31. Magdalena

During the days that followed, Magda sat in the tavern-area of the Mystic Sonata, pouring over books in Flaustran. It was the only way to keep her sane while waiting for news about Odie. The words she heard on the streets were significantly different from those she had been taught in textbooks by her private tutors, and she knew she needed to increase her vocabulary in order to navigate the city. Every day, she made her way to the marketplace and bought food so that she had an opportunity to interact with more Flaustrans, practicing how a real native would speak. While she was there, she trailed Ishani and her guild officers, trying to understand more about their daily routines so when the time came she could make another attempt at stealing an invitation to the birthday ball.

In the meantime, she asked the owners of the Mystic Sonata to bring a bouquet of flowers to her room, and she experimented with her magic. She crinkled the stems and petals, before instantly bringing them back to life. Pretty soon, she had mastered manipulating small plants.

She considered sending a letter to Dagmara, or to her mother, but realized it would be too dangerous without using the Scribestone. Anything—even if it was written in code—could easily be intercepted. Especially since she had accidentally displayed magic in the city, she would just have to wait until she got to the palace.

A few days later, Magda was sitting in a booth at the Mystic Sonata, sipping the signature herbal tea while she poured over another book in Flaustran—this time about the guardians. She needed to know everything about Flaustran lore and Flaustra’s perceptions of Soul magic.

“Thought I’d find you here,” a familiar voice said as he slid into the booth across from her.

“Did you get it?” Magda’s head piped up from her book.

Ravi slid an envelope across the table.

Quickly, Magda tore it open. It was a receipt confirming the bet that Ravi had made as an entry fee for Vex’s upcoming gambling party. In addition, it confirmed the time and location—in two days time at the farthest dock from the marketplace.

“You did it,” Magda said, nearly jumping up and embracing Ravi at her excitement. Somehow, she refrained. She could almost hear Vex’s snarling voice cracking in her head: “Everyone has their price, and every secret has a buyer.”

Then she asked Ravi, “What did you do to get this information?”

“It didn’t cost me too much,” he laughed.

“I don’t want you to get in trouble,” Magda responded sincerely, hoping that he wasn’t putting himself in danger on her behalf.

“Don’t worry about me,” Ravi assured her. “I have a few friends in the Marauders.” His response offered her a bit of respite, but she wasn’t sure why she was letting herself put so much trust in this young man. It was too easy, as if they were already old friends.

“Why are you helping me?” she asked.

“Truthfully, I would like to accompany you to the royal birthday celebration at the palace. You know, with an official invitation you can bring a ‘guest of the invited’. I was hoping you would bring me as your ‘invited’.”

“You want to be my date.” Magda knew what he was asking. “You never told me…why do you want to get into the palace? Scouting out a new location to play your music?” she asked lightheartedly.

“Do you really think you’ll get through the palace checkpoint and pass for a native Flaustran invitee?”

Deep down, Magda knew he was right, but he didn’t exactly answer her question.

“I’ll come to your room two hours beforehand, and we can leave from there,” he finished.

Magda nodded. She was ready to get Odie back.

Magda and Ravi circled down the narrow streets of Eloquas, heading toward the district that housed the Marauders Guild. Vex’s gambling party would be held on one of the docks that he owned, far away from the center of the city or the marketplace. In the night, tall ships could be seen, their masts reaching up to the heavens. While their sails were down, the area buzzed with quiet activity, signaling that they were in the right place for the upcoming gambling match. They were entering Vex’s massive arena—about to be thrown onto the enemy’s game board.

At the end of the dock was a warehouse, and connected to it, like it was some sort of special occasion, was a large tent. The sea-green tent connected back to the warehouse where Vex stored his contraband. Its outside layer flapped in the cool evening wind, and the doors were guarded by two officers, who appeared to be checking a list of guests.

“Follow my lead,” Ravi said beside Magda.

He held out his arm, and Magda linked hers in his as they walked down the center of the pier, approaching the tent.

“Name,” the man said.

“Ravi Kalal.”

“Bet.”

“Number 862. On the greyhound.”

“Identification.”

Ravi dug deep into his pockets before handing over the piece of paper. When the guard was satisfied, he looked to Magda.

“Name.”

“She’s not on the list,” Ravi intervened quickly. “She’s my investor, and she doesn’t like nosy officers poking around in her business.”

The guard nodded. “Seeing how significant of a sum you put down, we’d be happy to accommodate you, miss—”

“Dagmara,” Magda said.

“Dagmara. Azuremi then?” the guard referenced her accent. “No last name?”

“No. And if you’ll be wanting future investments from me for the guild, you’d best also keep my first name a secret. There’s a lot more people and finances where I come from.” Magda almost smiled. It was exactly what Dagmara would say, and it was working.

The guard nodded in understanding, before holding back the curtain for them to pass through and enter the match.

While the tent had been plain and inconspicuous from the outside, it was the exact opposite on the inside. Instantly, they were transported into Vex’s cave of vices, ostentatious in its splendor, but reeking of illegal activity. All around were colorful tapestries and gambling tables running around the outside of the room in a semicircle. An ugly smoke clouded Magda’s senses, as a foreign scent filled her nostrils. She could almost taste the sweet incense and the sticky sweat that lingered in the air from the heat and alcohol.

The guests present were wearing their finest clothes, and golden jewelry dripped from their hands and fingertips, as if they wanted to make the impression they had more money to spare. The air was thick with the clinking of glasses, laughter, and the symphony of dozens of languages.

In the center of the room was a cage with ceiling-high bars, meant for the fighting matches. Some of the guests stood close, cheering on the animals inside. Beyond the cage, toward the back of the tent, was a velvet curtain that led into the warehouse. The curtain was open, revealing a maze of crates and boxes that were stacked sky-high. Magda didn’t know if it was stupidity or ego that caused Vex to display his wealth that way, revealing an opening directly into the heart of his entire operation.

“Keep a lookout for where they might be bringing the dogs in from,” Ravi leaned close and whispered into Magda’s ear.

“A drink for the gentleman and the lady,” said a server, who passed a copper glass to both Magda and Ravi.

“Thank you,” Magda replied.

“Don’t drink that,” said Ravi, when the server was out of earshot. “It’s laced with truth serum. Vex doesn’t only host these events for money, but for secrets. Look around.”

As Magda did so, she noticed that every one of the guests was gushing over the drink, and in a deep conversation with officers that were manning each one of the gambling tables.

The duo moved forward, holding their glasses at their sides, and approached the center ring. Already, two vicious dogs were in a fighting match, their snarling teeth caked with dried blood. Even though a gate separated Magda from the match, she couldn’t help but tense in fear at the sight of the hideous dogs. Their ghost-like eyes sent a spine-chilling sensation through her entire body.

She watched as they tore each other apart, and the death match ended with one of them in pieces on the side of the ring. All that was left was the remains of a mangled animal, laying in pooled blood. Magda wanted to look away from the ghastly sight, but if she was posing as an investor she had to stay calm. She closed her eyes to keep from gagging.

“Wait here,” said Ravi. “I want to see where they bring out the next dog.”

Magda looked away from the ring, scanning the surrounding areas. Vex was up on a raised platform, in a throne like one of the guardians himself, eagerly watching and calling out the winners. As he did so, more and more coins were dropped into buckets along the side of the room. She wondered if it was all Flaustran currency, or if they were also stamped with the elk, bear, and owl—representing the other kingdoms.

“Long live the First Prince!” someone shouted from the crowd, which caused Vex’s face to turn red. All of the guests shrieked in a wild commotion as they watched the man scream.

“Long live the First Prince!”

“Get him out of here!” Vex said from his dais. “I’ll have no blasphemy here!”

Instantly, two guards were upon the stranger, dragging him away from the crowd and outside a side entrance to the tent. He continued shouting as he was removed, “Long live the First Prince! He’s coming back, and he’ll set fire to all of you and your vices!”

Magda knew all about the stories of the First Prince, and the lore that dubbed him as the most evil guardian in history. At least Vex still had some morals.

Magda turned her attention back to the match. It was still empty. Damn it. Where were they bringing out the next dog?

“Couldn’t stay away, could you?” a familiar voice sounded to Magda’s left. She was surprised to see Ishani standing next to her, pressing her face against the bars as if she had no fear of the ferocious animals inside the ring.

“None of your business,” responded Magda.

“I think you’re starting to be my business,” said Ishani, keeping her eyes on the match so it wouldn’t seem like they were talking. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“Why is that?”

“You have too much money to go around. It draws suspicion. People want information soon, or they’ll order your death. No one likes a wild card around here. Especially since you seem to be turning up at guild events.”

Magda gulped. What would Dagmara say in this situation? She was only a few mistakes away from revealing her identity completely. The only way to keep up this charade was to keep everyone guessing.

“Let them wonder,” Magda retorted.

Ishani turned her body toward Magda. “I looked you up in the royal records. Dagmara Zosia. Royal Assassin for the late Azuremi King, Bogdan Krol. Mother was a spy in the wars, former assassin, and was tortured to death. Sound familiar?”

Magda bit her tongue. “You’re lying,” she finally responded. “You don’t have access to Queen Sanyal’s royal records.”

“You don’t know the first thing about me,” said Ishani.

Magda sighed, turning towards Ishani. “Because you’ve never told me. We’re not even friends. Why do you care what happens to me?”

Then Ishani grabbed Magda’s hand, pulling her close to her until she could easily whisper in her ear. Her breath sent a chill down Magda’s spine, “Because I know a guardian when I see one.”