The Princess's Servant

94. Bitenuts

"Are you sure that's how you eat this?"

Sybil stood with Marcus in front a food cart in one of Ward's many town squares. After receiving their order, they'd tucked themselves off to the side, where Marcus had begun to wrestle with the dish she'd been given. She held the leaf boat in one hand and attempted to pinch the slimy dark-brown seeds with the other. No luck.

"Honestly? I have no idea," said Sybil. "But they taste amazing, so who cares? Go on! Give it a try!"

Through sheer force of will, the guard managed to clasp one of the slippery things between three of her fingers. She brought it to her mouth and sucked it in. It had the texture of mucus and the taste of ripe banana. When she bit down, she found that the hard outer shell didn't break down in her mouth so much as it broke into shards.

Marcus spat out the slime, shards, and soft inner core with vigor. "Euch, what is that? They really eat that here?"

Sybil couldn't help but laugh. Her little prank had worked. Bitenuts weren't meant to be consumed whole -- at least, that's not what Holden had taught her. You were supposed to suck the outer coating off, carefully split the shell with your front teeth, and pluck out the tender innards. But explaining all of that to Marcus wouldn't have been anywhere near as fun as watching this little show.

"What?" The guard wiped the juices from her mouth, innocent of any understanding of the joke Sybil had pulled.

Sybil just continued to giggle.

...Which was enough for Marcus to catch on. "Gods. You're the worst."

"Aren't I?" Sybil smiled.

And for a moment, neither said a word. Marcus felt her grip tighten around the leaf boat she held and Sybil wiped tears from the creases of her eyes. She had to ask now. She didn't want to, but she didn't know if she'd get another chance. "If it isn't all some lie... If it isn't all some big farce to harm him, then what's it for?"

The princess's smile settled and her eyes glazed over as she exuded almost a docility that Marcus had not seen in her before. Marcus knew she didn't have to explain what 'it' was. Sybil understood plenty well, although part of her wished she didn't. "You should try the razor fish next. I think you'd really like those," the princess said.

"Sybil."

Sybil was quiet for a moment, and when she did respond, her voice was a sigh. "I told you already. There is no objective. Holden and I... We're just friends."

"...You mean Cara's his friend."

Sybil's brown eyes landed on Marcus. "That's what I just said."

The guard held her gaze. "No... It's not. And why? Why not Sybil? What's the point of lying?"

Sybil turned her back and pretended to rifle through some fruit at a market stall. "I don't know, Marcus. Maybe it's because Cara didn't enslave him. Maybe it's because Cara didn't order you to beat him for the crime of existing too close to me. Maybe she can be friends with Holden when Sybil could never have that chance."

Blunt words meant to deal enough force to get Marcus to back off, she knew. But the guard wasn't deterred. She came to Sybil's side. "I heard what you said to each other back at the guesthouse. Heard how he spoke to you in your room. I think a part of him still feels something for you. He might even forgive you if you apologized."

The disguised princess looked at Marcus again, her eyes like those of a prowling lioness. "First of all, the only thing Holden could possibly feel for me is indignation. Second of all, if he did forgive me with a simple 'I'm sorry' -- after everything I put him through -- then he'd have no respect for himself."