Safe-ish, anyway.
A sound to the right, a sloshing, gurgling sound that had been disguised by the crashing, roaring waves against the rocks, suddenly grew to prominence. They turned as one, in time to see some large object breach the surface of the water.
Straightening with a gasp of confusion, Gwen caught a glimpse of a coral-red tentacle rising out of the waves about twenty feet from the shore, followed by the glistening dome of a head, as if the beast were greeting the dawn.
Disbelief spread through her, her lips parting, though no words came. The wave of exhaustion overtaking her turned to a numb incredulity.
This wasn’t possible. And yet the evidence was before her very eyes.
The sea monster had risen from the dead.
21
You have a hero in your midst
‘LordBingleton?!’ Jane gasped, clutching at Hilde’s hand.
The girls and Orson were gathered around a table in the corner of the tavern, where the ragged remains of Isobelle’s beautiful clothes were drawing the wrong sort of attention. The innkeeper wore a fixed smile and refused to meet anyone’s gaze, but clearly wasn’t game to suggest Isobelle was bringing the tone down. For her part, Isobelle wasn’t letting anything come between her and breakfast, so Rosamund was reduced to darting in to deposit plates on their table, then edging back again.
Gwen and Isobelle’s relaying of their night’s adventure had made its way through the failure of the ritual, via Tabitha’s kidnapping and the tracking of their new friend to the witch’s cottage – complete with the shocking revelation of her parentage – then through the secret passage and as far as the discovery that Olivia’s mysterious order was somehow involved.
Now, they were up to the part about the necromancer himself, and despite her sandy-eyed exhaustion, Isobelle was quite pleased with the general reaction.
Everyone fell silent as Rosamund sidled up once more with a fresh tray of toast, trying very hard to look as though she weren’t straining to overhear any snippets of conversation. Her knuckles were white on the tray, as if she would rather keep hold of it and scuttle away from the sort of danger Gwen and Isobelle so clearly attracted, but still she lingered. Sylvie thanked her pointedly, and she deposited the food and retreated again, deprived of the gossip she so clearly sought.
‘You’re sure it was Bingleton?’ Orson asked quietly.
‘He’s a newcomer,’ Sylvie pointed out. ‘What does anyone here really know about him?’
‘ButBingleton, a witch? And one who summons the dead, at that?’
Isobelle reached for another slice of toast as everyone contemplated this, and Hilde passed her the pot of jam.
‘It’s a decent disguise,’ Gwen said, propping her chin up on one hand, allowing herself to close her eyes. ‘Playing the fool. If we hadn’t seen him with our own eyes, I’d never have believed it.’
‘A necromancer …’ Jane said quietly. ‘Girls, I know we’ve faced down a dragon …’ She paused for an apologetic glance at Orson, who inclined his head.Hehad not, after all, faced down the beast. ‘But this is biggerthan that. Are we sure we’re the right people to take him on?’
‘It’s a fair question,’ Sylvie said, before Isobelle could reply. ‘The man is more than dangerous. We can assume he’s behind the curse on the town, and it must have been he who commanded the sea monster, too.’
Isobelle winced. ‘Ah,’ she said, buying herself a moment more, because she knew this next part was going to be tricky. ‘About that past tense.’
Blank looks met her around the table, save for Gwen’s exhausted gaze.
‘Commanded,’ Isobelle clarified. ‘I’m afraid the correct word iscommands.’
‘Sorry,what?’ Sylvie asked, setting down her spoon.
‘The creature is back,’ Gwen said wearily. ‘We saw it after we escaped the tower.’
‘He has raised …’ Hilde began, and then lowered her voice as the whole table hushed her at once. ‘He has raised the creature from the dead?’ she whispered, eyes huge. ‘Mein Gott.’
‘What are we going to do?’ Jane whispered.
‘You said he has Tabitha,’ Sylvie said. ‘Surely our focus should be—’
‘It is.’ Gwen reached for her cup of tea and took a long swallow. ‘Our focus is on saving Tabitha. Whatever it takes.’
‘Of course,’ Isobelle agreed. ‘We know that mattersmore than the monster. What we don’t know is …’ She trailed off, the next words unspoken.How on earth to save her. No one wanted to say them.
