We were well out to sea now. I stared at the Ghone, fading from view. Waves pushed against the small rowboat. I didn’t see the red ship anywhere.
“This boat is a bit small for the open sea, isn’t it?”
“My ship is well hidden,” he said.
“Did you really steal it from Estrella’s father?”
He laughed.
“I’m flattered you think I had that much strength as a young boy, but I’m afraid my father took care of all that. He let me borrow the ship when I wanted to go to sea. It wasn’t doing him any good docked at the colonies.”
“What happened to her father?”
He shrugged.
“Honestly, I have no idea. My father wanted to rule the colonies, and he did what he had to do. Neither of us is afraid to work hard for what we want.”
“And you want to be King.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Is that really what you think?”
“Isn’t that your master plan? Bring us to the brink of war with Castana, then sail in and save the day? You can marry me and have all the power you want. Once you fix the salt patches and stop the famine, you’ll be a national hero.”
“I didn’t do any of this for a kingdom.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I did it for you. I don’t care about power. I don’t care about a throne. In fact, I found my time in the Salarian court rather stifling. Say the word, and we’ll sail away from here and never look back.”
“But-”
“You like being a bandit? Being a pirate is better. The open sea. The freedom to sail wherever you want. You can explore new lands. We’ll kidnap Lady Alma to design outfits for you if you want.”
That made me laugh in spite of everything.
The rowboat hit something and stopped. I looked up. The Dragon’s ship floated beside us. Bright red letters painted on the side declared its name: Stella Rossa. The Red Star. The water around the vessel showed no reflection of the red wood.
“Lower the carriage, men!” Sir Gilbert yelled. “We’ve come home.”
Chapter 28
The pirates lowered a golden platform from the deck of the ship. Sir Gilbert and I stepped onto it, and they hoisted us up. The mainland looked very far away. How far out had the ship been when Roslynn swam to shore? If I grabbed something buoyant and jumped overboard, could I make it?
Probably not, but this ship was clearly enchanted. Maybe I could use that magic to get back somehow. I just needed to know more about how it worked.
Sir Gilbert snapped his fingers, and the pirates vanished. I jumped and stared at him.
“What just happened? You never told me you knew magic.”
“Would you like me to show you how the ship works? It really is a marvel.”
“I am familiar with the concept of a ship. It floats on the water, the wind catches the sails, and-”
He laughed and waved to stop me.
“This entire ship is filled with magical charms. For instance, the crew.”
He clapped his hands. I jumped and leaned towards him as skeletons appeared where the crew had been.
“A skeleton crew,” I said.
“They are part of the ship. They sail it without asking questions, and they’re excellent fighters. I usually keep them in naval uniform, but this is a great way to intimidate others.”
“How does it work?”
“Not sure. I didn’t set up the spell. The ship can also disguise itself. The most useful makes it look like a traditional Salarian Navy vessel. I can sail across the sea with a naval fleet and no one questions me.”
“So right now, the ship is hidden somehow?”
He nodded.
“We’re invisible unless you’re within a few feet of the ship. Useful, although hard to keep up in crowded seas.”
“Show me.”
I grabbed his arm with excitement. He chuckled.
“The control room is in my cabin. And just so you know, I’m not wearing a hair charm. So don’t get any ideas. It took my crew hours to cut me loose.”
I laughed.
“I was mostly curious. Madame Delilah promised my hair would grow back to normal length in ten seconds. Obviously it didn’t. Your charm seems to have worked better.”
“It has grown since I last saw you.”
I ran my hand through my hair. It fell past my chin now. Somehow, my singing had made it grow.
Sir Gilbert led me to the captain’s cabin. The last time I had been here, he had tortured Estrella and tried to kill Shadow. Now he was the perfect gentleman.
“My best guess is this is some sort of fairy magic. I keep fairy salt on board just in case, but it doesn’t seem to need it. This controls the disguises.”
He pulled back a curtain and showed me a table covered with silver charms decorated with swirling symbols. They reminded me of the charms Lady Alma used to dress dancers in opera productions.
“So if we want to be a Navy ship?”
He pointed to a charm, and I touched it. The ship shook. Red wood transformed to the golden hue I recognized from dinner parties aboard naval vessels. Sir Gilbert’s hair flickered to brown, then back to red. I blinked and pressed another charm. The ship shook and shifted back to the Stella Rossa. Sir Gilbert’s hair flickered again.
I pressed the Navy charm. This time, I felt a slight coldness in my chest. The cabin faded to black, and I saw a man and woman dancing on the deck. I recognized them.
Estrella’s parents.
I turned to Sir Gilbert. Had our souls just linked? Why would he have a memory of Estrella’s parents? He noticed my gaze and grinned at me. Surely he would say something if he had seen one of my memories. I stuck my head out a window to look at the transformed Stella Rossa and smiled. The ship’s reflection rippled in the waves now.
“Can we leave it as a Navy ship?” I asked. “It reminds me of home.”
Sir Gilbert nodded.
“Anything to make you happy.”
“I want to see the full effect.”
I led him back to the deck. It looked just like a Navy ship. The skeletons had transformed into polished sailors in uniforms. We climbed to the top of the captain’s cabin. From there, I saw the entire Salarian coast.
Not a trace of green remained. The salt had killed everything. It looked like a forest fire had burned the entire country.
“How did you create the fairy snow?” I asked.
“The skeletons used salt from the ships we raided. Very symbolic.”
He winked at me.
“I’m sure Mother loved it.”
“Snow made of salt? It was all Sir Lefting could do to keep her from revising the opera on the spot.”
“How did you spread it? It is covering the whole coast now.”
I gestured to the shore. Sir Gilbert shrugged.
“We didn’t do any of that. Something else must have triggered it.”
“You killed an entire farm’s crops to create that snow.”
“And I’d do it again to make you happy.”
I turned to face him.
“What if I don’t want to be a pirate, Sir Gilbert? What if I want to be queen?”
“Since when do you want to be queen?”
A movement on the horizon caught my eye. I turned away, looking out to the open sea. Sir Gilbert followed my gaze.
I tried again.
“We’ve made a mess of things, you and me. Don’t you think we should fix them?”
He examined me, bemused.
“There are crates of salt left, although it took a lot to coat the field. I can tell your father where to find them. We can deliver it to Castana personally if you want. You’ll like it there. Lots of roses. The court magicians will figure out a way to remove the salt from the ground. They’re far more qualified than we are.”
“What about Salaria? I’m the heir to the throne.”
“There are plenty of noblemen. They can have a tournament or some such thing. They’ll find so
meone to rule. Oh, I forgot! I have a present for you!”
He ran below deck and returned with a small cage.
“Seda!”
I reached through the bars and scratched the kitten behind the ears. He purred.
“I had to lock him up. He kept climbing the mast, and I was afraid he would hurt himself.”
“Thank you.”
I unlatched the cage and cuddled Seda. I buried my head in his fur and stole another glance at the shore. Something on the ocean moved. Had Lady Alma sent a rescue party? I turned back to Sir Gilbert. The way his hair had flickered still puzzled me.
“Your hair is quite dashing,” I said. “Is it a statement? To make you recognizable as the Dragon?”
He ran his hands through his strange, fiery hair and shook his head.
“When I was young, all I wanted was a chance to be near you. That hasn’t changed, actually. I had dark hair, but they only allowed blond children to be companions. So my mother paid a wigmaker to dye my hair with magic. It went badly.”
“But surely you could remove the spell.”
“The idiot used a sort of Castanian magic. A soul loop, Estrella called it. Somehow, it draws energy from my soul and changes my appearance.”
“And it can’t be changed back?”
He shook his head.
“I'll wear a wig if it bothers you.”
“It doesn’t bother me.”
His hair had changed back briefly even if he didn’t know it. My mind raced. The Stella Rossa would need a lot of magical power to transform. Had it drawn power from his soul? Small charms did that, and Seda was proof that Estrella’s mother knew how to work them. Would a small charm, like the one that changed Sir Gilbert’s hair, fail if a larger charm needed power?
Not that any of this would help me. I couldn't work magic. But I could use the transformation charms. That was something.
Sir Gilbert misunderstood my silence.
“I don’t mind wearing a wig if the red hair bothers you. I know you’re used to blond.”
“No, I wasn’t thinking about that.”
The ship had not only drawn magic from Sir Gilbert. It had drawn power from me. For a moment, it had felt just like when Estrella and I linked souls to fix the well. If I reactivated that link, maybe I could fight back somehow. Turn the skeletons against him?
But how?
The coast grew smaller every minute. We were sailing away. If I wanted to escape, I had to do it soon.
“They’re looking for me, Gilbert. The soldiers know I was with Shadow. I can’t just disappear.”
“I told them you were with Shadow. They’ll take care of the bandits, and I’ll send your father a message to let him know you’re safe. If we turn our love into a symbol, we’ll have your mother’s support. He won’t dare go against her wishes.”
“Perhaps, but what sort of symbol would it be? Beauty and the beast?”
He laughed.
“I wouldn’t go that far.”
“Salt and the fairy snow?”
“That sounds perfect.”
“Great. You can be the salt. Sucking the life out of everyone to sustain your illusion.”
He frowned and placed his hand over mine. His voice lowered to a growl.
“And what does the fairy snow do?”
“Removes the salt.”
I threw Seda at him and jumped back. Seda clawed Sir Gilbert’s chest, alarmed by the sudden motion. I hated to leave him again, but what choice did I have? I reached into my apron to grab my bracelets.
My apron was gone.
How could I have forgotten?
I glanced around the deck for something to bring overboard with me. I found an empty crate and tossed it over the side. It spun through the air before finally hitting the waves. I looked down. It was a long way to the water, and the waves were bigger than the gentle rocking motion of the ship suggested. I hesitated, and the chance was gone.
Sir Gilbert grabbed my arm and pulled me back to the deck. His fingers dug into my skin. Lady Alma would have a lot of bruises to heal if I ever made it back to the palace.
“You’ve been in the mines too long,” he said. “You’re confused. Once you’ve had some rest, you’ll feel better.”
“I need to get back to the palace. I need to fix this!”
He dragged me across the ship.
“You’ll like the room I prepared for you.”
He opened a door. My jaw dropped. Salara portraits covered the walls. A wardrobe filled with replicas of my gowns sat in the right corner. A bookshelf filled with volumes of official Salara Poetry stood in the left.
“I haven’t just been robbing salt shipments,” he said. “It is amazing how many gifts your mother sends to other countries. They’ll be disappointed to hear their ships have been attacked by the Dragon, but you’ll have all the comforts of home here.”
“This is-”
Words failed me. I stared with horror.
“And I have another gift for you.”
He was calming down, fighting for control. It had been foolish of me to upset him. He pulled a small chest from a shelf and opened it.
Sapphires.
“It was you,” I said. “You stole the sapphire shipment from the museum.”
“And I am sorry it caused you distress. I had no idea they were intended for your gown. I sailed up the Ghone to search for a spot for the picnic and couldn’t resist.”
“And then you kidnapped Roslynn.”
“You should lie down,” he said, pulling me into the room. “You’ve been through a lot. I’ll keep you company. We can read some poetry.”
“I think the last thing we need right now is poetry.”
Sir Gilbert and I ran out of the cabin and stared. Shadow hovered a few feet above the ship. He pulled a silver bracelet from his wrist and dropped to the deck. The impact made his leg buckle, but he recovered his balance and pulled his knife from his pack.
The Dragon growled.
Shadow looked terrible.
His eyes were still red, and he held a hand over his face to shield them from the bright sun. His clothes were torn and muddy. Dried blood crusted on his face, and bruises had already formed.
He slipped the bracelets into my apron and dropped it on the deck.
Skeletons appeared around him, swords drawn. Shadow held up his dagger, ready to defend himself.
Sir Gilbert laughed and snapped his fingers. The skeletons disappeared.
“I think I can handle this one on my own,” he said.
I stepped forward. Sir Gilbert pulled my arm so hard I crashed into him. He held me close against his side.
“Shadow, are you insane?” I said. “He’ll kill you.”
“Maybe. But I love you. The real you. And I wanted you to know.”
Sir Gilbert scoffed.
“She’s a noble,” he said. “She’s one of them. And you tied her up and kidnapped her. Do you think she’ll forgive you? Just like that?”
“Worth a try.”
He took a step forward. His hurt leg trembled as he walked.
“Shadow, get out of here,” I said. “Leave while you still can.”
Shadow shook his head and kicked my apron across the polished deck, out of his reach.
“So,” Sir Gilbert said. “We get to finish our fight. The Princess won’t be able to save you this time. I’m all out of hair charms.”
Shadow lunged forward. Sir Gilbert pushed me into the Salara room and dodged. Shadow lunged again, and Sir Gilbert stabbed him in the side. A red spot spread across his tunic.
“You should have at least waited until the sun set. Can you even see me?”
He stabbed Shadow’s other side.
“I’ll come with you. Gilbert,” I said. “Let him go, and I’ll come with you. We can read poetry together. We’ll sail to Castana and visit rose gardens. It will be very symbolic.”
Sir Gilbert laughed.
“We’ll do all those things after I stab him through the heart
. You can’t get much more symbolic than that.”
He was distracted. Shadow stabbed his shoulder. Sir Gilbert lunged for his head and missed.
I retrieved my apron from the deck and pulled out the Rosas Rojas. Did I have to be asleep to contact Lady Alma? I was on a magical ship. Surely she would have an idea.
Lady Alma, I thought. Please hear me, Lady Alma.
Nothing happened.
Even if I dared to sleep now, I wouldn’t be able to. A blur of white caught my eye. Seda ran away from the fight and climbed the mast. He clung to the ropes with his claws, swinging above the ship.
I heard a groan, turned back to the fight, and screamed.
Sir Gilbert pulled his sword from Shadow’s chest. Blood dripped from the blade onto the deck. The Stella Rossa’s illusion flickered with each drop, switching from golden wood to red.
The frigid point of a soul link stabbed my heart as the ship changed appearances. My vision faded to black. Sir Gilbert’s hair turned dark. He looked like an older version of himself. Shadow’s turned blond as he transformed into Admiral Ethan. I watched, helpless, as Admiral Ethan crawled backwards, trying to escape the sword.
With a cold smile that looked just like his son, Sir Gilbert’s father stabbed Estrella’s.
I jumped back to the present and blinked back tears. Stay calm. I must not panic.
Shadow crumpled to the deck. His dagger slipped from his hands.
“Shadow!”
He didn’t respond. Blood from his wound soaked his tunic.
“Shadow, answer me!”
Sir Gilbert wiped his blade on Shadow’s cloak, slipped it back into his sheath, and walked towards me.
Chapter 29
My hands trembled. My whole body shook. I shivered as an icy chill spread through my limbs.
My apron lay by my feet. I picked it up, slipped the silver bracelets over my wrists and stepped back.
I made it back a few more steps onto the unseen stairs before Sir Gilbert realized what was happening. He lunged towards me, but I ran backwards until I was out of his reach. Seda climbed down the rigging and pawed at a rope, asking me to play with him. Gilbert ran to the mast and climbed the rigging himself until he was eye level with me.
But I stepped away from the ropes. He could not reach me.
Rook and Shadow (Salarian Chronicles Book 1) Page 24