Free ARC: The Wizard's Promise by Cassandra Rose Clarke

there was nothing there.
    “What the hell are you doing?” Kolur’s voice interrupted my concentration. I opened my eyes.
    “Nothing,” I called back. “Just like you want.”
    He shook his head and kicked at the boards. “Looked like you were in a damn trance. Don’t get like that out here, girl. It could mean something dangerous.”
    “It wasn’t anything dangerous. I knew what I was doing.” I walked over to him. Frida was hunched over the map, as always, tracing a path with her finger. Yesterday, I’d tried to slide up beside her and peek at our navigation plans, but she’d slammed the lid shut with a gust of wind before I could see anything.
    “Fine. But I don’t know that.” Kolur glanced down at me. “You know it’s not just icebergs we have to worry about out here.”
    He was talking about the Mists. I suppressed a shiver.
    “Funny,” I said. “Frida told me the exact opposite.”
    Kolur rolled his eyes, but Frida smiled at us from across the boat.
    “Frida’s a troublemaker.” Kolur paused. “You want to take the wheel for a little while? Should be fine, what with her melting charm going.”
    “Sure.” It was something to do, and when I took the wheel from him, I felt the strength of the ship beneath my hands as it cut through the water. Kolur slouched beside me, his arms crossed over his chest – waiting for me to mess up, no doubt.
    “Is it just killing you?” I said. “Letting me do some work for once?”
    “Focus on the seas, girl.”
    We sailed on. The ocean glittered around us; the wind flapped at the sails and brought that scent of cold, frozen flowers. I thought about Isolfr emerging from under the sea, claiming we were going to work together.
    “Kolur?” I said, still looking out at the horizon.
    “Tired already?”
    “No.” I chewed on my bottom lip, trying to figure out what to say. As angry as I was with him, he needed to know about Isolfr. He was right – we were far north, and the waters were dangerous. Keeping Isolfr a secret meant putting the Penelope in danger.
    “Well? Spit it out, girl.”
    “Last night, I saw a boy swimming in the water beside the boat. I spoke to him, and he said his–” I stopped. Kolur had wandered over to Frida, and they stood side by side, staring down at the navigation table.
    Ice welled up in my stomach.
    “Kolur!” I shouted. “I was talking to you.”
    He lifted his head. “What’s that? You tired already?”
    My hands trembled, my head spun and anger flushed hot in my cheeks. The Penelope veered off to the port side, and Kolur gave a shout and came running up to me. He yanked the wheel out of my hands and righted our path. The sails snapped. Dots of sunlight scattered across the deck.
    “Are you sure you’re okay?”
    “I’m fine. You’re the one who keeps ignoring–”
    He turned away from me and stared out at the water. The wind ruffled his hair. “Maybe we can have you send a note down to your mother next time we dock. Think she’d like to hear from you.”
    For a moment, I was struck by this new piece of information – the next time we dock? Where was it? Someplace with messengers, if we’d be able to send a note.
    But then the implication of his promise struck me heard. He’d talked about docking, but not about Isolfr. He didn’t hear me. I brought up Isolfr and he didn’t hear me.
    I stumbled away from him without answering. The wind roared in my ears.
    Magic could do that. Magic, and not much else.
     
    That night, I crept up on deck, the way I’d done every night since we left Skalir. But tonight was different. Tonight, the air itself felt sinister, like the wind was laced with poison instead of enchantment. I had my bones with me, still wrapped up in their handkerchief. And I intended to get some answers.
    Kolur was sleeping at the helm, the steering charm glowing in the darkness. I crept up to the bow, where the wind was strongest, and closed my eyes to get a feel for its magic. It was strong tonight,