cascade | kotlc

9. Ravagog, Again

"Why are we doing this?" Biana wondered, gagging and losing all dignity as she hurled over the side of the ship. The waves beat at her face, and Calla's ring was spasming viridescent light around her, as if it was building something illusionary. Whatever it was, it didn't work.

"Because you wanted to," Faye reminded her, looking at ease and leaning against a railing. The cold spray of water whipped by her, completely missing her, and she stood immaculately dry, checking one of her perfectly manicured fingernails. Biana retched again, groaning and lowering her head to her knees.

They were on Lady Cadence's boat, Riverdrift, lassoing five Pannoniasauruses and fighting against the current. The houseboat lurched again as a wave crashed over the bank, drenching Biana and yet again missing Faye.

Keefe would've face-planted onto the deck if Sophie hadn't grabbed his arm before he hit. "Whoa, you're catching me?" he asked, feigning surprise. Faye giggled, muttering some insulting comment under her tongue. It was drowned out by another wave smashing into Biana's face, making her sputter and spit out salt.

"This part will be bumpy!" Lady Cadence warned. "Hold on!"

A barricade of rocks were approaching, each jutting outward like individual spikes, their ends glistening with water droplets. The houseboat was too wide to go around the rocks, so they sailed straight over, launching the craft airborne before it crashed back to the water's surface. It would've been something only June would've enjoyed. The wind whipped against her face, practically blinding her. Foam stung her skin and Faye rolled her eyes.

"We~eak."

Sophie seemed to finally know how to finally walk on solid ground, though she still suffered the wrath of the Eventide. Keefe, on the other hand, looked like he was about to invert inside-out. Biana decided to let them be alone. It would make for some fluffy moments she could forever hold about Sophie's head. That, unfortunately, meant she had to spend time with Faye.

"Aww, looks like your little friend doesn't care much for you." Faye smirked viciously, telekinetically floating a chair from the main storage room and sitting down it in, lounging her feet over the armrest. "Too bad."

"I'm just letting them be," Biana corrected, the queasiness in her stomach growing to an earthquake. The houseboat reeled and she almost tumbled over, but surprisingly Faye caught her by the wrist.

"Pfft, wouldn't want your delicate fingers getting bruised, princess."

​​ "Well, thank you anyway," Biana said, wanting to be decently respectful. "You saved me from getting a concussion."

"Mm, it's no problem, princess."

Sophie and Keefe leaned over each other. Keefe was holding a gray walnut filled with a reddish-brown goop -- a bilepod -- and gagging at the rancid garlic taste. It smelled like that time Fitz got peed on by June's alligator.

"Everyone brace yourselves," Lady Cadence yelled again. "We're coming up on the first fork, and the river changes can be a little jarring."

"Jarring doesn't do it justice. I'd hate to see your pretty princess crown get destroyed, hmm?"

​​Biana frowned, instinctively reaching for her hair. "I'm not a princess."

"Sure you aren't, princess."

Faye was right. It felt like they were tipping over as the floor reached perpendicular with the river surface. A wave swayed and staggered into her back, trickling unpleasantly down her body. Somehow, somehow, Faye still wasn't affected. Not a single thread in her pristine hairdo was ruined.