Page 45 of A Yulean Sister’s Guide to Getting Kidnapped

Sage

“Get ‘er out of here,” Lou said to Captain Shadowhart, not even two hours after I’d arrived.

“What happened?” he asked.

“She was meant to cut the vegetables for the stir-fry later but sliced her finger.”

I looked down at my bandaged finger, going along well with the bruise I gained on my leg from slipping. The ship had rocked yet again and put me off balance.

“So, I assigned her to dish duty, where she’s broken at least five bowls.”

“They’re slippery,” I said in defense.

Lou looked like they were about to lose their head. “She doesn’t belong here,” they enunciated each word.

I mentally deflated. I knew I wouldn’t be good at any of this stuff. I was walked through the dining hall and could hear all the chatter and laughs around me. Getting thrown out was embarrassing to say the least.

After lunch, Shadowhart had left me there, claiming this could be a good spot for me, even after I told him clearly it wouldn’t be.

“Come on,” he said, and I followed him along and out of the kitchen.

The next couple days carried on like that. Job after job I was assigned to, only to be told it wasn’t the job for me.

There wasn’t a job for me. That much was becoming very clear.

After being kicked from inventory after dropping a couple jars of pickles, I was done.

“I’ll find you something else,” Shadowhart said, for what had to be the billionth time this week, in his overly patient tone that grated at my nerves.

“No, you won’t,” I snapped. “I can’t do it anymore.”

He turned to face me. “Can’t do what anymore?”

“Any of it! I’m obviously not cut out to work on this stupid ship. No one wants my help. So, I’m done.”

“You can’t just be done,” he said. “Everyone eats, everyone works. Those are the rules.”

“Well I don’t work,” I said.

“It takes time to find what everyone is good at.”

“I’m good at nothing, I think that’s become obvious.”

I began walking back to my room. He was right behind me, his shadow looming over me like a ghost.

“That can’t be true,” he said.

“Name one thing I haven’t fucked up in the last few days.”

The silence of my footfalls and his dragging scales across the floor was answer enough.

“Exactly,” I said. “I’ll just stay in my room until we get there.” Then I’d be out of the way, and most important of all, I’d stop looking like a failure to everyone here.

“No, you won’t,” he said. “I’ll take you somewhere else.”

“There is nowhere else!” I was sure I’d seen the entirety of this ship in the last couple days with how much I was shuffled around.

We finally reached my door. I opened it, making to slam it behind me, but Shadowhart’s large hand smacked against it, preventing me from being alone.