Part 16 (1/2)

I laugh. ”Yeah, shoes.”

He gives one low bow to my grandfather, takes off his baseball cap, and shakes his matted brown hair. ”From the members of Betwixt, a gracious farewell. From myself, a wicked awesome good time.” He jogs back to the s.h.i.+p, his boots sending up clouds of sand behind him.

Kurt and I turn to my grandfather. I don't know what to say, really. I want to stay longer and ask him to tell me everything. I've never had a grandfather. I've watched Layla with her two grandfathers, both of them tiny and wielding their canes like angry swords and giving her money to put into a college savings fund. When you grow up without grandparents, it's like you're missing a link to a past you didn't even care you had until you have to sort through it to understand who you are. I want to know, and there is too much to know.

My grandfather's enormous hands come down on our shoulders. ”You're both in very good company.” He walks back through the trees until my eyes can't follow.

Her name was Lola-”

We're sailing in the warm night breeze. Marty's singing at me.

”She was a showgirl-”

Layla and Thalia are getting navigation lessons from Arion, who is clearly smitten with the two prettiest girls in the whole world.

”Marty?”

”Yeah?”

”Don't forget who has a new, s.h.i.+ny dagger in his backpack.”

Marty makes a zipper motion over his lips and leans back against a wooden barrel, wriggling his toes. His heavy, black leather boots are beside him, along with his s.h.i.+rt and his hat. He calls out, ”Hey, Arion!”

Arion pulls on the braided ropes and sails, and swings as close to us as the black ropes that bind him will allow.

”What is it now, Master Marty?”

”I like that. Master Marty. Sounds official. So you got any more of that seaweed ale? It's not so bad now. The gra.s.sy aftertaste kind of goes away.”

Arion's cool composure is evaporating. His bushy black eyebrows furrow. ”There's more below deck. Please, have as much as you'd like. Just beware of the urchin brothers.”

At the mention of the little urchin guys, Marty shakes his head and leans back. ”I think I'm good. Are we there yet?”

”Soon. Very soon,” the captain says, turning back to his post. I think he mumbles something like Not nearly soon enough.

”Yo, Kurtomawhatsis?” says Marty.

”Just Kurt is fine,” Kurt says.

”What's your story, man? Why does the king trust you so much?”

Kurt shrugs. ”My father was on his council. My father built the Gla.s.s Palace. My mother was part of the queen's court when she was still alive. She was like a sister to Lady Maia, Tristan's mother.”

”Ahh. 'Splains it.”

”What's your story?” Kurt asks in return. I don't know if it's the seaweed ale, which is as good as it sounds, or if he's just gotten comfortable, but Kurt is almost friendly. ”What are you? I can't smell you, and the king already a.s.serted that you're not human. You're no vampire or werewolf. You're no fey. You're not a witch.”

”There are a bajillion otherworldly creatures out there, Kurt, my man. Maybe I'm a mega-vampire-werewolf-creature mix with fairy powers!” Marty tries to stand, but we hit a small wave and he falls back.

”Not nearly as cunning,” Kurt whispers to me. ”Besides, the ale affects you like a human.”

Marty taps his temples with his index finger and winks at us. ”Smart man.”

”But you're not human,” I repeat.

”Yes, Champion Tristan Hart.”

”Stop drinking that s.h.i.+t. It got Layla in enough trouble.”

And there she walks into the conversation. My foot tastes rather nasty.

”How was I supposed to know I was drinking a mermaid roofie? I won, didn't I?”

I think of Elias's fiancee. The black film over her eyes. Kurt said not all mermaids have powers. Maybe it was just the light. But how else could Elias lose?

”I thought you were dead meat, ladybird,” Marty says, pulling her down so that she sits on his lap. I don't know what it is about Marty, but he's easy to be comfortable with. She doesn't even smack him the way she would've smacked Angelo or one of the boys.

”I don't know what you were thinking,” Kurt says, ”challenging Elias like that. And you. You're a champion. There are things you're not supposed to do. It's a wonder the entire court didn't get into an uproar.”

”Oh, they had an uproar,” Layla goes. ”Your grandfather just put an end to it right away. After two of the guards pulled you out, another two went back to look for Elias. No one knew what happened. His girlfriend was screaming, 'I want him dead! I want revenge!' about you and went crazy.”

”She's hot, too hot for a creep like Elias,” Marty says.

”Does she have any magic?” I wiggle my fingers.

”No. It would've been common knowledge if her family still had magics. The king decreed that those who still do must make it known.” Kurt eyes me curiously. ”Why do you ask?

”No reason.”

Thalia swings from the mast deck to the main deck on a rope. She crashes between her brother and me. ”She's not very nice. Then again, I wouldn't be nice either if my father had promised me to marry Elias.”

Part of me feels ashamed. I know I didn't like Elias. But I didn't kill him. He was alive. I know he was. h.e.l.l, if he hadn't pa.s.sed out, he would've probably killed me.

”Did you tell them what you are yet?” Thalia says, looking from Marty to us.

His eyes go wide and he stares at her. ”That's so uncool, ladybird.”

Thalia giggles, her green hair flying all over my face as we ride against a small wave and strong wind.

”Well?” I'm waiting.

”I'm not going to tell you.” Thalia puts a finger to her lips.

Marty looks more relieved.

”It's not my fault I'm cleverer than you all.” Thalia stands. She holds on to the side of the s.h.i.+p and looks out at the night. The barely there sliver of moon casts a silver glow on the water. There's a dark mound out there that must be Coney Island. She looks back at us over one shoulder and winks. She pulls her s.h.i.+rt over her head and pulls her puffy skirt down. I look away because it's just weird looking at her like that. She steps on the rail and jumps over. I catch a s.h.i.+mmer of green scales and the translucent tip of her fins.

”I love skinny-dipping.” Marty stands, pus.h.i.+ng Layla to the ground. He's undoing his belt buckle.