Ransom

Blackmane would know what to do, and even if he didn’t, I’d feel like it wasn’t all on me. I almost regret killing Savork because he seemed to know what he was doing. Then again, if he could use this, then I certainly can. It is my mother’s sword, after all.

“Really, nobody has a book or a hint about how this thing works?”

The elders seem reluctant to speak with me. It might be because I brutally murdered one of them before their eyes. I had no idea there could be consequences for my actions, at least, not broader ones. It is a very unpleasant realization.

“Listen. If we’re going to get out of this, we need to work together.”

I don’t recognize myself right now. What am I even saying? Working together? Madness. Sheer madness. But that’s where I am now.

“You weren't interested in working with us before.” It’s Bjork who speaks. I’m pretty sure he’s one of the ones who helped Savork abduct me. It is very hard to tell who is who under these circumstances. They don’t look the way they did over on Blackmane’s ship. Now they look all ratty and ragged, with hollowed eyes and sunken cheeks and a general air of depression.

“No. I wasn’t.” I’m not going to lie. There is no profit in it. “I didn’t want to be betrayed. And then, you know, you betrayed me. So here I am.”

Bjork has the grace to look very slightly ashamed, but not very ashamed.

“None of us belong in whatever realm this is. We all come from the other side of the wound. So let’s think. What did you see Savork do when he used the sword?”

“He just used it. He never hesitated. He didn’t have to think. It glowed for him.”

“Hm. Maybe if I planned to abduct and fuck someone it would glow for me. Shitty sword.”

That doesn’t help. I poke it and it doesn’t glow for me.

“Well, we have to get these people somewhere they have more food. Can’t have a whole ship of starving women. We need to get you all somewhere safer and…”

“Look!” Marvork whispers in a hushed tone.

I glance down and see that the sword is glowing.

“Do you think this might work best if I am making good choices for my people? Sort of like a mood ring, but for a sword?”

“Anything is possible. Savork believed he was making good choices. He was trying to bring us to salvation.”

“He was prepared to sacrifice me to do it,” I note grimly. “Maybe that’s what operates it. The willingness to ruin my life.”

The sword is glowing ever brighter in giant cosmic fuck you. I pick it up and it flares brighter than I have ever seen it. When I move it, the tip of the blade seems to perturb existence itself. This is it. This is the thing.

I know if I make the right cut, I will be back with Blackmane. If I make the wrong one, I’ll fall into empty space. Not an ideal situation, but I can’t worry about the risks. That’s how you end up trapped.

“I’m going to make the cut.” I look at them. “Ready?”

Reality falls before my blade in a satisfying slice.

“Astaria!” Blackmane grabs me, shouting my name with relief. I cannot pretend I am not equally relieved. I spent less than a day away from him and the crushing responsibility of trying to solve the problems of many almost made me forget myself.

I cry out with relief, tears beading on my face, clinging to him with desperation. I feel as though he is the only thing that matters, the only person I want to care about. But that’s not true. Not anymore.

I am not the only one to come tumbling through the space hole. The room begins to fill up very quickly with the faye who shuffle out of the way so as to allow others to come through.

“What is… who are they?” Blackmane asks a very reasonable question.

“Oh. These are the faye.”

“How many of them are there?”

“I don’t know. A lot? Anyway, there’s more important things to do. The shiny sword is a space knife. Savork used it to hide his people and then to come here to get me. I’ve brought them back because they need to go home.”

“A humanitarian mission? That’s what you want to undertake directly after being kidnapped by the very species you now want to help?”

“Yes.”

Blackmane gives me one of his longsuffering what have I gotten myself into looks. I kiss his rough alien cheek, secure in the knowledge he will help me, no matter how many expressions he makes.

Chapter Twelve

Blackmane

After a brief but truly terrible separation, Astaria has returned, and my dining hall is now full of faye feasting merrily. They are truly ravenous, all of them. Savork, I understand, is dead. I could have warned him of that outcome if he abducted her, but he should have been aware of it regardless.