Nerissa looked at the shell. She looked at Roxy.
"You cooked?" Nerissa asked, skeptical.
"Yes mother," Roxy smiled.
She reached forward and popped the latch on the shell.
The lid swung open.
A cloud of steam, trapped spices, and savory aroma exploded into the water, hitting Nerissa squarely in the face. The thick red glaze on the crab glistened like rubies. The corn was bright yellow.
The entire court audibly inhaled.
Nerissa's tentacles twitched uncontrollably. Her mouth watered instantly.
"Oh," the Matriarch whispered, her eyes dilating.
Roxy plucked a glazed potato from the shell. The heavy sauce clung to it perfectly. She held it out.
"Try it," Roxy urged softly. "But be careful. It bites back."
Nerissa hesitated for only a second. Then, driven by a primal hunger she hadn't felt in centuries, she leaned forward and took the offering.
She chewed.
Her eyes went wide. The spice hit. The heat hit. The flavor exploded.
