Princess of Souls by Alexandra Christo

Author:Alexandra Christo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

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The ship looks even more like a dragon once we’re aboard. The floors of its forked body are awash with green, the same color of its winged sails, and ripple with blues and pinks, so each mark of the wood looks like scales.

The wheel deck sits elevated to the rear, and I spy Leo’s butterfly in its center, like a prize on display.

Beside it, a man sits with a lit cigar.

“Nox Laederic,” he says.

He spits the cigar into the water and slides down a long pole, bringing him to the main deck.

“What in the name of souls are you doing on my boat?”

He’s a good few years older than us, with black hair streaked silver and a beard that pulls across his throat. A scar slashes down his right eye and curves around his cheek, leaving his eye stained bloody.

“Meet Dray Garrick,” Nox says to me, sweeping an arm out to the man by way of introduction. “One of the richest thieves in Armonía. He makes his Chrim stealing jewels from the crumbled towers of the old royal families. And murdering anyone who gets in his way, of course.”

“That’s quite the introduction,” I say.

“He’s quite the criminal,” Nox admits. “Too greedy for a real crew.”

Garrick narrows his one good eye. “I asked what you were doing on my boat.”

“I considered bargaining with you, but I’m all out of gold and we’ve already resorted to selling our jewelry,” Nox says.

He nods up to the balloon basket.

“You have something of mine and I’d like it back. I’m assuming I’ll have to use force, but let me know if you’re feeling charitable.”

Garrick is too incredulous to laugh fully, and so what comes out of his mouth is a large breathy sound that flares his nostrils.

“And who’s this?” he asks, looking at me. His stare lingers. “Your partner in chaos?”

Despite my eyes, surely he can’t suspect that I’m a witch. Not with so many women in Armonía sharing the color of my hair. Perhaps they even mimic the glow of my eyes too. With my hair cut to no longer resemble my mother or our ancestors, Garrick must think I’m one of them.

It’s freeing to have someone look straight at me and have no expectations or preconceptions.

He doesn’t know who I am and so I can be whoever I want for once.

“A partner in chaos,” Nox muses. “That’s fairly accurate, don’t you agree?”

I nod as casually as I can muster. “I like the sound of it.”

Garrick sneers. “Whatever you two are up to, do it somewhere else. I don’t want to have to hurt you, Regiment Leader.”

He practically spits those last two words, mocking Nox’s position in the Last Army and, it seems, his apparent allegiance to the king. Nox doesn’t look the slightest bit ruffled.

“You and your three deckhands are going to take us on?” Nox asks, looking around at the men dotted sparsely across the ship. “I’m insulted.”

A smile cracks across Garrick’s face, like a splinter. “You’re just like your father,” he says.

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