Excerpt

The sun lingered just beneath the horizon and set a soft glow over the ships and boats by the time Ada reached the water. She walked the length of the docks and back, inspecting each vessel. Crew members loaded supplies onto several. Passengers boarded some. But she needed something more private, smaller. People shuffled past her, and she walked back and forth between a few ships near the end. She found a handful that suited her needs, but she had to figure out a way to convince one of them to take her where she needed to go.

"You look lost," a voice called out.

Ada turned to see a woman leaning against a post, her arms crossed over her chest and her legs crossed at the ankle, as if waiting for someone. One of the ships Ada had considered was tied to the posts behind her. Ada took a deep breath and walked over.

"What are you looking for?" the woman asked. Her dark hair hung in tight curls down to her shoulders, and she wore tight brown pants and a simple corset over her white shirt. There was an aggressive air about her, and Ada wondered if it was her ship. It was rare for a woman to captain a ship, but it wasn't completely unheard of.

"Someone to hire." Ada stood taller, trying to exude confidence. "I need to get to Tugora and then to an island nearby."

"Tugora?" Shock filled the woman's wide brown eyes. Not many chose to go there unless in some kind of trouble. "Why does a pretty thing like you want to go there?"

"Private business," Ada said, refusing to give more information than needed just yet.

The woman narrowed her eyes. "Well, we're not for hire."

She unhitched herself from the post and turned to leave. Ada reached out to grab her shoulder. As she did, the grip on her book started to fumble, and a couple of the cards fell to the ground. She quickly kneeled to gather them and found the woman helping her.

"Where did you get these?" she asked.

"I… bought them." Ada didn't know why she lied. It wouldn't have mattered, but she thought it best to hide the truth of her identity and quest as much as possible. "They're used to tell the future. Well, that's what they're supposed to be used for; I just thought they were pretty."

The woman nodded, still looking at one of the cards. "What did you say your name was?"

"Ada. Please, I can pay you in gold. Plenty of it."

"We have no need for that much gold." She handed Ada the card back of Briar, Loxley's second. "However, I'll take those cards as payment."

"The cards? Why?"

"They're the cards from the myth about the Nihryst."

A group of royal guards rushed the docks and began questioning people.

"Yes, but they're nothing special. You can buy a set in just about every kingdom." She'd seen them in shops around Ferda, as well as Senfyr across the sea. Ada's pulse quickened. This needed to be settled quickly. If the guards saw her, it was over.

"Yes, but these are exquisite, and they have the gilded ancient language painted on them. Think of what I could get from pretending they're the real deal."

Ada thought about it. This woman clearly wasn't going to accept anything else. Ada couldn't just hand them over. They weren't just clues with the map; she would need them to help break the curse.

"Get me everywhere I need to go, then they're yours."

The woman squinted, contemplating. Ada bounced on the balls of her feet, willing her to decide quickly. After a moment, she thrust a hand forward. "The name's Brienne. Welcome aboard The Seren."

Brienne led her up the dock and onto the ship. Ada looked around in wonder, hugging the book closer to her chest. The ship wasn't the biggest she had ever been on—it was half the size of her father's navy boats, if that. It was big enough to do the job though. She watched as crew members ran about, preparing to leave. As soon as she set foot on the wooden deck, they stopped to stare.

"This is Ada; she will be joining us," Brienne called out loud enough to be heard by the dozen visible sailors.

A large man walked over, towering Ada, and asked, "What about Captain?"

All right, so this woman wasn't the captain.

"Let me worry about him," Brienne cut the man off quickly. She grabbed Ada's elbow and dragged her to what appeared to be the captain's quarters. "Stay in this room until I tell you otherwise. You'll be safe here. I just need to persuade him to go along with our plan."

Ada nodded and clenched her jaw to stop from asking questions. When the door clicked shut, she released a breath. She looked around at the bookshelves lining the room, the large table bolted down in the center, and the bunk in the corner that looked to be built into the wall. Despite it being on a ship, the cabin was almost cozy. Navy curtains hung on either side of the large window that faced the dock. Lanterns hung around the room, with only a couple lit. She sat in one of the tall leather-backed chairs, trying not to worry. Placing the book on the table in front of her, she began wringing her hands. It was hard to believe this was finally happening. She had dreamed of this moment her entire life. She just wished she was going under different circumstances. She still couldn't wrap her mind around it all.

A commotion outside startled her. She ran to the door but stopped with a hand on the knob. Remembering what Brienne had said, she sat back down and waited. People moved about, shouting commands beyond the cabin. Soon, the ship began to rock, and she saw the docks grow smaller through the window as they set sail. Footsteps stomped toward the door.

"—tell you something," Brienne finished saying as the door banged open.

Ada stood and whirled around. A man stood in the doorway, appearing as shocked as she felt. A sense of déjà vu had her looking closer. It was his eyes she finally recognized.

"You!" she exclaimed at the thief from a couple days earlier. He wasn't in rags today, just a simple attire all in black.

"Brienne," he said through his teeth.

Brienne moved past him and stood in front of Ada with hands raised. "Just hear me out."

"We don't pick up strays." He slammed the door hard enough that the opaque glass pane shuddered before he moved to the captain's chair behind the table. Both women turned to keep an eye on him.

Brienne stood beside Ada and explained, "She's paying us to take her somewhere."

"No," he said, his tone flat as he looked down at the map painted on the table.

"You've already set sail." Ada finally worked up the courage to speak. "Are you just going to throw me overboard?"

His green eyes snapped up to hers. "Not a bad idea."

Her heart pounded at the thought. She quickly said, "I will pay you a handsome amount."

"She has these cards too," Brienne continued. She looked to Ada and nodded to the book. Ada pulled them out.

He glanced at the cards, his brow furrowing. Flipping through them, Ada could sense his curiosity as Brienne told him about trading them for favors. Everyone knew the stories. Though these two didn't know they were the real cards, Ada was hoping their quality would convince him.

"And where are we taking…?"

"Ada," she responded. "To Tugora and then a nearby island. I will tell you how to get there after the first stop."

"Tugora." He let out a breathy laugh, shaking his head. With a nod to Brienne, she left them alone. "Fine, we'll take the cards and gold."

"Fine."