Page 131 of The Last Hope

Stork swings his arm over my shoulder. Staying locked right up against my side, he whispers to me between his teeth, “I won’t die.” He shoots a fake smile at the boy and shouts, “Heya! Move your ass.”

The Fast-Tracker lifts his hairy chin. Crossing his arms over his burly chest. Dark-purple hair is wrapped in a bun on his thick head.

“Or we’ll be making you,” I threaten.

“He’s with us,” says the lady onThe Montbay Majesty.“Our security guard won’t bite unless he has to. Now, come here, boys.”

We turn our heads. A man weaves his arm around the lady. Wearing a silly hat with a feather, brass buttons run down his velvet vest.

“My companion didn’t stutter,” he snaps. “Come aboard.” He motions to the metal ladder attached to their boat.

I grind my molars. My pulse hammering. Sweat dripping down my temples, and I wish it were me.

Touching my face, no sweat has beaded up.

Court.

Franny.

I wipe at my nose—not me.She’s rubbing and pinching her nose.

Stork laughs at the Influential couple. “We’re not interested in whatever you want. Go bother someone else and tell your gu—boyto move.” He clears his throat, catching himself from sayingguyfast enough.

I keep my eyes on their security guard. So he won’t be hurting Stork.

“We’re taking you both,” the lady announces, paying no mind to all that Stork said. “For thenight.Three hundred bills apiece. If you prefer pills, we have those as well. You’ll do and say whatever we want from here on out.”

Stork mumbles under his breath, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Her eyes undress him slowly.

The man isn’t looking at me too kindly either.

“Put your eyeballs back in their sockets before I rip them out,” I growl.

He laughs. “I like that one.”

“Mmm,” the lady coos in agreement. “The other is more handsome.”

I’m glad to be considered ugly in her eyes. She’s uglier in mine.

Stork waves a hand at them. “How about youaskbefore you take?” he says with a raise of his brows. “And the answer ishells no.”

“You’ll enjoy it,” the lady says smoothly.

“Wow, you must be a mind reader—”

I elbow his side. Never did I think I’d be scolding someone for tripping on dialect. If Court were here, he would’ve been talking us out of this mess much better and sooner.

“Wow?” The lady frowns.

The man is fuming a bit. Impatience curling his lip. “If you don’t come aboard, I will drown you in the harbor. You will cough up salt water foryears.”

My gnarled brows knot. “Youwill be drowning us? Not your security guard?”

The man is scrawny. Not as broad as I. Not as muscular as I. Easily, I could fight him and win.

He pulls at the frilly white sleeve of his shirt. Revealing shimmering metal and gears where his arm should be. Wires are tendons of his muscle.