23. Magdalena
Once again, Magda found herself submerged in blackness. The desolate space was void of all noise, as if she had been sealed in a coffin. Not a single wisp of air rushed past Magda’s ears. It was the same space she had found herself in only days ago in a similar dream.
The booming voice filled the void again. “Still running, are we?”
“Tell me who you are,” Magda said, although she didn’t believe for one second that this phantom of her imagination was actually a real person.
“Me? I’m surprised you don’t know. You don’t recognize my voice?”
Magda only grew more surprised. She didn’t know the first thing about being a guardian, for her brother and father had passed away before they had the chance to tell her anything about the responsibilities of being a royal. Did Aleksy also have strange dreams?
“I’m not asking again. Tell me who you are,” she demanded.
Then the voice said, “I was taken too soon from this world, without the ability to pass on my knowledge to you. You possess a rare spark of magic, one that transcends the ordinary—a rare piece of salt, raw and unrefined.”
The metaphor akin to Azurem’s culture was not lost on her. This time, Magda grew curious. Was that the voice of her father or brother, reaching out to her from the great beyond? Maybe they wanted to tell her what they couldn’t before they died.
“Is that you, Aleksy?” Magda called out. “Dad?”
When the blackness didn’t respond, Magda had her answer. She snapped back with a bitter tone. “Whoever you are, get out of my head.”
A snarl went up around the room, as if the comment wasn’t appreciated. “Come back when you want answers, Dear Princess.”
Magda lurched upright, rubbing her back. Her entire body was sore from sleeping on Ravi’s hard, wooden floor. The realness of the dream was still ingrained in her memory. For some reason, every breath she had taken in the void had felt real—like it was sucking the life out of her. She took a few deep breaths to steady her beating heart.
Next to her, Odie scrambled to his paws before proceeding into a big stretch.
Looking to Ravi’s bed, Magda noted that he had already left. The space that once held the violin case was empty.
Magda refocused on her own mission. She had to speak to Queen Sanyal and ask her about being a guardian, and more importantly her strange dreams. Since she couldn’t reveal that she was the princess publicly, she would have to steal an invitation to Princess Kiran’s birthday party.
She crossed to a miniature spiral staircase and descended to the first floor. It was a small kitchen space, with barely any room to move around. Odie hopped down the stairs next to her, landing quietly.
Magda opened the door, stepping out onto the street. Now, during the day, Magda could see the expanse of the city, which stretched as far as the eye could see. In the distance, on the lush fields outside of the tan, urban sprawl, was the palace. In the opposite direction, lay the docks.
Ravi lived off a busy intersection shaped in a circle, surrounded by bars, nightclubs, and shopping centers. Vines and plants peaked through cracks in the walls, and weeds dotted the edges of the streets. It was a distinct enough area to retrace her steps to later or be able to ask for directions, if she needed to make her way back here.
Magda paid for a small breakfast before heading to the waterfront. She was certain that if Ishani had an invitation to the royal birthday celebration, the invitation would be kept on her person. The best place to find the leader of the Fowler’s Guild would be on the docks.
Magda and Odie walked through the busy streets along the dock, searching the crowds of people for the Fowler Guild’s leader. She remembered Ishani telling her that she lived on the ship, so Magda traced her way back through the busy marketplace and toward the coastline.
For a few minutes, Magda had considered leaving Odie behind in Ravi’s apartment. Especially if there were people looking to kidnap dogs on these streets. However, Magda preferred not to let Odie out of her sight. All she could do was hope that no one would confront her during the day, when the streets were crowded with witnesses.
When Magda reached the end of the streets, she saw the Starway docked in the harbor, the wondrous turquoise flags moving in the wind as the vessel bobbed up and down in the clear water. Beyond the ship, a pink sunrise illuminated the clouds on the horizon.
Magda took in her surroundings before proceeding any further. She stole a side-eye at Odie, but his stance didn’t indicate any danger. There were no guards at the immigration gate this time, and she suspected it was because there were no incoming or outgoing ships at this hour that were coming from other kingdoms. So they slipped forward, walking directly through the gate, before standing in the middle of the docks.
Magda made her way to the magnificent ship, Odie trailing behind her. She didn’t know for sure that Ishani had received an invitation, or if she would keep it out in the open in her office. All that she had to go on was the information from Ravi, and she hoped it would prove true. She didn’t have any more time to waste, especially if assassins were still searching for her.
From Magda’s viewpoint, the ship appeared deserted. She was not able to make out any sailors on board. The harbor was still, and the air was void of commotion. It seemed as if she was one of the only people on the docks; however, Magda guessed that wasn’t the case, and assumed that there were sailors either sleeping or preparing the ships below deck. Boarding the ship would be dangerous, and Magda had no idea if it was preparing to venture on the high seas today.
The gangway plank leading up to the ship was down. It would be too easy to head directly on board. Magda stepped carefully, one foot in front of the other, as she crossed the gangway and boarded the ship. Odie followed behind, sniffing the edges of the planks as he went. When she reached the upper deck, she noticed two sailors cleaning the floorboards. They hummed a tune in a foreign language under their breath.
“What are you doing here?” the older man asked. His eyes glanced toward Odie.
“I have a message for Captain Ishani,” said Magda. The lie was quick. “She told me I could come see her at any time.”
“And who are you?” the man asked.
“My name is Dagmara, and I’m affiliated with the royal court in Azurem. I came all this way, and I assure you that your captain will want to hear what I have to say.”
The men exchanged glances, wondering whether to believe Magda’s story or not. Finally, one of them said, “She’s been expecting information from Azurem. You’ll have to wait for her in her office. She’s gone onto the Marauder’s ship to speak with Captain Vex.”
The sound of Vex’s name—the man that had accosted her last night and tried to kidnap Odie—made Magda’s heart jump. Suddenly she regretted bringing Odie along with her to the ship. She didn’t know where Ishani’s allegiances lied, and if she was also engaged in illegal dealings throughout the city alongside Vex. But she didn’t want to show any hesitations or fear. That’s not what Dagmara would do. Dagmara wouldn’t let her emotions show, regardless of what she was feeling. Magda kept her face blank, channeling her best friend’s persona.
“Perfect,” said Magda. “Show me to her office. I can wait.”
Magda and her dog followed the older man down a set of stairs on the right. They both passed through a door with turquoise stained-glass paneling. Inside, was a lush office, full of treasures and trinkets from the Starway’s travels across kingdoms. On the right, was a painting of Ishani as a young girl next to a handsome captain, who Magda assumed was her father based on the age difference in the portrait.
“Wait here,” said the man. “I’ll get her. Don’t touch anything.”
Magda nodded before taking a seat on a velvet blue chair across from a wooden desk in the center of the room. Once the door slammed behind her, and she was sure that the man had gone, she leapt up from her seat.
“Odie, watch,” Magda motioned toward the door. Quickly, Odie obeyed, bounding to the door.
Magda raced around to the other side of the desk, yanking open drawers and cycling through papers in a frantic manner. Her eyes were drawn to anything that looked like a royal seal coming from Queen Sanyal.
When she was sure she had given herself enough time to search the drawers, Magda scanned the top of the desk. All that was on the tabletop was a large map of the world, showing the kingdoms of Celestaire, Ilusauri, Azurem, Flaustra. Interestingly, there were many Xs and scribbles drawn along the kingdom of Azurem. Circled towns were situated within the border of Magda’s kingdom. What was this map?
Magda’s eyes scanned the room once more. There must have been one hundred books on the varying shelves, scattered between two porthole windows, and a set of stained-glass paneling behind the desk. In addition, eight trunks were stacked in one corner of the room. There was no way that Magda could search this entire office before Ishani returned.
Magda’s eyes caught a small side table underneath one of the porthole windows. On that table, was a golden letter opener. Magda’s heart raced as she dashed over to the side table. Next to the expensive letter opener, was a stack of mail. Magda grabbed the large pile of letters and began sifting through them, looking for anything that appeared to be a Flaustran crest.
Her eyes widened when she stumbled upon the crest of Ilusauri. This was the seal belonging to King Claude. Letting her curiosity consume her, Magda opened the letter from the so-called Mad King, written in Flaustran. It read:
I don’t care if your payment was delayed. The terms of our agreement still stand. Report back to me when you have anything useful to tell me about the locations we discussed. Otherwise, don’t waste my time. If you think I care about your birthright, think again. There are many other captains that would take these contracts for far less. Think about that next time you report back with nothing.
If I get information from Princess Magdalena before you get me anything, I’ll have no use for you anymore.
Claude
Magda gasped, almost dropping the letter. What was the agreement referenced in the letter? Were the locations in the letter related to the map on the table? Why was a Captain of a Flaustran Guild speaking to King Claude directly? And why were they discussing the Azuremi Royals?
Magda had to get into the Flaustran palace immediately. She had to access the Scribestone and send a letter to Dagmara this instant. Her friend could be in danger—much more danger—than Magda ever thought before.
Odie growled at the door. That was her signal someone was coming.
Magda went to put the scattered letters back in their places as Odie scampered over to the desk. Quickly, Magda replaced the letter from Claude, and did a brief skim over the remaining pile. Queen Sanyal’s crest flashed on one of the remaining letters. Magda snatched it in her hand, hoping that it was the invitation she sought out, before shoving it in her apron.
In her haste, she knocked over a vase of decrepit, blue flowers. The vase rattled, rolling toward the edge of the desk, but Magda leapt forward, grabbed it, and set it back on the table. As she did so, her fingers brushed the dying leaves. Her eyes widened as the once withering violets sprang forward, blossoming into a vibrant bouquet, this time in various shades of turquoise. The bouquet was almost twice the size as before, threatening to tip the vase over.
Magda gasped, but she didn’t have time to waste. She steadied the vase and raced back to the chair in the center of the office. Just as she sat down, the door swung open.
“You have something for me?” The voice was direct.
Ishani circled around to her desk before she recognized Magda. Then she spoke in Azuremi with a thick accent, “Dagmara.” Ishani’s eyes brightened, before taking in Odie. “And your dog. What a nice surprise.”
“Not your usual Azuremi messenger, am I?” Magda asked.
“No.” Ishani unlatched both handheld axes and set them on the desk. The young captain was exactly how Magda remembered her from their trip together. Tall, fit, with beautiful, shiny black hair slicked back into a low bun. Today she wore a turquoise cape buckled tightly around her neck, overtop a leather corset; it pinched her waist and accentuated her breasts, which were dusted with gold sparkles and lightly beaded sweat.
Ishani continued, sitting down in her desk chair. “You’ve intrigued me, Dagmara. You’ve caused more commotion in this city than any other Azuremi visitor.”
“I heard. I had a run in with Captain Vex last night,” Magda said, hoping the mention of his name would make Ishani accidentally reveal what type of allegiances she had to him.
Ishani gave Magda a suggestive smile, “He’s not the only Captain that’s interested in knowing more about you.” Ishani stared down at Odie once more.
Magda’s face flushed, and heat radiated through her body. She wanted to keep the conversation focused on her, rather than her dog. So she said, “You never pressured me for information about myself.”
“I don’t care about guild politics. It’s not why I’m in this position.”
“So why are you in this position?” asked Magda, thinking back to the letter from Claude. Her eyes flicked down to the map scribbled with marked villages on the desk.
Ishani studied Magda’s face before following her gaze to the map. Then she said, “Are you going to be a problem for me? Or will we agree to not ask each other any more questions that could get us both in trouble?”
“Agreed,” said Magda. There was something that passed between them, but it wasn’t trust—it was something different—something deep and emotional.
Magda changed the subject, “You won’t have to worry about me for much longer. I’m headed back to Azurem and I need passage on your next voyage back,” Magda lied once again. “That’s why I’m here.”
“I’m not headed to Azurem for another few weeks. But sure, if you can pay as much as you did last time, I’ll save space for you.”
“Thanks,” said Magda, rising to go. As soon as she did so, Odie rose to his feet.
Deep down, Magda wanted to ask Ishani more about the letter from Claude, but she didn’t want to risk revealing that she had been snooping around the office and angering one of the most powerful guild leaders. That conversation would have to wait for another time.
As Magda headed out the door, Ishani called out, “I’ll save space for you and your dog on the next ship to Azurem. Stay out of trouble, Dagmara.”