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“Why?” he asked and held a hand up to Layala. She grasped his palm and slid down.

“They say it’s too dangerous,” Piper answered. “They say that we’ll be attacked by lake creatures and die.”

Layala gulped. Perhaps Tifapine’s worries were warranted. She placed her hand on her brow, blocking the sun’s bright light. “What is out there?”

“Sounds like superstitious nonsense,” Fennan said with a huff. “It’s a lake. Other than large fish, what could there be?”

A young human woman with bright-red curls in a wide, black-brimmed hat with an eagle feather stuck in the fold, hopped down from the stone wall a few yards down. Her pale skin had a splash of freckles across the nose, and her thigh-high boots tapped loudly as she swayed her way over. “They’re certainly not fish.”

Thane turned and his eyes gave her a once-over. “And who are you?”

“I’m Captain Fella.” She stuck out her hand partially covered with black fingerless gloves. “I’ve been listening to your boys ask every captain but me for a ride to the island. But I’m guessing you’re the one in charge.”

Thane arched an eyebrow. “Perhaps they simply didn’t realize you were a captain of a boat.”

“Ship,” she corrected. “Mine’s the biggest one.”

“Are you offering your services, Captain Fella?”

“Depends.” She peered down at her nails and picked at the chipping onyx polish. “How much money you got, pointy ears?”

Many of the Ravens shifted; even Layala bristled at the insult. She’d been called that most of her life by humans and hated it.

“If you knew who you were speaking to, you’d show more respect,” Piper said, stepping out from the group. “Besides we’re in elven land. You should think twice about who you offend.”

Fella smiled broadly and lightly picked up Piper’s red braid. They almost had the same hair color, but Piper’s was a couple shades lighter. “Sensitive. But seeing’s how I’m the only one with a way out there, and that’s where you need to go, I can pretty much say what I want, pointy ears.”

Piper’s hand struck out like a snake, and she gripped the woman by the throat.

“Enough, Piper,” Thane said. Piper’s teeth ground loudly enough for Layala to hear it, but she backed up. Captain Fella laughed as Piper’s grip dropped.

“Actually,” Fennan said over Thane’s shoulder. “We didn’t ask her because the others said she was mentally unstable. I think they’re right.”

Fella spit a large amount of saliva near Thane’s boot, and snarled, “I ain’t mental, but I’m the only one just crazy enough to get you to that rock out there and some of you might even survive if you do what I say.”

Thane’s eyes darkened and he held up a hand to silence everyone. Even Fella shut her mouth. “First of all, don’t ever spit in my direction again, Captain. Secondly, I don’t have time for bullshit. Name your price. I have money.”

She looked him up and down. “Mmm, I bet you do; fancy clothes, nice boots, and that face is delicious. Bet you’d even be a great roll in the sack. I haven’t had elf cock in a while.”

Layala’s skin prickled, and she growled quietly. “And you won’t be getting any either, woman.”

Fella snickered and pointed at Layala. “I bet she could tell me if you know how to hump hard and when to take it oh so slow.”

Layala’s hand twitched toward her dagger and her cheeks lit like a burning ember to dry grass. How could this woman be so irritating after only a few minutes? Maker above, she couldn’t even imagine what Thane would do if someone said that to her.

“Relax, lady, it’s a compliment to your man—er—male. Never quite understood why you differentiate it that way. Got the same parts.”

“It’s because we’re not men. Man is a word only associated with human males,” Fennan said.

The grumbles and murmured comments among the others could be summed up as “disrespectful” and “no manners.”

“Your price, Captain Fella,” Thane urged.

Her eyes trailed down his body, stalled on his crotch and seemed to take an exorbitant amount of time to look away. Layala rolled her eyes.

Fella touched her hat, pushing it up slightly. “Well since the black-haired beauty will gut me if I ask to bed you—” She peeked around at the rest of the group, paused on Fennan, winked and then her gaze fell on Phantom. “That’s a fine horse you got there.”

“You can’t have my horse.”