Voyage of the Damned

by Frances White

The ‘music’ sounds like how a firework would taste, fired directly into your mouth.

There are two things which are undeniably cool: walking away from explosions without looking back, and turning up late to parties.

‘Back home we speak what’s in our hearts,’ she says—which is lovely. And then: ‘Because any day a tree can fall and crush your skull.’ Which is less so.

‘Your personality is large enough. I think a big cock would be overkill.’

‘Don’t worry!’ she says upon seeing my horrified expression. ‘The lower classes are comprised only of those with deep moral failings.’ Well, that’s a relief.

‘Now they are known as the Shamed One.’ ‘Because they tried to kill the emperor.’ ‘No,’ Nergüi says swiftly. ‘Because they failed.’