Part 10 (2/2)

I glanced to Captain Bonny with a half scowl and half smirk as we all looked to the man dressed in robin egg blue. ”Overseas is he? Well, at least I was right; told you I'm Gnidori.”

I only wish I wasn't.

Ten.

Code Blue ”I'm stunned, Hue. That has to be the biggest collection of words you have ever said to me in a single breath.” I really would have been stunned if Hue hadn't just declared my death sentence moments ago.

Hue and I had been rivals for years, even before he became a prince with his own capital. From that rivalry had born a binding law of the highest caliber, A Faerie Proclamation.

Faerie Proclamations are magically enforced rulings within the Faerie Court. They handled only the most extreme cases, like when large bouts of magic are used in the wrong ways, such as the regulation of magic beans after a Jack tore a hole in the skylands with a grown beanstalk.

Hue and I also happened to have one, which restricted me from entering any territory that he had a deed to. But like every law there are loopholes in it. I'm only magically kept out of his territory if I am fully a.s.suming the t.i.tle of Red Riding Hood, meaning I had to have my hood in some way. Since I didn't, I could get into his territory this time, thankfully. It also meant if I really had been here previously to get a ride from Bonny, then I didn't have my hood that time either.

He knows this loophole. That's why, beyond the magically enforced rule he also had a law placed throughout his Kingdom. If I did ever enter, it would be my death. And he enforced it meticulously, though I escaped the last couple times.

Oh yeah, no bad blood between us at all.

I glanced around quickly to notice everyone had gone stiff, including Captain Bonny, the twins, and a couple buccaneers. Only Hue and I seemed to be pretty relaxed.

Hue was always dressed rather decoratively and sharp; equivalent to a full suit. But even more so, he was always dressed in robin-egg blue, even down to his tie.

The strange thing was he actually lacked his fedora for once and I hardly ever saw him without it.

”Nice tie, Hue.” I nodded to him, before my eyes flitted around to see guards filter out and block civilians, starting to create a semi-circle of just empty dock.

”Thank you.” He spoke crisply, his mouth barely moving. He had always not been chatty, which tended to get on my nerves.

”Not any chance I could just be exiled this time around? I haven't caused any trouble. I promise.” I shrugged with my voice pretty flat as I asked. I already knew the answer, or at least I thought.

”Consorting with pirates is trouble.” Hue said with such cool ease.

”Ah, Midnight Magic! That was why you threw the hatchet at Bonny last time. A pirate is a pirate anywhere. I'm only a criminal in your zone.” I was such an idiot not to realize Bonny was possibly involved with something when Hue attacked her. Hue tends to be respectful of rules and codes, even manners. And knowing who Bonny is now, and the fact that she is using his port means she's probably personally stolen from him.

And I'm currently standing next to her.

Just perfect.

I glanced to her and she smiled so innocently. I rolled my eyes and hissed. ”That explains why you disappeared too, after you saw him. He blew your cover and you slipped away when I wouldn't notice and he couldn't go chasing after you because of me.”

Bonny didn't nod, but she didn't deny it either. Besides, I knew the truth. If she had helped me previously with something then that meant I had figured this all out before. It felt awkward to relearn something I couldn't even remotely remember.

I still couldn't understand why no memories came to me. Even if it had been a memory spell to make me forget, the constant re-introduction of past things, like seeing Bonny again, would have triggered things forgotten. Memory spells were always tricky like that. It was extremely difficult to make a memory vanish without any remaining trace; even top-notch faeries had issues with it.

I saw Hue slide a hatchet cleanly from his belt at his back. Some copycat must have designed the weapons for him, since they looked so similar to mine.

I held my hands up at my side. ”Really Hue? You are actually going to try to kill me simply because I came into your zone, and randomly b.u.mped into a pirate?”

”Being here is enough.” He continued with his smooth dialect.

”I know. I know. I'm just trying to get overseas. You have the only port directly connected to the current sleeping kingdom.” I shook my head and looked down. I could still make out his closer steps to me from the corner of my vision. But my eyes shot up as I realized. ”You were just overseas. Exactly where I'm trying to go?”

”Yes.”

”Why?”

”Following you.”

”Impossible, Hue. I'm here. I've been on this side for over a day.” I explained. Maybe I could kick some sense into him before he started throwing hatchets all over the place.

”I see now.” He said plainly, still sidling closer to me.

”Then you lied.” I accused, while slipping my hand down to unclasp a hatchet from underneath my poncho. He looked warily at me but only moved closer still.

”No.”

”Then you followed the other me.” More specifically whoever had my hood and cloak, but he knew what I was talking about.

”Yes.” He said from a couple of feet in front of me now.

”So you think I misled you on purpose so I could sneak through your territory?” I asked. I always hated having conversations with him. It was like having a conversation with the wall Humpty Dumpty sat on, only less talkative than that even.

”No.” He stated, stopping directly in front of me. That certainly surprised me at least, the answer; not the stopping in front of me.

”Then what do you think, Hue?” I finally asked breathing out a sigh.

His answer came with a swift blue hand of vengeance. I snuck my hatchet right up against the blade of his, directly in front of my neck, and we held against each other. It was almost as if he was testing my strength or something than actually trying to attack.

He leaned in close, so close that his voice was faint enough for just me to hear. ”Someone is using you. And me. Be wary of the fairy.”

”What?” I gasped.

His hand yanked away with his axe before he swung it up to try to collide with my side. I s.h.i.+fted my hatchet to catch on his, and pushed a step forward into him, which made him stumble back.

He whispered yet again, ”Be wary of the fairy. You will be left alone. So you best bring back what is mine.”

His hatchet unhooked from mine, and clashed yet again to my blade. I stared at him like he had just gone insane. ”Hue, what the fey is going on?”

”You will need that which you never wanted again.” He added, but still just as cryptic and quick-breathed as ever.

I swear, that blue man... so frustrating to deal with.

Of course, he wouldn't say anything that actually meant something. He might as well have said gibberish to me. He pulled his blade back though and jumped a few steps behind himself. Then nodded his head briefly, while his soldiers seemed to fan away from the s.h.i.+p Bonny's subordinates had been loading up.

”You are to be exiled from my lands Red Riding Hood. Along with those with you. However if I ever see any of them again, I will kill them under the same orders sustained to kill you. Do not expect this mercy ever again.” Hue said with a much deeper voice, lower and with more authority. It was so unusual to hear him that way, especially with saying so many words at once.

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