirate who captured me, and I doubt he’ll offer me riddles like Serena, probably take more of me to cure his other ailments, and from the look of his patchy skin and the scars lining his face, I bet he has an enormous amount.
There’s still a gap between the boat and the dock, the endless blue sky down below, but I think I can make it.
I’ve never questioned whether I had magical abilities, but now I’m about to put all my faith into them.
I climb the side of the railing, looking over the edge.
I’ve jumped out of windows plenty of times, but I’m pretty sure there’s no chance of surviving if I don’t make this leap.
Surprisingly, no one yells from behind me.
I turn back around. A few men stop what they’re doing to watch.
The Captain stands several paces away, arms crossed over his chest with a smirk on his face.
Do they not believe I’ll jump? Time to prove them wrong.
I take one big inhale before bending my knees.
Except I don’t. I freeze before falling backward onto the unforgiving wooden deck.
What the fuck?
“See, you’re testing out your Darling for us, eh? Good to see the blood bond worked.”
I stare up at the wrinkled man peering over me.
He bends down, wrapping his spidery fingers around my black collar.
“This beauty won’t let you hurt one of us, or your new owners.
It also won’t let ye escape. I’d save the attempts.
You’ll garner a higher price without bruising yer bum anymore.
Lord Pan wanted you in prime condition.” He smiles before yanking at the collar, pulling me upward.
I sputter into a coughing fit once I’m back on my feet, leaning over to fight against the pain in my throat. “Well, I’m sure that will leave a mark, jackass,” I seethe, crouching with my hands holding me up on my knees.
He chuckles, grabbing my chin and leading me upright.
“A wonder the Lord let you keep your tongue. Perhaps he fancies beating the fire out on his own.” He grabs my shoulder, turning me around toward the view.
I take in the port town before me—cobbled roads, stone buildings with windows drawn.
People looking as human as I, bustle around in clothing set from another time, another world.
“Yer finally home, back to the destiny where you belong. Say hello to Neverhaven.” Perhaps in another narrative, that sentiment might be the start of a fairytale.
For me, it’s just the precursor of a nightmare I’m not waking up from.