Siren Song

Chapter Eleven

Tyri didn't know that smells could carry through water. Well, of course he knew that some smells did, for some creatures-- blood, for example, for sharks, which was why a scratch out in the wastelands could be a death sentence-- but not like this.

"Dear god," he breathed, trying to inhale as much water as possible through his nose. "That smells absolutely divine."

Lionel glanced over to him. "Really? It's just a normal meal."

Tyri grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him violently, his head wobbling back and forth like a bobblehead.

"Lionel," he said, staring intensely into his eyes. "You simply don't understand."

"Understand what?" Lionel asked. Tyri's face was... very close to his own, but he found that he didn't dislike it.

"It has been years since I've eaten cooked food. Years, Lionel. Decades, even."

Lionel recoiled in disgust. "Sirens don't cook their food?"

Tyri shook his head. "Of course they do. What do you think we are, barbarians? No, but enchantments are too difficult for me to do alone. I haven't had a source of heat since I ran away."

Lionel's ears pricked up. "Ran away?"

Tyri nodded. "I told you, I am not sent by the sirens. Rather the opposite, in fact."

He turned away, although Lionel wasn't exactly finished with that line of questioning. "So where do I get food?"

"The main queue is over there," Lionel said, pointing to a magnificently long line. The kind that looked like it would take at least a year to get through, and where the people at the front didn't just have camping chairs but also a portable fridge filled with alcohol to help them through the long days of sitting. To Tyri's surprise, it did seem to be moving remarkably quickly, but it would likely still take about an hour to get to the front. Tyri sighed-- it seemed that he wouldn't be getting his food any time soon.

"But," Lionel said, and Tyri turned to him, hope igniting in his heart. "The guards' line is over there."

He pointed to a much shorter queue leading to an equally small counter.

"We can queue up over there, but the choice is more limited, so you might want to-"

Tyri had already left, and was waiting impatiently in the line.

"Come on, Lionel! Hurry up!"

With a shrug, Lionel headed over to join him, but was intercepted by another guard who reached Tyri before he could.

"Well, hello there," he said, grinning at Tyri. "I think you're in the wrong line, but I'll let you stay."

Tyri blinked at him, then gazed desperately at Lionel over his shoulder.

Lionel cleared his throat. "He's not, actually."

The guard turned, looking surprised to see Lionel floating behind him. "Lionel?"

"He's with me," he confirmed, and Tyri breathed a sigh of relief. He hated breaking the rules, and had worried for a moment that he would be in trouble. But Lionel had come to his rescue.

"Really?" The guard gave Tyri a complex look, then turned to Lionel. "I didn't know you were taking a partner."

Tyri choked on the water.

"No, he's not with me like that!" Lionel hurried to explain. "He's a captive, a captive! I'm guarding him!"

The guard glanced between them again. "Not doing a very good job of it, are you?"