Page 10 of Moonlight Hearts

I laughed.“You’re shameless.”

“Damn right.Ah.Here we are.”

We’d arrived at a food truck.It smelled as if they were cooking with lots of oil and carbs, so really good.My mouth was watering before we’d even made it to the short line—just one guy with reddish brown wings and a normal-looking guy.

“…is what I’m hearing.You just have to tell him what you want, man,” the normal-looking guy said.

The winged guy groaned, and I saw that he had tiny little horns on his head too.They looked cute.That seemed to be a theme with horns, all of them were surprisingly cute.

“But he saidcasual.Casual!And then he goes and doesthat!”

“Well,” the other said, then he turned when we approached and fell silent, his eyes going wide.He was staring at Soyer.“W-we’re so sorry.Please go ahead.”

The winged guy literally ruffled his feathers and turned.He didn’t have normal features, the lines of his jaw more angular than a human’s.If it hadn’t been for the feathers, I’d have thought he was a gargoyle.

“Oh, shi—right.Please go ahead.”

They moved out of the way before I could tell them not to, and Soyer hooked his arm around mine, pulling me forward.

“What do you feel like, Amory?Their bramboráky are quite good.”

The other two were walking off and sitting down at one of the small tables in front of the food truck.

I turned my attention back to Soyer.“Do you know them?”

“No.”He looked up at one of the guys in the truck.They were very big guys, and also…their faces had extras.Three mouths, six eyes.I stared for a moment but shut it down as fast as I could, because one of them was glaring.More at Soyer, but still.

“You’re bad for business,” the glarer said to Soyer.

Soyer met…at least two of the guy’s eyes.“I’m bringing you my business.”

The other clicked his tongue.Tongues.“And we’re happy to have it, of course.The usual?”

Soyer nodded.“For me, yes.Amory?”

“Uh, hi!”

The first multi-faced person snorted, the second smiled at me.With two mouths, possibly with three, but I couldn’t really see the third.I wasn’t really sure where to look.

“Hi there.What’s it going to be for you, sir?”

“Well, what’s good?”

The menu was behind them.I should’ve read that instead of staring like they were some sort of exhibit.The grumpy one was already frying up something, Soyer’s order, I was guessing.

I turned to him.“What’re you getting?”

“Potato pancakes.We’re not sharing.”

I chuckled.“In that case, the same for me,” I told the less grumpy guy, picking two eyes to focus on.

“Sure.Applesauce on top for you too?”

“Applesauce?”I looked at Soyer.“You’re putting applesauce on hash browns?”

One of the guys working the truck cackled, but I wasn’t sure which one.Soyer looked at me like I’d imagine he would at a caveman discovering running water.

“Yes.It’s what goes on top.And they’re not hash browns, they’re bramboráky.”