Noa slid to the ground, her forehead pressed against the wall. She knew she needed to escape through the nearest shadow, but she wasn’t certain she could stand up. Her vision swam. She crouched on her hands and knees, focused only on not throwing up.
She hoped Beauty’s daughter would be able to find her way back to her mother. She hoped that she had rescued her in time, that Beauty was still alive. She needed to get back to Astrae to make sure. As she drew a slow, deep breath, she became aware of a loud thump behind her, not unlike boots hitting floor, followed by a second thump. She turned.
Gabriela stood at the bottom of the ladder, rising from a crouch, next to a sailor who raised her bow and arrow and pointed it at Noa’s chest.
“So—you’re a magician now, are you?” Gabriela said in that familiar raspy voice. She took a step forward, her bright gaze sweeping Noa. “It’s all right. I’m going to heal your injuries, but you’ll need to stay still—and don’t even think about casting any spells. I don’t want to have to order Jessa to shoot.”
The throbbing of Noa’s head was joined by a strange roaring sound. She opened her mouth, but before she could get a word out, darkness closed over her like a wave.
20
Gabriela Gets a New Captive
Noa woke slowly. She seemed to be lying in a bed, her head propped up by a pillow. Someone had healed her cuts and bruises from wrestling with the sea serpent, and her mind was clear. The only thing wrong was that she was tied up.
She didn’t open her eyes, or move, though her pulse quickened with panic. She flexed her muscles imperceptibly. There was some sort of strap around her midsection, holding her to the bed, as well as ropes binding her wrists. She was still on a ship, and every time it swayed in the waves, she felt how taut the ropes were. She doubted she could move more than an inch or two.
From all this, Noa deduced two things: that Gabriela was holding her captive, and that her situation was bleak. She couldn’t very well jump through a shadow if she couldn’t move. Which meant she had to figure out a way to get untied.
Now that she had made sense of her situation, Noa opened her eyes to deal with it.
She was in a sparsely furnished cabin, probably in the middle of the ship, for there was no porthole. Gabriela sat with one polished boot propped against Noa’s bed, balancing her chair on its back legs. Her raven-blue hair cascaded down her back, and she looked long and lean and nimble, like a deer pressed and stretched into a new shape—until you looked at her eyes, which were large and ferociously intent, like a wildcat poised to pounce.
Noa felt the same fury rise up inside her that she had felt at the prow of Astrae, gazing at Gabriela from across the sea cliffs. She tried to keep it from her face.
“How are you feeling?” Gabriela said in a kind voice that made Noa want to shove her out the nearest porthole. “You had a bump on your head. If it’s still bothering you, I can try another healing spell.”
“It still hurts,” Noa lied, because it was always best for your enemies to think you were weak. “But I’d rather have headaches for the rest of my life than be healed by a lying traitor like you.”
Gabriela rubbed her eyes. “I guess I deserve that, don’t I? Noa, I’m sorry I had to lie to you and your sister while I was on Astrae. I hated that to protect Florean from Julian, I had to hurt you two. You’re so young. . . .” There was a pleading look in her violet eyes. “How many times do I have to apologize before you believe I’m sorry?”
Noa stared at her in disbelief. “You’ve lied to me since the day I met you. Why should I believe a word you say? Besides, if you feel so guilty, why have you tied me up?”
“I wish I didn’t have to,” Gabriela said, and she did sound genuinely sorry, which only made Noa hate her more. “But I’m not sure how your powers work, and until I am, I thought it would be safer this way. I didn’t gag you—though I’ll have to if you start casting a spell.”
Noa could think of no better response than a murderous glare.
“I don’t know of any magical gift that would allow you to step out of the sea and onto my ship,” Gabriela said. “I suppose this means Julian found one of the Lost Words, didn’t he? I suppose I should congratulate you.”
Noa deepened the glare until her eyes hurt.
Gabriela sighed. She looked like a tired martyr, weighed down by Noa’s anger. She ran the green scarf through her fingers. “Thanks for returning this. I didn’t think you’d keep anything of mine.”
“I didn’t,” Noa spat. “I’d’ve burned it. I found it in Julian’s room.”
Something flickered in Gabriela’s gaze. But then it was gone, and she said, “Julian always was sentimental. I find most murderers are.”
“You’re one to talk about murderers.” Noa was trembling. “Your precious king killed my mother.”
Gabriela’s face softened. Noa could practically hear the thoughts running through her head. Poor little orphan. She can’t help what her family is. Julian poisoned her mind.
Noa knew this because Gabriela had said something like it on Astrae, the day before Julian discovered she was a spy. I care about your brother, she had lied, but he isn’t a good person, Noa. You see him as a hero, but he’s not. He’s the villain.
Gabriela lowered her chair with a thunk. She stalked gracefully over
