Labyrinth Lost: Chapters 7–12

by Zoraida Córdova
Alex hates being a bruja, a witch — but when her family disappears, she must embrace her powers in order to save them.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–6, Chapters 7–12, Chapters 13–22, Chapters 23–33, Chapter 34–Epilogue
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. gangrene
    the localized death of living cells
    If there are hexes that give unfaithful lovers groin gangrene and potions that melt warts in the blink of an eye, then there has to be something to get rid of my powers.
  2. char
    burn to charcoal
    Once they were brujos who broke the Mortal Laws of the Deos. El Papa broke them until they were nothing but charred skin and bone.
  3. dilate
    become wider
    Her eyes widen and dilate, until there is only black.
  4. sinewy
    possessing physical strength and weight; rugged and powerful
    Its sinewy body separates the three of us from Rose.
  5. plantain
    starchy banana-like fruit
    Lula grabs a plantain mallet from the sink and hurls it.
  6. mallet
    a tool resembling a hammer but with a large head
    The maloscuro growls as the mallet hits it square in the face.
  7. rake
    scrape gently
    At the sound of Lula’s voice, the creature snaps out of the trance. It snarls at Lula, raking long, black claws across her face.
  8. malign
    evil or harmful in nature or influence
    I feel its essence and my skin crawls. It’s malign, unwanted, death.
  9. tripe
    lining of the stomach of a cow (used as food)
    “I used to think Mama Juanita made them up,” I say. “Just to scare us into eating her tripe soup.”
  10. brandish
    exhibit aggressively
    I think of her brandishing the mace. She looked ferocious, terrifying.
  11. seer
    an authoritative person who divines the future
    “Peace, Carmen.” Valeria now. She’s a seer, like Rose. She brings us ham croquettes and pan de dulce once a month. “We came here to help.”
  12. croquette
    a small patty of minced food that is coated and fried
    “Peace, Carmen.” Valeria now. She’s a seer, like Rose. She brings us ham croquettes and pan de dulce once a month. “We came here to help.”
  13. virtually
    slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
    The depiction of the Banishing Canto is virtually recoil free.
  14. vortex
    the shape of something rotating rapidly
    I scrub my skin until it’s red, and I wonder where cantos go. I wonder if there is an endless vortex or a big space dump where this stuff ends up.
  15. vindictive
    disposed to seek revenge or intended for revenge
    Mama Juanita used to say that when you drop a spoon, get ready for company, probably from a vindictive woman.
  16. chiffon
    a sheer fabric of silk or rayon
    Our distant cousins, the brujas from Lula’s circle, are done up in chiffon skirts and silk blouses covered in glitter.
  17. grizzly
    showing characteristics of age
    Uncle Gladios makes a beeline for me. He holds my face with his grizzly hands.
  18. androgynous
    having both male and female characteristics
    It’s always nice when your older male relatives tell you how great it is to be a woman now, like I was an androgynous experiment before.
  19. defiant
    boldly resisting authority or an opposing force
    She stands straight and defiant as eyes linger on the scars on her cheek.
  20. glamour
    cast a spell over someone or something
    She hesitates, then says, “Want me to glamour your scars?”
  21. dainty
    delicately beautiful
    She spins in place, her skirt swishing around her dainty feet.
  22. anoint
    administer an oil or ointment to, often ceremonially
    I take the knife from Lady. The handle is ivory. The steel glistens with anointed oils.
  23. smattering
    a small number or amount
    There’s a smattering of applause.
  24. machete
    a large knife used as a weapon or for cutting vegetation
    My mother stands in front of me with a machete in her hand.
  25. singe
    burn superficially or lightly
    I touch the outline of feathers burned into the wooden floor, then the singed parakeet feathers that flutter around me.
  26. shrill
    being sharply insistent on being heard
    “You have to help me!” Desperation makes my voice shrill. “You have to help me get them back.”
  27. decrepit
    lacking bodily or muscular strength or vitality
    I’m a decrepit, crooked, beastly thing clawing at his feet.
  28. limbo
    an imaginary place for lost or neglected things
    I close my eyes. I’ve gone beyond feeling like I’m in a dream or a nightmare. I’m in a limbo of my own making.
  29. relish
    derive or receive pleasure from
    Part of me hates it. A whisper, deep in the back of my head, relishes in it.
  30. tuft
    a bunch or cluster of strands, as of grass, hair, etc.
    Feathers, feathers, everywhere. They flutter in defeated little tufts.
  31. haggle
    wrangle, as over a price or terms of an agreement
    “My mom could give you more. She has some jewelry. Look around you. That’s everything. That’s all we’ve got.”
    He doesn’t try to haggle, just stands behind me.
  32. mortar
    a vessel in which substances can be ground with a pestle
    He grabs a mortar and pestle, then riffles through the pantry for a handful of ingredients.
  33. pestle
    a hand tool for grinding and mixing substances in a mortar
    He grabs a mortar and pestle, then riffles through the pantry for a handful of ingredients.
  34. disconcerting
    causing an emotional disturbance
    “It’s disconcerting to me that you know more about what’s in my kitchen than I do.”
  35. unnerve
    disturb the composure of
    “Not all dead are created equal. Honestly, I find your disbelief a little unnerving.”
  36. skeptical
    marked by or given to doubt
    “Do people actually believe in heaven? Olympus? There’s belief and then there’s wishful thinking. I’m allowed to be skeptical of things I haven’t seen for myself.”
  37. jaded
    bored or apathetic after experiencing too much of something
    “So young,” he says. “So jaded.”
  38. existential
    relating to or dealing with the state of being
    “Why would the Deos create something like this?”
    “Why do gods do anything?” Nova asks. “You can have your existential crisis when we return.”
  39. wretched
    deserving or inciting pity
    “By the Deos of eternity. By the blood of my blood. By the light of La Mama and the shadow of El Papa, I offer the blood of the wretched. Open a door to Los Lagos.”
  40. flail
    thrash about
    Whatever it may be—sky, space, a black hole—the wind is warm, and after a few moments, I relax into the fall. We’re a tangle of limbs flailing in the wind.
Created on Wed Sep 04 15:52:36 EDT 2019 (updated Fri Sep 13 13:22:43 EDT 2019)

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