《The Other Side of the Bed - Half-Stuck in a Fantasy World》 1. Awakening The kingdom was in chaos. Armored guards patrolled the city streets, banging on doors and asking intense questions of the people inside. No one was spared questioning, regardless of class. Nobles, merchants, mages, and peasants alike were asked if they knew anything about the missing Princess. Outside the towering city walls, more guards and teams of adventurers crawled the countryside, braving the monstrous wildlife to search for any sign of the Princess. Some were in it for the bounty, others for their love of the kingdom, and others just wanted to bring a missing girl home to her father. Zach was just a small child in an unfamiliar city, but he found himself questioned by a guard all the same. The guard wore polished steel armor under his green tabard, but he carried no weapon. The King insisted that his people should not feel afraid, but instead feel encouraged to cooperate with the investigation. "Hey there, boy!" the guard called. "I don''t recognize you. Do you live near here?" Zach shook his head. "I''m just visiting," he said. Then he quickly added, "With my family." The guard loomed tall over Zach. "Have you heard anything about the missing Princess? She''s about your age." When Zach shook his head, the man added, "Maybe you overheard someone saying something suspicious?" "No I haven''t. Sorry, sir." "No need to apologize," the guard said, finally allowing himself to relax slightly. "Your family sure picked a terrible time to visit New Albion. We''re all so worried about the Princess, and everyone is walking on eggshells, afraid to cause any disturbance.." The man shrugged and added, "I''ll be the roundabout. The words will make you out and out." Zach frowned in confusion at the guard''s nonsensical words. "What?" Then the guard switched to a singsong voice, "I''ll spend the daaaay your waaaay." That was when Zach recognized the lyrics to one of his favorite songs, and he started to wake up. He flailed for his CD-player alarm on the desk next to his bed. His grasping fingers hit the off switch, then he rubbed his eyes. "That dream again," he mumbled into his sparsely decorated bedroom. It held a simple bed with plain blue sheets, a wooden desk covered in books and paper, and a dresser filled with clothes. The room wasn''t big enough for much else, but that was to be expected of an affordable room near downtown. The housing market in Colorado had gotten crazy lately and Denver had been hit the hardest. "A world with magic and monsters and a missing princess¡­" he mumbled. He also remembered gleaming white stone walls against a clear blue sky, but his memory of the latest dream was fading fast. He''d been dreaming about that place since he was a child, and long ago he had learned to just push the dreams out of mind. Zach sat up and put his bare feet on the wooden floor. It creaked as he stood and stretched. For a 19-year-old, his body was lean and slim. Or put in a less flattering way, it was scrawny. Zach wasn''t into sports or fitness but he wasn''t a slob either. He rode his bike over three miles round trip to campus every day and he ate well. He also thought his face was rather handsome, at least when he shaved. On that note, Zach thought, rubbing his chin, I definitely need to shave today. His dad had sported a beard worthy of a lumberjack, but Zach had no such luck with facial hair. To him it was just an inconvenience that had to be mercilessly removed every day or two. He pulled on some pajama pants and shuffled out of the bedroom. He was pretty sure that his four male roommates wouldn''t be upset if he entered the common space in his underwear, but that didn''t mean they''d be happy about it either. The bathroom door was open, so he went in and closed it behind himself. He looked into the mirror and wide hazel eyes looked back at him from under strong eyebrows. He had short brown hair, currently pressed into an impressive cowlick from sleep. His hair wouldn''t lie flat without excessive gel, so he''d long ago given up and wore a spiky look most days. A shower and a much needed shave later, a decidedly more handsome man emerged from the bathroom. He was also decidedly hungry, and nearly late for class. He picked up the pace and quickly dressed in some blue jeans and a vintage concert t-shirt. Despite what the shirt said, Zach had not actually attended a Yes tour in 1977, decades before he was born. He just wished he had. He grabbed his backpack and some granola bars to eat on the go, then made for the front door. He stopped in the living room when he saw a piece of paper taped to the door. In huge marker-drawn letters it said, "September rent is due! Make out your check to Matt Horton and leave it on the table." "Right¡­ rent," Zach mumbled. Matt was the roommate who had volunteered to take point on rent and utilities for the five young men that lived there. Zach turned around and sprinted back to his room. Thankfully he''d already written the rent check in advance. He grabbed it from his desk drawer and dropped it on the kitchen table, then set off for campus. It was Tuesday September 4th, the day after Labor Day. Due to the holiday, it was the first day of the third week of college class. Zach didn''t want to be late to ''ECON 202: Principles of Microeconomics''. His classes after that one were another matter entirely¡­Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Zach''s third class of the day was History of Agriculture. He wasn''t interested in the topic, but unfortunately it was a required course. He took a seat near the back of the lecture hall and set his bag down gently. His laptop was inside and he didn''t trust its claims of drop-resistant durability. About 50 other students were in the hall, but the professor had yet to appear. Professor Hadley was notorious for showing up late to class and then acting like it was somehow the students'' fault. Given that it was just after lunch, she''d likely still be chewing when she eventually arrived. "Hey, look who decided to join us today: the rare Zach Pike." The teasing tone came from the seat to Zach''s right and its owner was his friend James. Actually, ''friend'' was too strong a word. Even ''acquaintance'' felt a little too generous. "Of course I did," Zach said, heroically fighting to restrain his reaction to the verbal jab. He succeeded, but only by not even turning to look at James. "It''s a quiz day, after all." Zach never missed a quiz or test. Thanks to his excellent memory, quizzes were the most effective way to keep his Core Curriculum grades above the minimum. On non-quiz days, his time was better spent studying something else or just reading for fun in the library. Another voice came from the seat behind him. "He actually attends every one of our Econ classes." That was Erin, a bookish blonde and fellow Econ major. Zach had shared classes with her last year too. She was always friendly and a solid study partner, at least when she wasn''t teasing him. Zach actually bothered to turn in his seat and look at Erin when he replied, "Yeah, because those are actually interesting. I couldn''t care less about Humanities, or History of Agriculture, or these other general classes." Erin grinned and fluttered her eyelashes behind her glasses, likely trying to get an entertaining reaction out of Zach. With her soft blue eyes and fair features, she was kind of pretty, in a mouse-like sort of way. "Don''t let Professor Hadley hear you say that." "Speak of the devil," James whispered as said professor jogged into the room. Professor Hadley ran up to the table that sat below the room''s amphitheatre-style seating, then loudly set down her bag. She tried to address the class but her mouth was full of what appeared to be a grilled cheese sandwich. She bit off a chunk, set the rest down on the table, and frantically chewed. Zach wasn''t a clean freak by any means, but it still didn''t seem sanitary to put a sandwich on that table. Who knew what the previous class had been using it for? Chemistry experiments? Animal dissection? He racked his brain to recall the building schedule, then sighed in relief. Ah, it was just English Lit. She''s probably fine. When she finally swallowed her bite of late lunch, Professor Hadley called out, "If you were paying attention on Friday and didn''t forget over the long weekend, you should all know that we''re taking a quiz today. The focus is on Mesoamerican agriculture, so I hope you studied the right chapters!" With that, she started handing stacks of printouts to the students in the front row to be passed backwards. The first pile got some free greasy fingerprints, courtesy of Hadley''s grilled cheese. Zach rolled his eyes when the stack of quizzes arrived at his desk. They''d already been picked clean of the clean ones, leaving him a choice between the two grease-marked pages that had been the top and bottom of the stack. He took the worst one and passed the other back to Erin. "Thanks, honey," Erin whispered as she took the paper, grinning mischievously. As she had hoped, Zach immediately blushed from ear to ear and started stammering. He always reacted strongly to any sort of surprise, but his reaction to romantic ones were the strongest. She looked down at her quiz and said, "Calm down, Zach, I''m just kidding." Zach was quite used to Erin''s fake flirting and teasing, but no matter how much he expected it, he never could keep his reactions under control. All his life, he always gave such entertaining reactions that people couldn''t help but engage in some light hearted teasing. Once he''d calmed down, Zach''s memory served him well and the quiz was a breeze. But he found himself wishing the book had gone into more detail about the Mesoamerican economy. Since the early Mesoamericans had been growing and distributing crops to an entire civilization, they must have had a pretty impressive trade network. He especially wanted to know more about the currencies their economy ran on, which apparently included cocoa beans. That interesting fact had only been included in the book due to its direct relationship to agriculture. Zach shrugged and smiled. Now he knew how to spend his next skipped class in the library.
On Wednesday morning, Zach wasn''t awoken by his alarm playing music. Instead, he woke up because he was uncomfortably cold. His butt was particularly chilly. That made some sense to his sleep-fogged brain, since he often slept on his stomach. He must have pulled off his blanket, exposing his boxer-clad butt to the air of his bedroom. As he came to, he realized there were some major problems with that assumption. First, he wasn''t wearing any boxers, or any clothes at all. Second, he didn''t have a blanket, or even a bed. He was lying on his stomach in dew-covered grass with his bare ass sticking up into the morning air. Zach rolled over and sat up, then he took in his surroundings. He was on a slight hill that was covered in wild grass and there was a scenic little pond about 20 yards below. Cattails and tall grass encroached on the water, obscuring the pond''s true size. Lofty cottonwood trees were clustered around the pond and a few more dotted the grass-covered landscape. The plant life and terrain were all very familiar; it looked like just about any rural area in Zach''s native Colorado. First, Zach reacted in typical fashion: overreaction. His eyes went wide, his mouth fell open, and he blinked for several seconds as he pieced everything together. Well, there are two possibilities, he thought to himself. Either my roommates are tremendous assholes who dropped me in the boonies, or I''m dreaming. Zach was pretty sure his roommates wouldn''t do anything that awful, but college kids could get up to some wild stunts, especially if fraternities were involved. His apartment building was far enough from campus to be safe from frat-related nonsense. Usually. Still gaping, Zach stood up and turned around to get a better view. The picturesque landscape seemed to continue as far as the eye could see in every direction. Tall grass, rolling hills, a couple wooden fence posts in the distance. Then he looked uphill. His jaw dropped even further before he said, "Yep, I''m definitely dreaming." Perhaps a mile away was an impossibly huge white marble wall. It was easily over 10 stories tall and it seemed to go on for miles in each direction, obscuring a huge portion of the horizon. As he marveled at it, he noticed that it curved away from him in a way that could only mean two things: the wall enclosed a massive circular area, and Zach was on the outside. 2. Borrowing Well, so long as I''m dreaming, I might as well explore. That was the thought in Zach''s mind as he started walking. Even though the landscape looked like it belonged in Colorado, he couldn''t see any mountains to orientate himself. Like many Coloradans, Zach relied on the Rocky Mountains to tell which direction was which, and he could get disoriented anywhere the mountains couldn''t be seen. He shrugged and started towards the big white wall. He figured that it would eventually lead him to other people. But that gave rise to a new problem: dream or not, Zach was naked and he didn''t feel comfortable baring it all to strangers. Also, the morning chill was rather unpleasant in its own right. He needed to find some clothes, and fast. Maybe I should start working out, even if it''s just to be more confident while naked, he thought, as if real-life fitness could grant him dream confidence. After just a few minutes'' walk, Zach spotted a farmhouse in the distance. It had a wooden shingled roof, a small fenced-in garden, and most importantly, a clothesline with some clothes out to dry. "Lucky!" he whispered to himself, unable to contain his reaction. Since it was still morning, the clothes had likely either been hung up recently or had been left out all night, so Zach was fully expecting them to be wet. But wet clothes were still better than nothing. He jogged up to the little house while trying to stay out of sight whenever possible, then crouched behind a pile of loose flagstone. The flat, slabs of red sandstone were useful for constructing walkways and were a common sight all around Denver. If Zach remembered correctly, which he always did when economics were involved, most of the stone was sourced from Lyons, Colorado and provided a huge portion of the mountain town''s economy. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. But that isn''t important right now. I need clothes. He sized up the plain clothes hanging on the clothesline. There were several pairs of pants and three shirts, along with a few pairs of socks. There was also one set of boxer-style briefs and what appeared to be some very unflattering women''s panties. Every single article was a boring brown or white without any logos at all. From the clothes'' sizes, Zach guessed that three people lived there: an older man and woman, and their teenage son. The boy''s clothes looked like Zach''s best bet. He targeted one article of each type, then once he was sure no one was around, he darted out into the open to grab them off the line. With an armful of ill-gotten clothes, he sprinted back behind the stone pile to get dressed. The clothes were surprisingly dry and his sizing estimations were right on the mark. The boy''s clothes fit pretty well, but the underwear must have belonged to the boy''s father: they were much larger than the pants. Zach thought about skipping them, but the rough burlap-like material the pants were made from convinced him otherwise. With his ill-fitting boxers in place, along with the rest his stolen clothes, he moved to the next step of his plan: the apology. Whether or not this crazy situation was a dream, he wanted to do the right thing. In the grass up against the house he found a large wooden shingle that had fallen from the roof, and it even had a nail still stuck in it. He worked the nail back and forth until he could pull it free, being very careful to not stab himself on it. Can you get tetanus in a dream? he wondered absently. With his improvised pen and paper, Zach scratched out an apology and a promise into the wood square: "Sorry for taking your clothes. I promise to pay you back with interest." The end result wasn''t pretty, but the message was clear.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! He clipped the shingle onto the clothesline with one of the conspicuously empty clothespins, then ran away as fast as he could. Promising to pay someone back was one thing, but confronting them face-to-face was not something Zach wanted to risk right now. Once he was far out of sight of the little house, he slowed to a walk to catch his breath. When he slowed down and looked around, the countryside was really quite beautiful. Green leafy trees were scattered over the low rolling hills, with strings of them indicating where creeks ran. The occasional wild evergreen stood tall by itself, and lines of planted pines acted as windbreaks for farmhouses. A narrow dirt road wound from house to house without much structure, a huge departure from the straight-line roads Zach was used to. Now that he was clothed and far from the scene of his crime, it was probably best to stick to the road. Especially since it seemed to be heading toward the giant wall. Before long, Zach''s sturdy woolen socks were wearing through and his feet were getting sore. He added shoes to his mental list of goals, right under food and fresh water, and above repaying the owner of the clothes. He was in the middle of debating whether to take the socks off when he heard a sound coming from the direction of the wall: hoofsteps. Zach was torn between running into the bushes to hide or greeting the person heading his way. The decision was made for him when the rapidly approaching cart rounded the corner and its rider saw him. Thankfully, the person seemed friendly by the way they waved. "Hello!" called the traveler, an older woman by the looks of it. She had sandy blonde hair, round rosy cheeks, and wore a simple cotton dress just as plain and utilitarian as Zach''s stolen clothes. She sat on a wooden cart with reins in her hand. The other end of the reins were attached to a surprisingly massive black horse. Zach had seen some draft horses before, and this would be among the biggest. "Uh, hello," Zach called back, visibly distracted by the giant animal. It was easily a foot taller than Zach, and it was total overkill for the little cart it was pulling. "Oh, don''t worry about Jennie," the woman said as her cart came to a stop. "She may look big and scary, but she''s just the gentlest thing. Most ex-Rider horses are. Say what you will about Riders, they do take good care of their beasts." "Oh, good to know," Zach said. He had no idea what say or do in this situation. This dream was really strange, but he couldn''t tell exactly why. The other times he''d dreamed of a medieval world, it had never felt quite like this. "Heading to market?" the woman asked. "I just came from there myself." Zach assumed that the mentioned market was either on the way to the wall or just beyond it, so he nodded and said, "Yeah." Right after that, his stomach grumbled loudly. All that running and stealing really worked up an appetite. "Ahh." The woman smiled knowingly. "Gonna get brunch? Well, I''ll warn you, the whole market area is busier than normal today." She shook her head disapprovingly. "It''s all those outlanders in town for the celebration. Hopefully now that it''s over, they''ll go back home and the prices will drop back down. Can you believe that the fruit seller wanted a Crown for a bushel of apples? I haggled it down to half that, but still." The mention of a price got Zach''s mind going. For an economics nerd like him, even a dream-kingdom''s economy was exciting to learn about. While Zach tried to remember how many apples were in a standard bushel, the woman continued her rather one-sided conversation. "Oh, what a terrible person I am, going on and on about apples while you''re hungry and in for a long wait for brunch. Here, take an apple on me. I''m no profiteer, and they should only cost a Chip anyway." With that, she tossed a yellow and red apple Zach''s way. Zach was thinking, 40 pounds, or about 120 medium apples. That''s a bushel, at least in the US. So a Crown is worth more than 120 Chips, possibly even twice as¡ª Zach managed to pull himself from his thoughts just in time to catch the flying apple. He smiled up at the woman and said, "Thank you. Well, I''ll be on my way now." "Of course, I wouldn''t want to hold you any longer. May mana protect you on this day." "Uh, and you too," Zach hastily replied. Apparently they worship mana here? Or a god named Mana? The woman flicked her reins and her cart loaded with apples and other supplies rumbled off toward the houses Zach had passed. In fact, she eventually pulled up to the very house Zach had visited, though she didn''t find his apologetic note until a few hours later. 3. The Wall "Yeah, she seemed bothered by the price even at half a Crown, so a Crown''s gotta be at least 240 Chips," Zach said to no one in particular, between bites of apple. The apple was fresh and sweet and really quite delicious. If he ever saw that woman again, he wanted to give her a Chip or two, assuming he could get any. He still had no idea how to earn money in this world. He added ''repay the apple lady'' to his growing list of goals. Then he went ahead and added ''figure out how to earn money'' above that. Zach''s attempts to ponder out the dream land''s economy from such limited information served to pass the time quite well. Before he knew it, he had reached the massive wall, and he marveled at it in awe. It was definitely made of white marble, and at over 100 feet tall it was far too large to have been constructed by human hands. Yeah, this place is totally a dream, he thought with a bit of disappointment. The dirt road changed to cobblestone as it passed through an arch in the wall. Guards stood to each side of the path, but they made no attempt to stop or search the people that entered. Zach thought he remembered monsters in his recurring dreams, so maybe the guards were just there to keep monsters out. He hoped there weren''t many monsters outside the wall, for that kind apple woman''s sake. As he emerged on the other side of the 30-foot-thick wall, he noticed a large wooden sign with English text on it. It said, "Gwendolyn Wall. Built in the year two thousand and five by King Gildahart''s creation magic, this wall stands as proof of his commitment to protecting the people of his kingdom and as a dedication to his fallen wife, Queen Gwendolyn. May mana protect her forevermore." "Okay¡­ Not only was it built by humans, it was built by one guy?" Zach mumbled. "I guess he deserves to be king with magic that strong." The year mentioned on the sign didn''t escape Zach''s attention either. It suggested that this world had a very similar, if not identical, calendar to his own. The weather felt reasonable for early September in Colorado, so he decided to assume the date was the same: September 5th, 2018. Zach was wishing that ''figure out the date'' had been an item on his objective list, because he was worried about his ability to check off the other entries. He turned and looked at the city spreading out before him. People shuffled past him in all directions, carrying bags of goods, pushing carts, and in some cases, holding bladed weapons. Most of the passersby were dressed in plain clothes like his. He assumed that they were farmers and other workers. There were also some people in colorful and ornate outfits who were almost certainly merchants and a few people in simple robes reminiscent of monks or priests. Finally, there were occasional soldiers in steel helmets carrying swords or pikes. The soldiers all wore a green tabard over their armor with the same symbol painted on it in gold: a deer with broad antlers. To Zach''s left was a large marketplace of tents and merchant stands, almost certainly the market the woman had mentioned. A big part of him wanted to go investigate, but he knew that wouldn''t prove very useful to someone with literally no money. To his right, a road ran along the base of the wall and appeared to lead to residential housing, judging by the unmarked buildings with multiple entrances. Straight ahead was a bustling thoroughfare that lead deeper into the sprawling city, with tall stone and wood buildings on both sides. Zach looked down that intimidating path and thought, If I was in a fantasy kingdom, which I am, where would I go to make money? Zach''s first thought was to find a day labor job, but he was still shoeless and didn''t like the idea of doing hard labor in a dream. His next idea was to find some sort of adventurer''s guild. If this was anything like the worlds of the role playing games he had played as a kid, there would be some sort of basic quest that even a pitiful new player could do. Again, mundane work didn''t sound like a fun way to spend a dream, but every fantasy hero had to start somewhere.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. He walked for what felt like an hour looking for a building that could be an adventurer''s guild. Judging by the sun''s position in the sky and his hunger, it was nearly noon. As he walked, he cursed the city''s painful cobblestone road. Getting some shoes was definitely the top of Zach''s priorities as soon as he got his first Chip or Crown or whatever. There''s gotta be a currency between those two, he thought. I can''t imagine there''s just a 240 magnitude gap between their only currencies. Even US dollars and cents have coins and bills representing various amounts. I would ask someone to show me some money, but that sounds like the start of a particularly stupid robbery attempt. Zach had to put his economic ponderings on hold because he spotted a rather promising sign on the front of a three-story building. It featured a sword and horseshoe and the words ''Hard Fought Rest''. While it wasn''t an adventurer''s guild, it definitely seemed to be an inn for adventurers and weary travelers. He steeled himself and strode up to the heavy wood door, then pushed it open. He had thought the city had been loud and hectic outside, but that was nothing compared to the noise inside the building. "Bring me another beer!" "I don''t believe that story fer a minute!" "Get your own woman. Can''t you see this lady''s into me?" "Into your money, you mean!" Loud conversations slammed in on Zach from all sides. For a place with ''rest'' in the name, this inn was not very restful. He peered around, trying to get his bearings. A single room occupied the full width of the building, with a staircase in the back right corner. A polished wood bar ran the remaining length of the back wall, with a wide door into a kitchen behind that. The rest of the large space was filled with tables and chairs and booths built into the walls. Less than half of the seats were filled, so he couldn''t even imagine how loud the place would get when full. Several of the customers were clearly city guards, though their weapons and helmets were put away. Other customers included some peasants, a few well-dressed merchants, and a beautiful woman in tight clothing that really showed off her impressive ''assets''. From the way she was hanging on and flirting with one of the merchants, Zach guessed that she was a prostitute. Now that Zach could see the guards'' faces, he realized that about half of them were female. He also noted that the inn''s wait staff included both men and women. Whatever problems this fantasy world had, it didn''t seem gender-equality was among them, at least not to the extent he''d expected after seeing the prostitute. In fact, he started to doubt his assessment of her until she pocketed a coin from the man she''d been clinging to and followed him upstairs. Since she operated so brazenly in the middle of the day and in front of city guards, Zach could only assume that prostitution was legal in this kingdom. Zach had been standing near the door for a while and it started to feel awkward, so he took a seat off to the side where he could watch the room. It was very interesting to observe people from all walks of life interacting in such a new and exciting setting. He saw a woman leave the building in a huff after some sort of argument and then watched a man spill his beer all over himself and get cut off of any more alcohol. It seemed people here weren''t all that different from back home. After about a minute, a waitress arrived at his table. "Welcome to the Hard Fought Rest. We''re serving lunch right now. Would you like to hear today''s menu?" she said, smiling in a professional and half-sincere way. Given Zach''s plain clothes, she likely assumed he wasn''t going to be a big spender, but she couldn''t have known how broke he truly was. Zach frowned and said, "Not right now. I don''t feel very well and was hoping to rest here a bit. Is that alright?" She raised an eyebrow. She clearly thought he was crazy for choosing the loudest place around to rest. But to Zach''s surprise, she said, "That''s fine. I''ll bring you some complimentary water, but do note that if we fill up and a paying customer needs your seat, I''ll have to ask you to leave." He smiled and said, "Thank you very much." He made a mental note that clean water was free in this world, suggesting some pretty major advancement over its medieval appearance. He also checked off ''fresh water'' from his list of objectives, but he was pretty sure it was the last thing on his list that he''d be getting for free. 4. The Rider Zach people-watched for another half hour or so, then he was thinking about leaving. Contrary to his assumption that there would be adventurers there, he hadn''t seen anyone equipped for combat other than the guardsmen. Maybe this world isn''t as fantastical as I thought? Just then, the front door slammed open and a tall man stomped in. He wore a heavy bear-fur cape over very fine silk clothes and he had wild red hair and a full beard that put Zach''s father''s to shame. The man didn''t even have time to speak before the waitress that had served Zach literally sprinted up to him. "Shen! How wonderful it is to see you again!" she cheered, practically bowing before the man as if he was a nobleman or something. "I''m happy to be back. Three weeks I was on the road, and I only have two days before I leave again," he said loud enough for the whole room to hear. What he said next proved that the volume had been intentional. "I plan to make it count. I''m buying the whole room a round!" The cheer that erupted was painfully loud, even to Zach''s noise-acclimated ears. The waitress seemed to have expected the turn of events. She said, "I''ll get that going right away, Shen. In the meantime, please take a seat anywhere." Then she ran back to the kitchen to begin the impressive task of serving over 50 beers. Fortunately for her, the other waitstaff appeared in full force to help her out. After delivering a few armloads of mugs to other patrons, Zach''s waitress returned to his table. She wore a genuinely concerned smile and said, "Are you feeling any better? Do you want this free beer?" While she''d been serving the others, Zach had already come up with a plan for this. He said, "I am feeling better, but I don''t know if I my empty stomach could handle that. Is there any chance I could swap it for some food of even half the value?" The waitress shrugged. "That''s fine by me. How about some beef on toast? It should be easy to keep down." "That sounds great," Zach said. He didn''t know whether to cheer his great luck, or curse how mundane this dream''s successes had been. Free water and beef on toast did not a grand adventurer make. The waitress quickly delivered that beer to another customer, then swung by the kitchen to give Zach''s order. A few minutes later, a delicious smelling plate arrived at Zach''s table and he checked off another of his objectives from his mental list. He also had a good feeling about some of the other objectives, thanks to the unusual man that bought everyone''s beer. Zach wanted to learn everything about how the man named Shen made his money, and it looked like he was going to get his wish because Shen was sharing some very interesting stories at a volume meant to be heard by the entire room. "And then our caravan was attacked by wolves," he said, kicking off his third story of being attacked by monsters while traveling. "Not just any wolves, though. Regular wolves are nothing. These were dire wolves!" He stood up and gestured above his head, suggesting that the creatures had been over seven feet tall. The gathered crowd gasped and one woman screamed. Whether or not dire wolves were actually that big, the name certainly carried some impact. "Now I''m no Mage, but I know a spell or two. I threw a light spell into the air to help our soldiers see the terrible monsters, and then I used my special technique. Who here''s heard about my special technique?" He looked around the room, clearly expecting someone to answer in the affirmative. Finally, one of the guardsmen called out, "You bolster your horses, right?" Shen smiled broadly, showing a couple missing teeth. "Oh, I do more than that. My horses are my life. Without them, a Rider is nothing. So I''ve been developing magic that lets them take on monsters and live. I''m not gonna give away the secret details that keep me in high demand, but I''ll just tell you that when Sarah and Jane get empowered, they can put a hoof right through a dire wolf''s face and out its ass." He sat down and kicked back in his chair, putting his hefty boots up on the table. The look that appeared on the waitress''s face suggested that such a thing wouldn''t fly for anyone else. Then Shen said, "It didn''t take long after that. We mopped up the rest of the wolf pack, I healed up my darlings, and we got moving again. Didn''t even lose a full hour. And that''s why I''m always booked solid and rolling in coin." From what Zach had overheard, Shen was something called a Rider. They apparently used magic to let their horses travel long distances at high speed, and in Shen''s case, even go toe to toe with dangerous monsters. The high pay and limited time in civilization meant that Riders tended to spend extravagantly during their off time. Like a truck driver with an offshore driller''s pay, Zach thought. Zach had finished his beef on toast and was secretly hoping Shen would buy another round so he could try this world''s beer. He wasn''t old enough to legally drink in real life, but he''d had some beer at parties. Judging by how tipsy everyone in the room looked off just one, this place''s beer was stronger.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Instead, Shen stood up and turned on the spot, casting his gaze on everyone in the room. "Alright. I told you a few tales, now I want to hear some from you. If one of them is real good, and if it''s one I''ve never heard before, I''ll make it worth your while." With that, he dropped a leather pouch on the table from a few feet up. It hit the table with enough force to topple someone''s half-full flagon of beer. The whole room gasped, not at the spilled drink, but at how much money must have been in that bag. Shen looked down at the spilled beer and said, "That won''t do. Another round, please. For everyone!"
Over the next couple hours, more and more people arrived at the Hard Fought Rest, but no one was leaving. Even the merchant and prostitute came back downstairs to see what all the noise was about. As the seats filled up, Zach tried very hard to look like a paying customer so he wouldn''t get kicked out. In a way, every person in the room was earning the inn money every time Shen ordered a round, but Zach didn''t want to chance it. He moved to a table with several people and tried to get friendly with them, but none of them really cared about meeting each other. They were all there to listen to some tales and maybe win that massive bag of money. Zach had finished his first free beer and was slowly working his way through the second. It was strong and hit him harder than he''d expected, and he wasn''t the only one in that situation. A man to Zach''s left was bemoaning the fact that he was supposed to go back to work but he was too drunk now. The man''s friend slapped him on the back and said, "Forget work. Tell a good enough story and you won''t have to work." "Tssh, as if I have any exciting stories. I''m a cobbler! Making shoes is damn near the most boring job in the kingdom." That got Zach''s attention. He turned to the man and said, "I''m actually in need of shoes. Where do you work? I''d like to buy from you." The man tuned out the rather mediocre story that a young woman was telling and focused on Zach. He told him exactly how to get to his business from the inn and Zach committed it to memory. The man also asked that Zach not tell his boss about them drinking here when he should have been at work. "Of course," Zach answered, then he downed the last of his second beer. He was feeling really comfortable and ready to take a big chance. It was just a dream, so he didn''t care if he made a fool of himself. The instant the young woman was done telling her story about falling in love with a wall guard, Zach jumped to his feet with one fist in the air. Several people jolted at the sudden movement and Shen gave Zach an approving look. "Oh, we''ve got an eager one over here. What''s your name?" Zach powered through the anxiety that was creeping up his throat. He didn''t like having this many eyes on him. "It''s Zach." Shen tilted his head, as did several of the people in the room. It was clear that Zach was not a name anyone had heard before. "Alright, Zach," Shen said, putting way too much emphasis on the K sound, "Tell me a story." Zach took a deep breath, thanked the university for making him take that public speaking class last semester, and began, "My story isn''t about a person, or about an event. It''s about a place, a place like this kingdom, but without any magic." A few people gasped and a man grumbled, "How awful." It seemed they didn''t even want to consider the possibility of such a place. Zach quickly recovered. "They don''t have magic, at least not in the way we do. They have something they call technology, and technology is just as powerful." He paused and swept his eyes around the room, then added, "If not more powerful." He needed his story to be relatable to these people, so he built on what he''d learned over the last few hours. "They have horses in that world, but no Riders, so they had to create machines to fill that need. They need to heal severe wounds, but have no magic, so they invented intricate devices and medicines to do it." For the next fifteen minutes, Zach told his audience about a world filled with machines that carried people and goods across the ground at speeds five times faster than horses. He mentioned city-block-sized structures that flew through the air, capable of carrying hundreds of people across entire continents in mere hours, and he spoke in hushed tones of weapons capable of destroying the entire world, should they ever be reckless and foolish enough to use them again. Almost everything he said sounded totally impossible to everyone listening, but it didn''t sound false either. He included so many specifics and so much of what he said rang true; no one could dismiss it as something he''d made up on the spot. When he finished, he flopped back into his seat feeling socially exhausted. The inn went silent and everyone looked to Shen for his reaction. After a moment that felt like an hour, Shen stood and said, "Well, I won''t say I believe that crazy story, but I think it''s fair to say that your story was the most entertaining by a longshot. Zach, you earned this." The large man pressed the heavy bag of gold into Zach''s hands in a way that made it clear that his decision was final. A few people let out exasperated sighs, but no one argued. After all, it was Shen''s money to do with as he wanted, and they all wanted to stay in his good graces for the next time he visited. Shen waved to the room and shouted, "It''s been fun, but my mother always said not to spend all my money in one place." Then he stomped out of the inn with his bear-fur cloak trailing behind him. It was quickly evident that Shen had been the only reason so many people were at an inn in the middle of the afternoon. They finished off their free beers, paid for their meals, and left in a steady trickle. As the room slowly emptied, the cobbler from earlier put a hand on Zach''s shoulder. "Hey, I''ve got to get going, but if you come by today, I''ll get you measured for the best-fitting pair of shoes you''ve ever owned." His drunkenness from earlier had faded a bit and he seemed genuinely eager to land a sale. "Yeah, for sure," Zach said, still a little dumbstruck that he actually won. He watched as the man stood up and started for the door, then Zach got lost in thought. Before he could go shoe shopping, Zach needed to learn how much money he actually had, preferably without revealing how clueless he really was. 5. Windfall Zach needed to be careful with his sudden fortune. He was defenseless and clueless and didn''t want to get robbed or tricked out of his newfound money. He already knew that the Hard Fought Rest did fair business, so he decided to start there in his quest for economic knowledge. He went up to the bar that also served as the inn¡¯s front desk and tried to read the sign there. There were some unfamiliar words that he assumed were the names of food and drinks, along with some English words that he recognized. Each line of text had a number and letter next to it to indicate the price, but he didn¡¯t know what the letters meant. As best he could tell, ¡®C¡¯ meant Chip, but nothing seemed to match the high value Crown he¡¯d heard of. There were some prices marked with an ''H'', including the entry for one night''s stay, which cost ''2H''. Zach looked in his bag and saw two kinds of coins. One had a silver ring around the outside, an embossed castle on one side, and an ornate crown on the other. The other slightly smaller coin was a uniform silvery-gold and had a deer on both sides. It seemed safe to say that the one with the image of a crown on one side was a Crown, but that deer symbol was the same as the one on the guards'' tabards. Zach wondered, Maybe they''re called the Crown Guard or something, and the deer coin is actually a Crown? Is either of them a Chip? Before Zach could fully ponder it out, the man behind the bar cleared his throat and said, "You just gonna stand there all day?" He had bushy grey eyebrows and wore an oddly round leather hat that even covered his ears. He looked eternally grumpy but temporarily satisfied. He certainly should have been satisfied, considering how much money Shen had just dropped on the place. "Uh, sorry," Zach blurted. Then he grabbed two of the most plentiful coin in the bag and held them up. "Uh, can I get a night''s stay for this?" They were the silver-rimmed coins, and he had twenty of them in total. Eight of the smaller coins were still in the bag. The innkeeper looked at Zach like he was an absolute idiot. The man blinked slowly, then said, "You can get twenty for that much." Zach''s face went slack. He tended to react too strongly to surprises, but for once he felt justified. Okay, so those aren''t Hs. I guess they''re Crowns? That leaves these¡­ Zach thought as he returned those coins to the bag and pulled out two of the ones with deer on them. He held them up and smiled hopefully. "Yeah, two Harts will get you a night. Want it?" Hearts? Why are these coins called hearts? They just have a deer with antlers on them. Zach went deep into his rather extensive memory and emerged with a useful fact: the word ''hart'' meant a male deer. He also remembered from the sign at the wall that the king''s name was Gildahart. Ah, so that''s why the deer is his symbol, and why the coin is named that! Meanwhile, the innkeeper was staring at what he considered to be the dumbest man he''d ever seen. "What a waste of good gold," he muttered to himself. It hadn''t been very quiet but Zach wasn''t paying enough attention to hear it. Finally, Zach grabbed two more of the Hart coins and held all four out. "Sorry about that, I was trying to decide whether I needed one night or two," he lied. It seemed like a decent excuse for his slow response, and he wouldn''t miss two Harts while he had so many of the far more valuable Crowns. "Sure," the man replied, unconvinced. He took the four coins and grabbed a key from a cabinet behind him. As he handed Zach the key he said, "It''s the first room on the second floor. It can be a little loud, but it''s convenient and even you can''t miss it." Zach didn''t notice the jab at his intelligence. He was busy trying to deduce the value of his Crowns and Harts relative to the Crown-to-Chip ratio that he''d been pondering since the apple lady. He continued thinking as he climbed the stairs to his room, unlocked the door, and stepped inside. He sat down on the room''s small bed and put all the pieces together out loud, "A Crown is worth 20 Harts and a Hart is worth at least 12 Chips. If an apple is worth a Chip in this world and about 50 cents in the real one, then a Hart has the buying power of around six US dollars." He looked around his tiny inn room, which amounted to nothing but a simple bed and a window too small to fit through. "And this room costs twelve dollars a night. That seems within reason. At least it''s enough information to work off of for now." He stood back up and winced at the pressure on his battered feet. "Time to go buy some shoes."
Zach left the vast majority of his money in his inn room for safekeeping. Assuming Crowns were indeed worth 20 Harts each, he had a whopping 400 Harts to his name. There was no way he''d feel comfortable carrying around $2,400 in cash back home and that went double in this unusual place.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Of course, leaving valuables in his room was putting a lot of trust in the staff of the Hard Fought Rest. But given Zach''s minor fame and friendliness with Shen, he doubted they''d risk their reputation on some short term gains. Or maybe they would, and Zach would learn a valuable lesson about this world. With two Crowns and his remaining four Harts in his pocket, equalling around $250, Zach followed the cobbler''s directions to his place of business. It was a small shop on the ground floor, underneath what looked like residences. A very plain wooden sign announced the name of the shop to be ''Best Fit Shoes''. Zach shrugged at the name. That was what the man boasted about. I guess they specialize in custom fit shoes? In a world without mass production, standardized shoe sizes wouldn''t really be a thing. He opened the door and stepped inside, feeling rather self conscious about his lack of footwear. He doubted he was going to get a good price on shoes when his desperation was so obvious. "Oh, it''s you, the storyteller! I''d so hoped you''d come by." The cobbler from earlier ran up and beckoned Zach further into the snug little shop. A variety of leather shoes were on display on a shelf near the front of the room, and there were two comfortable-looking elevated chairs behind that. The back of the room seemed to be a workshop area with bits of leather and metal tools scattered over tables. Oil-burning lamps lit the room and gave it a smoky acrid scent, even over the smell of so much leather. "Please take a seat and I''ll measure you right away," the man said, gesturing toward the elevated chairs. He wore a crisp grey suit and his short brown hair was slicked back, giving him a very orderly look. Zach took a seat while he wondered whether the cobbler had sobered up enough after the storytelling competition. I guess he''s just measuring and not working with dangerous tools, so it should be fine. The man glanced at Zach''s feet and recoiled in near horror. Zach''s stolen socks were in tatters and dirtied to a very unpleasant brown. "Oh, that will not do at all! You were not kidding when you said you were in need of shoes, and now your socks are ruined." "Uh, yeah, they were stolen this morning," Zach said. It was at least partially true, since the socks had indeed been stolen, by him. The cobbler grabbed a pair of socks from a wooden cubby and tossed them at Zach. "Take these as a free bonus with your order." His face took on a serious expression and he asked, "You are looking to order a pair of shoes, correct?" "Yes, absolutely," Zach assured him, nodding vigorously. "Good. Take off those rags and let''s get this measurement started." After a few minutes, the man had a separate list of measurements for each foot. It seemed he took his ''best fit'' claim very seriously and didn''t cut any corners. While the man worked, Zach picked out the style he wanted. To Zach''s eyes, it was somewhere between a dress shoe and a hiking boot, and it looked both comfortable and durable. As Zach twiddled his thumbs, unsure what to do next, the man said, "Okay, I''ve got the material on hand to make these, but it will take a while. I can have them done for you by the day after tomorrow." Zach frowned. "Oh, I was hoping to get them today¡­" "Sorry, but there''s no rushing perfection. I can lend you a less-perfect pair in the meantime, for a price." Zach literally leapt at the opportunity, jumping to his feet. "That would be wonderful. In total, what would I owe you?" Zach watched the man''s face very closely after that, looking for any sign of dishonesty. "Since you''ve been through some hard times without shoes, and since you''re kindly sharing the fortune you won from Shen¡­" the man started. Ah, so that''s how it''s going to be. I''d much prefer a flat price without all these special variables involved, Zach thought. "Let''s go with an even 20 Harts." Zach blinked, trying to rein in his reaction. Only $120? That was a fair bit less than he''d been expecting. Either handmade shoes were inexpensive in this world or Zach''s value estimations were way off. Regardless, he saw no need to haggle with that price. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a Crown, which he offered to the cobbler. The man''s eyes went wide. "Oh! I wasn''t expecting a Crown! Were there Crowns in that bag Shen gave you?" "Just a couple," Zach lied. If people were assuming the bag had just been full of Harts, he really didn''t want the truth getting out. "Lucky you," the man said as he took the coin. Then he stepped into the back of the shop and returned with a pair of plain shoes. "These will be a little big for you, but that''s better than being too small. Bring them back in decent shape and I''ll give you a Hart for them." Zach pulled on his new socks and his loaner shoes, then stood up. He was instantly impressed with their comfort and fit. If these were considered a poor fit, he couldn''t wait to try on his custom pair. "Ah, much better. I''ll see you the day after tomorrow," Zach said. Then he paused in thought. This man had treated him very well and could be a good business contact in the future. He offered his hand and said, "Also, I don''t believe I caught your name. I''m Zach." The man grasped Zach''s wrist rather than his hand, so Zach went with the flow and grabbed the man''s wrist back. "The name''s Alfred. It was good doing business with you." He let go, said goodbye, then returned to the back of the shop. Okay, apparently handshakes are a bit different here. I''ll have to remember that, Zach thought. It had been several hours since his small lunch, and a single apple hardly counted as breakfast, so Zach was starving. He couldn''t recall ever feeling so hungry in a dream before, or eating multiple meals in a dream, but he didn''t dwell on it. He stepped out of the shop and decided to let his nose guide him to some food. It meant staying far away from any stables, but he doubted any restaurants would set up shop there anyway. 6. Maid Intel At the center of the walled city stood a massive castle of grey and red stone that towered above the residential buildings around it. The sprawling structure was the workplace of over 500 civilians who in turn served the populace as clerks, diplomats, and other government officials. Perhaps more importantly, it also housed the royal family and all of their personal staff. On the west side of the castle, the tallest tower overlooked the wealthy Red River district below. Due to its height, the tower was never shaded by the Gwendolyn Wall and it had the best view of the sunset in the entire kingdom. In the room at the top of that tower, a young woman watched the sunset with a bored expression. She was sprawled across a bed of the finest silk that money could buy, imported at great expense from distant lands, and she was hugging a tasseled pillow to her chest. Contrasting with her elaborate bed, she wore simple seafoam green pajamas and no socks. She had long brown hair that shone beautifully in the sunlight, but it was currently tied back into a simple high ponytail. "I''m bored, Beebee," the woman said, not taking her light blue eyes from the vibrant orange sky. She had pale skin and a narrow, elegant face with high cheekbones and thin eyebrows. She was perhaps eighteen years old, but she had a rare kind of nobility that made normal aging clues unreliable. "I apologize, Your Highness, but Beebee isn''t here," said a woman standing at attention by the room''s stout wooden door. "She was summoned to the dining hall to help with dinner preparations." That woman had striking shoulder length strawberry blonde hair, green eyes, and fair, freckled skin. She wore a stern expression just one step from a scowl, and she was dressed in a floor length black dress with white lace trim. The white apron that covered the front made it clear that she was a maid of some sort. "Then can you go find me something fun to do, Bethany?" the Princess asked, casting a hopeful glance at the maid.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Bethany shook her head. "You know I can''t leave you unattended. I''m sure if you just wait a bit longer, we will be called to dinner. Your father is back from his trip and would love to see you there." The Princess rolled back onto her stomach and kicked her legs feebly. "Fine," she whined, tugging on the bedspread in frustration at being cooped up. For someone that appeared to be at least eighteen, she wasn''t acting it. Two short knocks came from the door, then it was opened from the outside. Bethany stepped clear and stood up very straight, as if expecting an authority figure. Instead, a woman in gritty peasant''s clothes stepped inside and closed the door behind herself. She looked like any regular villager that could be found walking on the street or traveling the dirt roads outside the city. "At ease, Bethany," the new arrival said. She had hair the color of straw, currently parted in the middle and pinned back over her ears. Her eyes were a deep brown and had a piercing look to them. She had a narrow jaw like the Princess but her cheeks were less prominent, giving a very slim appearance. Notably, she was also about two inches taller than Bethany and the Princess. Then the new woman turned to address the Princess. "Princess Evelyn, I have interesting news for you." "Please, just Evy is fine." "Very well, Princess Evy," the woman said. Evelyn sighed and muttered, "I meant to drop the ''Princess'' part¡­" Then she shook her head and smiled at her head maid. "What''s this news, Alexia?" "Rumors from the city. I haven''t been able to verify any of this myself, but I heard word of a very strange man in town of late. He''s dressed like a peasant but carries himself like a merchant or mage, and he seems to possess a lot of money. He has short brown hair in an odd spiked style, and hazel eyes." She took a breath, then continued, "Another informant spoke of a man, likely the same one by the physical description, telling a wild story of a world with no magic, and with devices beyond even those of the Kobolds." The Princess sat up abruptly. Her eyes were alight with interest, making her stunningly beautiful. "Tell me more," she said eagerly. Alexia shook her head. "There is no more. That''s all I''ve heard. Most likely, the man just arrived in town today." Princess Evelyn jumped to her feet and grabbed Alexia''s hands in hers. Alexia seemed a little uncomfortable with the closeness, but unsurprised at the Princess''s behavior. Evelyn forcefully said, "Then find out more. Follow him yourself if needed." Then the fire in her eyes calmed a little and she added, "But please stay safe, Alexia." 7. Home Again? After assembling a meal out of a wide variety of low-cost and mostly-delicious street food, Zach returned to his room at the inn. To his relief, his money pouch was still under the mattress. He counted the remaining coins from his pockets and added them to the leather bag. Several food vendors had given him change in the form of small copper-colored coins called Chips, and it seemed that he had been wrong about their value. The coins, which had a simple mountainscape on both sides, were actually worth one twentieth of a Hart, not one twelfth like he''d assumed. While their size was similar to that of a US nickel, their value was closer to 25 cents. Additionally, despite sharing their color with lightweight copper, Chips were actually heavier than a quarter, suggesting the presence of alloyed gold. If a Chip had the buying power of 25 cents, then a Hart was worth $5 and a Crown was worth $100. Zach was a little puzzled by that, since $100 bills were rather rare and inconvenient in the real world. Twenties were far more common and useful, but this world didn''t have anything like them. In fact, this place had fewer coin denominations than the US and had no paper bills. He found it all very odd. But as much as Zach enjoyed thinking about the economy of this world, he was exhausted by his unusual dream day. He was pondering how many total coins it would take to make a $99.75 purchase with exact change when he found himself dozing off. He gave up on his calculations, took off his borrowed shoes, crawled onto the bed, and fell asleep almost immediately.
When he awoke, Zach was back in his own bed in his own apartment, with his alarm going off. The CD-player alarm clock was playing yet another song by Yes, and it was both loud and nonsensical, startling Zach awake. "I''ve seen all good people turn their heads each day so satisfied I''m on my way!" Zach turned the alarm off, then sat up in bed. Once again, he was wearing boxers rather than a stolen farmer''s outfit. "So it was a dream after all," he said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Wednesday means no class until 10, so I guess I can take it easy this morning, he thought. He took his time getting out of bed, booting up his laptop, and putting on some pants. Then he looked at his phone. Five missed calls and ten texts? What the hell? Did I have my ringer on silent? He started for the bathroom, planning to read the texts on the toilet. He didn''t even get to the bathroom door before one of his roommates called out to him. "Holy crap, you do exist!" Zach turned to see a very surprised man standing in the kitchen with a carton of orange juice in one hand. Zach said, "Uh, yeah. I paid my rent just yesterday. Did you not get it?"Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! The short man with curly brown hair blinked several times. "I got it the day before yesterday. You were nowhere to be found all day yesterday." Then he grinned and added, "Did you have a hot date or something?" Zach had no idea what Matt was talking about. "Nah, nothing like that," he said, then stepped into the bathroom and closed the door. By the time he emerged again, Zach had read his text messages and he was no longer convinced that it was Wednesday. All signs pointed to the day being Thursday the 6th of September, with Wednesday totally absent from his memory. The missed calls and texts had been Erin letting him know he missed a quiz in Econ 202, Matt asking where he was, and Zach''s mother coincidentally calling to say hi. There were also nearly a dozen more messages from Erin. It wasn''t like Zach to skip an Econ class and Erin seemed rather worried. "If it''s actually Thursday, I need to get moving or I''ll miss even more class," he said to himself. Thankfully Matt wasn''t around to witness that or he would have feared for Zach''s mental state. Talking to yourself is one thing, but people didn''t normally lose track of the day of the week like that. Zach still wasn''t sure what was going on, so he spent the bike ride to campus deciding on a cover story. He didn''t want to pass his stress and confusion on to Erin. When he saw her in class, he said, "Sorry for worrying you yesterday. I wasn''t feeling well and slept all day." Of course, that story wouldn''t work on his roommates who had looked for him in his bedroom and only found his phone. According to Matt, Zach''s cell phone had been sitting next to his bed all day, periodically annoying the other residents of the house with its prog-rock ringtone. Erin smiled. "Well, you''re looking better now. I''m sure if you explain it to the professor, you can get a makeup quiz, at least this one time." "Good idea. Did I miss anything else important?" "Hmmm." Erin hummed to herself for a moment, then cheerfully answered, "Nope! Other than the quiz, it was a pretty good day to be out. Not that any day spent feeling sick is a good one, but you know what I mean." Zach forced a smile and said, "Yep. Thanks, Erin." He was genuinely glad for the information, and that Erin wasn''t teasing and fake-flirting with him for once. But in addition to the work of catching up on what he missed, he had the larger issue of needing to figure out how he missed it in the first place. A small part of him wanted to believe that his time in that fantasy kingdom wasn''t a dream after all, but a much larger part of him was terrified at the prospect. Zach zoned out after that, thinking, Losing a day of memories is bad enough, but believing that I went to a magic land for a day is mental-illness-level stuff. Maybe I ate something bad and hallucinated all of it? Though that doesn''t explain why I wasn''t home. Unless I wandered around the city while hallucinating? He swallowed hard. He didn''t even want to consider that unpleasant thought. Zach spent the rest of the day thinking circles around the subject, never getting any closer to an answer that didn''t scare him. With how little he was able to pay attention to his professors, he effectively skipped another day of classes. He did call his mom back, and talking to her about mundane stuff helped calm his mind a little, but it didn''t solve his problem. Going to bed early didn''t solve it either. In fact, it made it even worse. 8. Recognition With no alarm to wake him up, Zach slept a solid ten hours. When he finally awoke, the sun was just high enough to shine a bright beam of light through the room''s single small window. Wait. My window doesn''t get morning sun. It''s on the west side of the building. Zach forced his eyes open and saw the room for what it was: the small room he''d rented at the Hard Fought Rest. "Alright," he said, feeling very much not alright. "I guess I''m back in fantasy land. That''s only mildly terrifying. At least I''m not naked this time." In fact, he was wearing his stolen farmer clothes again, along with his new non-stolen socks. His pouch of gold was still in his pants pocket where he''d left it. It had seemed safest to keep that on his person, in case someone snuck in during the night. He had showered right before bed, back in the real world. His hair still felt clean but his clothes didn''t smell clean at all. They smelled like they''d been worn through a stressful day and then slept in. Maybe the inn has a place to wash my clothes, Zach thought. He had already visited the inn''s bathroom, which even had running water, but he would rather not wash his clothes in a sink if there was a better option. I''ll ask when I pay for another couple nights. As evidenced by his habit of writing out the month''s rent check in advance, Zach liked to have his accommodations secured ahead of time. He paid the grouchy innkeeper for two more nights, then asked if the inn had somewhere to wash his clothes. Paying the man before annoying him with questions proved to be a good call, because he was almost friendly as he answered. "Yeah, we''ve got a washbasin and a drying line out back. It gets good sun too. But no standing in your skivvies while you wait for ''em to dry. We got complaints from the neighbors." Zach visibly wilted at that. Oh, I hadn''t considered that. I guess I need to buy a change of clothes first. He recovered his composure and said, "Thank you. Oh, and do you have anything on your menu that''s good for a quick breakfast?" The man started to gesture at the clearly marked sign over the bar, then thought better of it, since he was dealing with the same idiot who had struggled with the sign before. He sighed and said, "We''ve got skirlie mash and sausage. Ten Chips." "That sounds good," Zach said, despite having no idea what ''skirlie mash'' was. He paid, then sat at a table. It was surprising how much quieter the place was before the lunch rush. In fact, the calm made the wait for his food feel like forever, though it was actually under ten minutes. A waiter that Zach hadn''t seen before delivered a plate of two sausage links and a big pile of mashed potatoes. On closer inspection, the potatoes had bits of toasted oatmeal mixed throughout. Zach guessed that was the ''skirlie'' part of ''skirlie mash'', and he was happy to learn that it gave the potatoes a pleasant crunch. The meal was hearty and filling and he scarfed it down quickly. Then Zach set out on foot for a day of¡­ something. He hadn''t thought that far ahead yet. He knew he needed new clothes, but that was it. He did have his mental list of objectives, but he had checked most of them off. The only goals that remained were ''find out how to earn money'' and repaying his two debts. Zach had run out of leads on the money one, since he clearly didn''t have the magical skills to be a Rider. I guess I need to gather information then. That''ll be my goal for the day. With that slightly more concrete plan, Zach wandered around the walled city. He soon learned that the city was called New Albion, not to be confused with the Kingdom of New Albion, which included many miles of outlying territory. He kept an eye out for affordable clothes and money making opportunities, and tried to keep an open mind. Eventually he noticed a covered staircase that zig-zagged up the side of the giant Gwendolyn Wall. The wooden structure was hard to miss, since it was taller than every building around and it stood out against the white marble. There was a helmeted guard standing at the bottom of the stairs, so Zach approached. "Uh, excuse me. What''s it like on top of the wall?" Zach asked. He was curious about whether there were ranged weapons up there, since that would suggest the presence of flying monsters in this fantasy world. Maybe even dragons. "You can look for yourself," the guard replied. The voice was feminine, but Zach couldn''t have known through the helmet and armor. "Just don''t get in anyone''s way or do something daft like fall off." "Oh!" Zach was not expecting to be allowed on the wall. "Then I guess I will. Thanks." The guard waved him past and he began the long ascent to the top of the wall. By the time he reached the top, he fully understood why there weren''t any other civilians on the wall: getting up there was a pain in the ass. Zach estimated its height at 12 stories and climbing it was quite the workout. Once there, he quickly learned two other things: there were indeed some impressive anti-air battlements on the wall, consisting of archery towers and stationary ballistas, and there was an entire mountain range in the distance that he''d never seen before. The mountains were on the opposite side of the city from where he''d first entered, so the massive wall had always blocked his view of them. He peered across the city, paying little mind to the sprawling and diverse cityscape below. The majestic mountains held all of his attention. They rose quickly from the foothills and were covered with green right up to the treeline, where they became bare stone and dirt. The more Zach looked at them, the more familiar they seemed. "Wait, is that¡­?" Zach blurted out as he recognized the most prominent of the peaks, which was dusted in snow despite the season. "Holy crap, I think that''s Mount Evans." He sprinted up to the inside edge of the wall and grabbed onto the railing, then stared slack-jawed at the mountains on the other side of the city. His gaze drifted to the right, following the mountains as they continued far into the distance. "I think those are the Rocky Mountains." He turned back to the left and looked in the direction he now considered south. He saw another mountain in the distance, distinct from the rest of the mountain range. The way it sat out by itself was unmistakable: it was Pike''s Peak. With a dumbstruck look on his face, Zach said, "I think this is Colorado."
After that major discovery, there was a new entry at the top of Zach''s objective list: ''find a map''. He ran down twelve flights of stairs as fast as he dared, waved to the guard, and made his way to the bustling market that was just south of the city''s west gate.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Man, knowing cardinal directions again sure is nice. I really took that for granted back home. He pestered people in the marketplace with questions until he finally found someone that knew where to buy maps. She was an old woman with dozens of beads and crystals woven into her greying hair, but she gave very detailed directions to a cartographer. Zach bought something from her stand in thanks, but he doubted he''d ever get any use out of the little quartz pendant. At only 6 Chips, he wasn''t worried. From there he walked over a mile to the cartographer''s store. As he got closer to the center of the city, the other pedestrians'' clothes, hairstyles, and even speech got progressively fancier. Actually, more and more of the people were riding in carriages rather than walking. Zach was regretting not buying nicer clothes before this outing, but he wasn''t sure he could even afford the kind of fancy clothing that would suit this part of town. He wasn''t alone in his attire, however. Other people in plain clothes hurried from place to place, carrying supplies into fancy shops and loading packages onto carriages. It seemed that clothing quality was a clear indicator of whether a person was part of the working class or the merchant class. Then he found the cartographer''s store. It was in a cozy courtyard area, surrounded by high end clothiers and something that looked like a coffee shop mixed with a country club. A disapproving look from the elegantly dressed waiter at the door told Zach all he needed to know: the poor weren''t welcome there. Zach threw a disapproving look right back at the man, thinking, If this place is actually a magical version of Colorado, I bet coffee has to be imported and is incredibly expensive. And without modern technology, it probably isn''t even very tasty. Zach''s destination didn''t have any sign or label, but a wide window on the front revealed its contents: dozens and dozens of maps. Zach opened the door and stepped inside. His nose was hit by the scent of paper and ink, but not offensively so. The shop was narrow, with ceiling-high shelves on every wall. They were deep enough to hold a stack of unfurled maps on each shelf. A skylight high on the south wall was covered by a thin curtain, presumably to allow sunlight to illuminate the room without bleaching the maps. "Hello?" Zach called out, not too loud. It seemed wrong to disturb the comfortable peace of the shop. "Yes, hello. I''ll be right there," came a voice, soft and fast. Then its owner appeared through a door frame near the back of the shop. It was a short man with wide eyes and wispy blonde hair peeking out from under a floppy red hat. When he saw Zach he blinked a couple times, then continued his approach. "Yes, how can I help you?" he asked in his soft voice. Zach tried to stand up straight and proper, then said, "I''d like to buy some maps, and learn about the area. Can you help me?" The man nodded excitedly. "Oh yes. Please come and sit with me." He gestured to a chair next to a wide square table, then took a seat on the other side. "I''m Nevin, by the way." Zach introduced himself and sat down, then looked at the map that was already laid flat on the table. It was a very detailed depiction of a few blocks of city streets, nestled in a river bend. "Oh yes, this is an interesting map," Nevin began unprompted. "It''s of the Red River district back before it was rebuilt. This morning a man acted interested in it, right up until I told him that the sewers had been rebuilt as well. I think he wanted to burglarize some wealthy homes." Nevin shook his head. "But enough of that unpleasantness. What kind of maps are you interested in?" Zach shifted in his seat. "I''m not really sure. I guess landscape ones, rivers and mountains." The cartographer''s eyes twinkled. "Oh yes, you''re the adventuring type, I suppose. Now, I don''t have many maps of the mountains for obvious reasons, but I have rivers. Oh yes, do I have rivers¡­" With that odd remark, Nevin leapt to his feet and zipped over to the east wall where he plucked four maps from their shelves. He returned to the table and laid them out, slightly overlapping. A compass rose drawn on each showed that they were all north-side up from Zach''s perspective. The cartographer pointed at a small circle near the bottom left corner of the top left map. "Well, here we are in New Albion. This map was made after the wall went up, so it''s got the whole thing to scale. Very nice." Before Zach could try to estimate the mentioned scale and how big the walled city actually was, Nevin directed his attention to a river that flowed into the city from the south-east. "This is the Red River, though nothing about it is particularly red and it isn''t quite a river. It''s not deep enough for boats, but it does look lovely, especially in the spring when the bitter-cherries are in bloom." Oh, I think that''s Cherry Creek back in my world. That should be easy enough to remember: cherry equals red, Zach thought. Then the map seller pointed far to the south, near the center of the lower map. "This city is called Grotto. It''s a bit too close to the mountains for most people''s tastes, but it sits along Lone Mountain Creek, which is our nearest access to the majestic Lyria River. She can carry you east through the whole southern half of the kingdom." As Nevin spoke, his finger followed a meandering line from Grotto out to the rightmost edge of the lower right map. Along the way, the Lyria River was joined by literally hundreds of smaller rivers and creeks, each drawn with remarkable detail. "Oh, okay," Zach said, feeling a little overwhelmed. Geography was never his strong suit. But he was pretty sure that Lone Mountain was actually Pike''s Peak, so maybe Grotto was this world''s equivalent to Colorado Springs. "But the real king of rivers, at least inside our kingdom, is the Righ River." Nevin pointed at a label that said ''Righ'' but he pronounced it ''Ree''. Then he continued, "He runs just outside New Albion''s western wall and connects all of our northern territory." Like he had done with the Lyria River, he guided Zach''s attention along the massive Righ River system that extended all the way out to the east edge of the second map. Zach raised a finger to pause the lesson. "Um, why are the rivers so much more detailed than the mountains?" Zach was used to topographical maps with elevations and other details, but these maps hardly gave any specifics about the mountains. The Rocky Mountains were barely more than a jagged line running up the west side of the map. Nevin tilted his head questioningly. "Well, that''s because rivers are critical to the kingdom, for crops and trade and bridges. And the mountains are dangerous. Too many monsters, and they''re Kobold territory anyway." "Oh, okay," Zach said. But he didn''t fully understand, and he was hung up on the way Nevin had specifically mentioned bridges. These maps don''t even have any roads or bridges marked¡­ Then Zach said, "I don''t think I''ll need the two eastern maps just yet, but I''m interested in the other two. And a map of the city, if you have one." Nevin smiled proudly. "Oh yes. Not only do I have one, it was one of the maps I drew myself! Well, I drew the original. A Conjuror creates copies for me." As he spoke, he was already retrieving the city map from a shelf. He placed a rather detailed map on the table. At a glance, Zach could see labeled roads and landmarks, and there was a key with the map''s scale. It didn''t have anything so convenient as business names, but it would definitely prove useful. "Uh, so how much do I owe you for those three maps?" Zach was a little worried that they might be expensive, though Nevin''s mention of making copies soothed that concern a bit. The fact that magic had been used to make the copies threw a bit of doubt back into the mix. "Three Harts each for the river maps, and one for the city." Something in his voice suggested that he thought Zach might not be able to afford them. Zach''s pleasant surprise was plain on his face. He gladly pulled out seven Harts and handed them to man. Once Nevin had the money, he said, "Oh! Do you have a good way to carry them? I sell carrying cases." He reached under the table and brought out a two-foot-long leather tube with a cap on each end. It had a simple leather strap connected to both ends for easy transport. "You''ll have to roll the maps up, but it''s better than folding them or letting them get damaged by the elements. One Hart for the case. My young nephew makes them and he''s always so happy when one sells." Zach smiled at the heartstring-tugging upsell technique. For such a strange and soft-spoken man, this Nevin was a skilled businessman. "Sure. I''ll take the case too." He handed over another Hart and stood up. "I''ve got to get going, but I''ll visit again." Nevin gently rolled up Zach''s maps, put them in the case, and held it out. "Thank you for your business." After one of those odd wrist-shakes, Zach slung his purchases over his shoulder and left the shop. Behind him, Nevin watched him leave with a slightly puzzled expression on his face, not sure what to make of the unusual, poorly-dressed, casual spending, geographically clueless man. Outside the shop, a blonde woman in plain clothes eyed Zach with a similar expression. She stepped away from the cartographer''s window where she''d been watching, then vanished into an alleyway. 9. Meanwhile After Alexia had received her orders from the Princess, she''d spent an entire day searching the city for the mysterious man. She found no sign of him, nor any new rumors. She did hear another eyewitness account of the unusual story he had told in the Hard Fought Rest inn, but everything that woman had recalled was cast into even more doubt by the amount of free beer she''d been drinking. The one important detail that Alexia gained was the man''s name: Zach. The second day was far more productive. After an informant mentioned seeing a civilian climbing the Gwendolyn Wall, Alexia changed into her unassuming peasant clothes and rushed to the site. Zach was long gone, but people in the nearby market spoke of a man frantically asking for directions to a mapmaker. Alexia knew of only one cartographer in the city, but she had a lot of distance to cover to get there before Zach moved on again. She hired a carriage to make good time and arrived just after Zach did. She snuck up to the building''s front window and hid behind a shrub, then she watched. By the end of Zach''s visit, Alexia had learned some new things and confirmed a few more. First, Zach was totally clueless about even basic matters like rivers. How someone could travel to New Albion without that knowledge was a puzzle in and of itself. She''d also observed that he had far more money than his plain clothes suggested and he wasn''t reluctant to spend it. From there, she stealthily tailed him as he went about his day. He gorged himself on cheap street cart food, then tried to buy some clothes. He bought nothing from the first two stores, but Alexia couldn''t tell whether it was due to lack of interest or funds. Then he entered a third store which sold casual clothes marketed to the merchant class. Alexia pretended to shop as well, putting on the familiar persona of a maid out shopping for her employer. While she lurked on the other side of a rack of men''s overcoats, she listened in on Zach''s conversation with the female shopkeeper. "Um, sorry about my current clothes. I promise I can afford to buy some here." Zach said. It seemed he''d had issues at the previous stores. "Oh, okay¡­" the woman replied, still sounding unsure about her latest customer. "What are you looking for today?" "Casual pants and a shirt, as well as a light jacket. Uh, and boxers¡ª err, undergarments, if you sell those here." The woman awkwardly assured him that they did in fact sell undergarments, but only the most basic styles.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. From there, Zach selected an outfit for himself. It consisted of narrow-legged pants of a dark blue color, a simple white collarless shirt that was normally used only as an undershirt, and a lightweight tan leather jacket that buttoned at the front. The shopkeeper and Alexia both blinked in surprise as he stepped out of the dressing room. The outfit didn''t look bad, but it definitely looked different than current New Albion fashion. As Zach turned and bent down to reclaim his old clothes from the dressing room, the shopkeeper''s eyes wandered in a way that said she rather liked the way the clothes fit. Alexia''s eyes followed the woman''s gaze, but then returned to the shopkeeper. She thought that the shopkeeper''s bodice looked much nicer than Zach''s pants. He paid a Crown and some change for his purchase, which included two pairs of undergarments and some socks, then waved goodbye. Alexia waited as long as she dared, then made an excuse for not buying anything and slipped out after Zach. The combination maid and secret agent followed him for the rest of the day. She watched as he wandered around the city and talked to people, apparently just gathering information, then finally returned to his inn. He ate dinner in the noisy common room, speaking with some of the other customers, then retired to his room after 9 in the evening. Alexia didn''t want to have to track him down again the next morning, so she paid for a room near Zach''s and she waited and listened for his door to open. She also stuck a piece of string in his door that would fall if the door opened, just in case she somehow missed his departure. She waited all night, staying awake in case he left in the middle of the night. Then she waited all day, passing the time by documenting her observations thus far in a journal. She took only the shortest of breaks for food and restroom, always checking on the bit of string when she returned. Alexia even tried to stay awake through the second night, but she didn''t manage. She eventually fell asleep with her ear to the crack under her door. Luckily, the morning noise of the common room just downstairs woke her up before Zach left. When he finally exited his room, she scrambled to get presentable and followed after. She took a seat facing away so he couldn''t see her face, then listened in on his conversation with the innkeeper. "Good morning," Zach started. "Can I ask how many paid nights I have left?" The innkeeper quickly and confidently answered, "None. You''ve used ''em all up." "Wait, what? Are you sure? I thought I had two left." There was the sound of a heavy ledger being placed on the counter, then the innkeeper said, "See here? You paid for two nights. Then two days later, you paid for two more, and for some breakfast. That was two days ago." Alexia thought there was just a bit of irritation in the innkeeper''s voice, but he didn''t seem surprised at Zach''s questions. "Two days ago?" Zach asked. "I thought that was yesterday¡­" "Two days ago," the innkeeper repeated in a patronizing tone. "That was on the 7th, and it''s the 9th of September now." Alexia was pretty sure the innkeeper of the reasonably respectable Hard Fought Rest would never try to scam a guest out in the open like this, especially not over a couple measly Harts. That left just one possibility: Zach had somehow slept away an entire day. Based on everything she''d seen and heard so far, Alexia came to one other conclusion about Zach: he was a totally harmless, clueless idiot. 10. Rumors Zach sat at a table in the Hard Fought Rest inn, eating breakfast and pondering his existence. He had food and shelter. He had comfortable and fashionable clothes. He had around $2,000 worth of New Albion currency. And he had absolutely no idea what was going on with his life. I was absent from this world for a full day, and I''d bet money that I''ll be absent from my own world all day today. I had been thinking that this was a dream world that I went to when I slept, but that''s not quite right. He stuffed a forkful of scrambled eggs into his mouth, then tilted his head in thought as he chewed. This is a parallel world to my own. Time moves at the same speed in both, and it looks like whenever I sleep in either world, I physically flip to the other. He shivered as he pictured what might happen if he didn''t book his room for a second night and rematerialized in an occupied bed. Note to self: always get a room for two nights, and don''t go to sleep in strange places, in either world. At first, Zach focused only on the downsides. I don''t seem to be able to control it. Since it started, I flip every night. That''s going to wreak havoc on my college classes. And it means I have to pay double for inns in this world. He took a drink of apple juice. It was fresh and delicious and it only cost him two Chips. As much as he wanted to conserve his money until he had reliable income, he didn''t want to deny himself affordable pleasures. So what are my next steps? I had been treating this world like some low-stakes game, but it isn''t. Well, I can try to learn about this weird flipping thing. Why it affects me, why it happens every night, that kind of stuff. He looked around the room at the other mundane breakfast-eating commoners. Yeah, I doubt I''ll find much info about it here or back home. It can''t be a common phenomenon, or both worlds would be up in arms about it and people in mine would be trying to scientifically analyze it. Science. That was Zach''s next step. He wasn''t big on his science courses in school, but they had taught him the basics of the scientific method. He just needed to come up with a hypothesis about how things might work, attempt to prove it wrong, and repeat. Eventually he''d have a better understanding of the truth of the situation. Hypothesis one: I flip worlds every time I sleep, Zach thought. Method to disprove: sleep at various times, more than once per day. He smiled at that. Easy enough. I''ll just take a nap later today. Hypothesis two: Me and my clothes disappear from the previous world when I flip. Method to disprove¡­ He scratched his chin in thought. He didn''t have any way of directly verifying what the world was like when he wasn''t in it, and he didn''t want to reveal his strange situation to anyone else just yet. All he had to go on was the fact that he had been missing from his bedroom the other day when his roommates went looking for him. At first Zach thought that he had no reason to believe that his clothes disappeared too, but that just made far more sense than his crumpled clothes somehow putting themselves back on his reappearing body every morning. I can come back to that hypothesis later. After all, I still have some other objectives in this world. Zach''s mental to-do list consisted of four items: find out how to earn money, pay back the apple lady, repay the farmhouse for stealing their clothes, and pick up his custom shoes. "My shoes!" Zach blurted out through a mouth of half-chewed eggs, startling some of the other patrons. If each day in the real world is a day passing here too, then I''m two days overdue for picking up my new shoes. I really hope he still has them! Then Zach slapped a palm to his forehead. Of course he still has them. They were custom sized for me. He could only really use them as loaner shoes like the ones I''m wearing. He quickly finished his breakfast and stood up, thinking, Regardless, I should go pick those up sooner rather than later.
After breakfast, Zach washed up in the inn''s communal bathroom, styling his hair as best he could without any gel. He would have loved some deodorant too, for all the walking in the sun he expected to be doing, but he wasn''t sure this world had anything like that. It wasn''t a primitive land, but the lack of modern technology made some products unlikely to exist. For now, I''ll try to take a shower and put on deodorant right before bed whenever I''m in the real world, he thought, but he wasn''t sure whether the deodorant would follow his body through the flip. Dressed in his new merchant-class clothes, Zach felt much better about his appearance. He no longer looked like a drab peasant and it affected the way people interacted with him, for good and for ill. People treated him better in conversation and in general courtesy, like making way for him as he passed. But street vendors became much more insistent in their attempts to make a sale. In one case, Zach was pretty sure the vendor tried to charge him more than the other shoppers for the same food. He couldn''t fault them too much for their behavior. It was just good business to try to get more money from people who had more to spend. Zach would have done it too, hopefully with more finesse, were he a salesman. Zach made his way to ''Best Fit Shoes'', the cobbler Alfred''s store. But that wasn''t technically correct; Alfred wasn''t the owner of the store, since Zach remembered him mentioning his boss back during the storytelling competition.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Hopefully Alfred is working today, Zach thought as he stepped inside. "Zach! I was worried you''d never return!" The plain-looking man ran to greet Zach, wearing the same grey suit as before. "Sorry for the delay, Alfred. I got caught up in something." Then Alfred noticed what Zach was wearing. "Oh ho, you''re looking very nice today. Spent a bit more of your winnings?" he asked with a wide smile. Zach only nodded, but Alfred stayed on that subject. "That''s not a style I''m familiar with, but it really looks good on you," Alfred said as he looked Zach up and down. "You look like you could be a suitor to the Princess." That caught Zach''s attention, since he remembered a princess from his dreams. "Oh?" "You wouldn''t have any luck, no offense. None of her suitors do. That''s why they call her the Iron Maiden." Zach chuckled and added ''learn more about the Princess'' to his mental list. Then he jokingly said, "Still have my shoes? Haven''t sold them to someone else?" "Of course I do, right here with your name on them. Well, not literally. I could have embroidered it, but I don''t know how to spell Zach." "No need to embroider it, but it''s spelled Z-A-C-H." Alfred tilted his head. "Once again I mean no offense, but that is a rather unusual name." "It''s short for Zachary, which is derived from Zachariah." "Hmm, can''t say I''ve ever heard either of those before." Now Zach tilted his head in puzzlement. Huh, there were multiple famous Zachariahs throughout history back home. Is there no Christianity in this world? Alfred waved a hand dismissively. "In any case, I''m sure you''ve got places to be. Here are your new shoes. Please try them on to make sure they fit." He handed Zach the brown leather shoes and ushered him into a chair. Zach took off his borrowed shoes and passed them to Alfred. While Zach pulled on and laced up his new shoes, Alfred examined the loaners. "Looks like you put some distance on these, but they are in good shape. I''ll get you a Hart, as promised." Then Zach stood up and nearly fell right back down in surprise. The shoes were more comfortable than any he''d worn in his entire life. As he flexed his toes and tested the shoes'' give, he said, "Wow, these are amazing. Thank you so much, Alfred." "No, thank you for the business," Alfred said with a small bow. "Please come back if you''re ever in need of shoes. Or, since it would be unlikely for your shoes to be stolen again, I''d appreciate it if you''d recommend the Best Fit to your friends." "Will do," Zach said, pocketing the refunded Hart. If I make some in this world. I''m sure Erin would love some shoes this comfortable though¡­ He offered his hand, did one of those odd wrist-shakes, then said goodbye and exited the shop. I like how friendly the people here have been, at least compared to back home, Zach thought. Hopefully that holds up while I''m trying to learn about this Princess.
Not only were people still friendly, but they seemed to absolutely love to gossip about the Princess. The amount of freely offered information about her easily dwarfed every other topic Zach had asked about thus far. "Oh, ya, Princess Evelyn was gone fer a long time, but now she''s back. That''s why they held that festival fer the last three months." "That poor girl. She disappeared when she was just 10, and only just returned a few months ago. I wonder what she went through in that time¡­ And that''s on top of losing her mother so young." "I think she was kidnapped, but the King ain''t saying who did it, on account of not wantin'' an angry mob seekin'' ''em out." "They say she''s the most beautiful woman in the land. Got suitors lined up around the block, wanting to make a new lineage to the throne. Though the Princess doesn''t seem to be in a hurry, since she keeps turning them all down. I suppose even if King Gildahart passes on, may mana protect him, she''d become rightful Queen and could just pick a suitor then." "I still remember when Princess Evy was born. March of Two Thousand, it was. The celebration was nearly as big as this recent one. I met my husband at that festival, and we''d both had so much to drink. What a nice night that was¡­" From all that somewhat subjective information and what Zach already knew, he assembled a bit of a timeline. The Princess was born in 2000, a year after Zach. Her mother Gwendolyn passed away in 2005, prompting King Gildahart to build a massive wall around the city of New Albion. Evelyn disappeared without a trace in 2010. Then in mid-2018, she suddenly reappeared. The kingdom threw a massive celebration that only just ended a week ago. But none of that explained why Zach had been dreaming about New Albion and its Princess for years. He tried to get in a creative mindset and brainstorm some possibilities, Maybe it was a magical call for help? While she was missing, she reached out to people at random through dreams? Or I''m just tuned into this world somehow, and since the Princess was such a big topic, it came up in my dreams too? Zach gave up on that strategy. Creativity wasn''t his thing, and he still had more concrete facts to investigate, like what this Princess Evelyn looked like. Seeing that might jog his memory of his old dreams of her. He was pretty sure there''d be a painting of her somewhere in the kingdom, since royalty seemed to love having their portraits painted. He asked a merchant on the street if there were any portraits of the royal family around, and the answer surprised him. The woman said, "Yeah, there should be some portraits on display at the Grand Library. I don''t think they have a new one of the Princess just yet, but I know where you can see exactly what she looks like. Just find a wealthier merchant than I." Zach had to fight to not facepalm for never thinking of a library. So many of the questions he had been asking since he arrived in the city could have been definitively answered there. He returned his focus to the matter at hand and asked, "What do you mean about a wealthier merchant?" "I''m not really surprised you haven''t heard of Evy coins. They''re still fairly new and only in the hands of the wealthiest, after all. They''re commemorative coins made to celebrate the Princess''s return, worth 50 Harts each. But the interesting part is what''s depicted on them: a beautiful portrait of Princess Evelyn." "Oh, thank you for that information," Zach told the woman. He didn''t mention that he could easily afford several of this Evy coin if he wanted. He was by no means wealthier than this merchant who had quite a selection of items for sale, but Zach''s wealth was entirely in the form of liquid currency. He started back toward the inn, planning to take a nap and test out his ''every time I sleep, I flip'' theory. As always, he wasn''t observant enough to notice the woman with straw-colored hair that was trailing him. Her hairstyle was different that day, in a tight bun rather than parted and pinned back, so he may not have recognized her regardless. 11. Rejecting Reality Zach arrived at his room at the Hard Fought Rest, planning to test a theory by taking a nap. If he flipped back to the real world it would suggest that sleeping, rather than something else like time of day, was the trigger for flipping worlds. He was halfway through changing into some recently purchased bedclothes when he realized he had no desire to take a nap or return home yet. The day was still young and he still had so much to do in New Albion: people to meet, mysteries to solve, and economic systems to unravel. He put his nice merchant clothes back on, pocketed a dozen Harts, and set out into the city. For over an hour, Zach made small purchases to get cozy with vendors, then asked them about their daily routines, their suppliers, and even how they paid taxes. Of course, some merchants weren''t keen on sharing their secrets, but that didn''t matter. Zach wasn''t concerned with any single merchant, but rather with the systems that made this magical world''s economy run. Shortly after sunset, foot traffic thinned and the street vendors started closing up shop. Around the same time, a man in a hooded blue robe made his way down the street, lighting all the streetlamps with some sort of magic spell. At each lamp, he thrust out a hand, palm open, and a ball of light flew out and into the glass-covered lamp. Zach was incredibly curious about the display of magic, but the man hurried off to another street before Zach could get close. Since the street was well-lit again, some larger stores stayed open a bit later, but most businesses were closed within an hour of sundown. Zach took his collection of mostly unnecessary purchases back to the Hard Fought Rest and began the next stage of his day: socializing with regular folk. Zach ate dinner in the common area, ordering a simple beef and vegetable stew. While he waited for it to arrive, he made conversation with the man next to him: a laborer who was employed by the kingdom to maintain the Gwendolyn Wall. The man''s hairline was worn thin by the leather hat he wore when he worked, and his arms and hands were deeply tanned. "Wait, you just work on the wall for a living?" Zach asked. He''d been under the naive assumption that a magically-constructed wall would be maintenance free. Once he thought about it, it was obvious that a structure of that size would need to be repaired from time to time, especially with the region''s harsh weather. The stout man nodded. "Yes indeed. Got a whole crew of us dedicated to general maintenance, and another team that gets sent to fix urgent issues. My team just makes a slow circuit of the entire wall. Got me on top, Barclay and Scott at the base, and crazy Trent on a rope, checking the sides." "And that''s enough people for the entire wall?" The man smiled proudly. "We''re a good crew, so we can cover two or three miles of wall a month. I''ve got the experience from my years in home construction, and Barclay''s magic can fix just about any issue we find. Scott''s learning magic too, taking night classes at the Creator''s Guild, so he should be able to help out even more next spring." Ah, that explains it, Zach thought. Using magic for repairs must be significantly faster and more effective than doing it by hand. The man watched the way Zach nodded in thought, then he said, "What''s with all the interest? Looking for a job?" Zach moved to answer, but the man continued, "I don''t have any openings right now, but we always need extra hands in the spring. The snow and ice do a number on poor Gwen every year." Zach shook his head. "Just curious, that''s all. I''m new to the city and trying to learn more about, well, everything." The man finished off his plate and stood up from the table. "Keep asking questions like you have been, and you''ll keep learning. And if you aren''t afraid of heights and want a short-term job in March, go to the Council and say Tost Wakefield sent you. I''ll hire you right up." "Thank you for the offer," Zach called after the suddenly departing man. I guess he''s got somewhere to go. Maybe family at home? Then why eat dinner here instead of with them? Before Zach could ponder it any further, someone else sat down in Tost''s empty seat and scooted it right up next to Zach''s side. The scent of flowery perfume flooded his nostrils and he turned to see a beautiful woman. Her hair was golden and flowing and her green velvet dress was indecently low cut. She had warm brown eyes outlined with a striking touch of dark makeup to draw them out. After a moment, Zach realized it was the same prostitute he had seen in the Rest on his first day. "Hello there," she cooed flirtatiously. "You''re awfully young and handsome for a merchant. Would you like some company tonight?" Zach blinked in surprise. Alright, that was incredibly forward. Wait, she wants to sleep with me! The thought of sleep made him think of his plan to nap to test his theory, and that made him realize that if he did sleep with her, he would magically disappear at some point in the night. "Um, n-no thanks," he stammered as his face flushed red. On top of his world-flipping dilemma, Zach''s mundane life in suburban America hadn''t prepared him for a genuine solicitation of sex. He could barely handle fake flirting from Erin. Now, if only I still thought this world was a dream¡­ Zach shook his head to clear that dangerous thought and repeated. "Sorry, but no thanks." The woman didn''t take it hard. She smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Perhaps another time," she said as she stood up. Then she flitted off to another table, leaving Zach a bit stunned and lost in thought.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Eventually, he finished his beef stew and looked around the room. He was hoping to find another merchant to talk to about New Albion''s exotic and interesting economy, but the common room was surprisingly sparse. Other than Zach, there were just two groups of people left, and they were huddled in close-knit conversations and deep in their drinks. Even the prostitute had left, though Zach didn''t know if it was with a client or not. That was when Zach realized he had no idea what time it was. It felt late, but he couldn''t get any more specific since there was no clock around. He didn''t want to sleep yet, but there wasn''t any value in sitting by himself in the common room. Oh, I still haven''t looked very closely at my maps, he thought, standing up from his seat.
As Zach studied his maps on his bed, he learned quite a lot about the place he''d privately nicknamed ''the magic world''. It had a very similar measurement system to the United States, with feet and miles, and his maps held to a clearly marked scale. Thanks to that, he was able to learn that the Gwendolyn Wall that circled the city had a diameter of almost exactly four miles. Some basic math told him that the city of New Albion covered just over 12 square miles. While the city seemed to sit in the same location as Denver, Colorado, it was just a fraction of the size. A closer comparison would be to Denver''s skyscraper-filled downtown area. New Albion was a bit bigger than downtown Denver and it was packed nearly as densely with people. It also served as a trading hub for all the farmers and ranchers that lived in the surrounding countryside. Outside of the city, smaller villages and farmer communities were common. Zach''s maps covered 550 miles from north to south, nearly twice the size of Colorado, with New Albion near the center. The city of Grotto was 70 miles further south, and a few other cities were scattered throughout the eastern plains. He tried to commit as many details to memory as possible, such as the names of rivers and cities and the distances between towns, but it was tiring work. Man, I wish I had some coffee right now, he thought. Caffeine had been his lifeline during finals last year and an invaluable study aid on other occasions too. But the only coffee I''ve seen here was in that snooty cafe. They''re definitely closed this late, and I can''t imagine the price. Where do they import the coffee beans from? Despite his best efforts to stay awake and focus on his maps, Zach eventually fell asleep at around 3AM. He flopped sideways on the bed with his cheek on his map of the north-west quarter of the New Albion kingdom. Before he could even drool on it, he disappeared from that world, leaving just a warm indentation behind.
Back in the ''real world'', Zach went through his morning routine on autopilot. Even though he was only spending half his time there, his old habits held strong. However, he did have to double check the date to make sure he went to the right classes. It was Monday, so his first class was Chemistry. And it was a quiz day. Dammit, I forgot to study for this one, he thought as he slumped in his seat in the lecture hall. "Are you feeling alright, Zach?" It was James, the rather abrasive man who was also in Zach''s History of Agriculture class. "I just forgot to study for this quiz," Zach answered. "That isn''t like you, man. Normally you ace all the tests and quizzes." "I know, and that''s why I''m so bummed. Just let me sulk in peace." In reality, that wasn''t the reason Zach felt down. Of course it was annoying to fail a quiz he could have aced with just 30 minutes of studying, but there was something else. Zach''s strange mood had been so apparent that even James had noticed something was wrong, yet Zach still couldn''t place the cause. After solidly bombing the quiz and zoning out during the subsequent lecture, Zach moved on to his next class, Macroeconomics. He got there on time and pulled out his textbook, but he just couldn''t focus on the professor. His thoughts kept wandering back to New Albion, the satisfying feeling of holding a Crown in the palm of his hand, and ways to try to earn more Harts and Crowns. I could try to introduce technology they''re lacking, like clocks. Nah, that requires more infrastructure and skill than I have. Maybe I could disrupt an existing industry? Or should I try to do public service and work for the kingdom? "Hey, Zachie," Erin said sweetly. She had her blonde hair pinned back over her ears and she was wearing contacts instead of her regular glasses. "Hmm?" he said, coming down from his daydream about trying to introduce modern hygiene to New Albion. He didn''t think he could get deodorant to catch on, at least not without the industry to produce isopropyl alcohol and powdered aluminum. "You seem out of it today. Normally you love this class, but you''re somewhere else," Erin said. "I still love the class. I''m just having a hard time focusing today for some reason." In addition to not paying attention to the professor, Zach was oblivious to the extra effort Erin had put into her appearance. "Did you get enough sleep?" she asked. Zach nodded. It was true that he had gone to sleep late, but he slept well and didn''t feel tired at all. "Well, you can copy my notes if you want. Just text me anytime," Erin said with a bashful smile. Zach didn''t notice the smile. "Thanks," he mumbled, already lost in thought again. His thoughts were in New Albion, and he wished his body could be too. It was a world of mystery and magic and potential, a place where he could use his knowledge of the real world to make a difference. Zach was starting to believe he could carve out a legacy for himself in that world, instead of living a mundane life of attending school and paying rent in this one. After realizing that he couldn''t focus even in an Econ course, Zach knew there was nothing to gain from attending his other classes. It was barely midday when he left campus and rode his bike back to his apartment. Zach ate a quick lunch, relieved that he still had an appetite despite the unusual funk he was in, then flopped onto his bed. He took a nap, hoping as he fell asleep that he''d awaken in his other bed in the Hard Fought Rest. To his great disappointment, he awoke an hour and a half later in the same bed and clothes. "Damn," he muttered. "So much for that theory." Then, in an attempt to prevent another bombed quiz, Zach consulted the syllabus and schedule for each of his classes, looking for upcoming tests. There were two that week, both on even-numbered ''real world'' days. Starting with the one for Wednesday, he made an educated guess about how many chapters would be covered by the test, then read ahead in the textbook. When he finished those chapters, he quizzed himself and was unhappy with how few of the details had actually stuck in his memory. He read it a couple more times, just in case, then moved on to the next course. Around seven o''clock, noise outside his bedroom door told him that his roommates were home and cooking dinner. He joined them for the meal, mostly to convince them he was still alive, then returned to his studies. Studying was so boring, at least compared to that mysterious other world, that he could barely keep his eyes open. Despite his nap earlier, Zach fell asleep before 9PM. A few hours later, right as his digital clock read 12:00, Zach vanished from his bed. 12. First Contact "Thank you for the report, Alexia," Princess Evelyn said. She was seated at a small circular tea table in her tower bedroom, with Alexia on the other side. Evelyn was wearing a blue silk nightgown and her brunette hair was pulled back into an elaborate braid. "You are welcome, Princess," Alexia said as she gathered up her maps and notes from the tabletop. She was dressed in plain farmer''s clothes, with a white blouse and a dark blue skirt. Her pale blonde hair was in a simple ponytail. While Alexia''s official job title was Head Maid, her true role was closer to that of ''Lead Investigator'' or ''Elite Operative''. She did perform some maid work for the King and his castle, but her true loyalty was to the Princess. Alexia had been unable to convince the overprotective King to allow the Princess to live freely, but she could act as Evelyn''s eyes and ears in the city. Alexia paused as she placed her notes in a leather bag. She had something else to add to her report. "I do not yet have a full understanding of that mysterious man, but I believe him to be both harmless and foolish. Regardless of where he came from, he will soon run through his financial windfall and be out of our hair." To Alexia''s surprise, the Princess shook her head. "No, I won''t discount him just yet, and I still want to know more about him." Alexia met the Princess''s eyes and said, "Then what would you have me do? I''ve gathered all the information I can without alerting him to my presence." Evelyn smiled and leaned close across the desk, never breaking eye contact. Alexia could smell the lingering floral scent of Evelyn''s bath. Between that and the intimate eye contact, Alexia was overwhelmed. She looked down to escape, but her gaze fell on the Princess''s exposed cleavage instead. Only when she''d looked further down, at the surface of the table, was she safe from her own impure desires. "I''d like you to make contact with him," Evelyn said. "Don''t reveal your connection with me, but talk to him and learn what you can. I especially want you to find out where he came from, since he does not seem to be from anywhere in New Albion." Alexia nodded in acceptance of her new task, then looked back up and quietly asked, "Do you think he could be from the Old Kingdom?" The Princess''s expression darkened. "We can''t overlook the possibility."
Alexia was waiting at a corner table in the Hard Fought Rest common room when the man called Zach appeared. He shuffled down the stairs wearing the same casual merchant-class clothes she''d seen him in before, but something about him was different. It took her a second to realize it was his jawline, which was in serious need of a shave. The scruffy-looking man went straight to the front desk, ordered some breakfast, and paid for two more nights. Alexia thought it odd that he kept paying for two nights at a time, but she didn''t dwell on it. She had more important things to deal with. Zach turned away from the desk and sat down at a table in the corner of the room. A few minutes later, a waitress delivered a bowl of oatmeal and a small cup of some sort of coppery liquid. While he was focused on the departing waitress, Alexia rose from her seat and approached. "Hello!" she said cheerfully as she sat down at Zach''s table. "You''re Zach, right?" He nodded slowly, clearly caught off guard by the mystery woman who knew his name. "My name is Alexia, and I have something I''d like to discuss with you." Zach glanced down at his food and back up at Alexia. "Can I still eat my breakfast?" Alexia forced a smile. She wasn''t normally a very cheerful person, so she hoped her act was working. "Of course!" "Thanks," Zach said. Then he lifted the small cup of liquid and poured it over the top of his oatmeal, drizzling it in wandering loops and spirals. Alexia was actually curious about what he was doing, so she asked, "What''s that you''re adding to your oats?" "Just some maple syrup I picked up from a visiting merchant and donated to the kitchen. I like my oatmeal sweeter than people around here seem to. I also asked for no lard in it because that makes it too rich." "Oh, interesting¡­" Alexia replied. He was right about his tastes being different. In New Albion, oatmeal was usually made with lard and eaten as a hearty meal alongside meat. At least the unusual thing he had crafted smelled good. Zach looked up from his oatmeal. "I assume my breakfast wasn''t the topic you wanted to talk about?" "Correct. I was curious about you, Zach. I heard people talking about the amazing story you told, and I just had to hear more." "Ah. That." Zach sighed. "That was just a story. It''s not like such a place exists in this world." "Oh, yes, of course. But I still want to know more about you, because such an interesting story must have come from an interesting storyteller." She fought well to keep her negative opinion of him from showing through.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Zach blinked at her between bites of sweet maple oatmeal, as if trying to decide whether to humor her. Finally, he seemed to come to a decision. "Alright, what do you want to know?" Alexia gestured at the open common room, which held only a few other patrons. "This is a nice place, but I''m curious about why you''re staying here." She pointed at his finely made shirt and said, "It looks like you could afford a fancier inn." Zach shrugged and said, "It was the first inn I found. And I extended my stay because I like the staff and the atmosphere. Having a lively common room reminds me of home." "And where is that? Your home, that is." Alexia was taking a risk by being so forward, but she feared she might not get a better chance to ask the question. Zach set his spoon in his bowl and said, "I feel like this conversation is awfully one-sided. Can I ask you some questions of my own?" "O-of course," Alexia said, already scrambling for a cover story. "What do you do for a living?" Zach asked. He had certainly noticed that Alexia wasn''t dressed like a noble or merchant, so he likely assumed she was a laborer. She went with a half-truth. "I''m in the guard, but this visit isn''t just for guard business." In reality, Alexia had left the guard over a year prior and she held a much higher position now, but Zach didn''t need to know that. "Ah, I see," Zach said, sounding a bit more defensive. "How is it, working in the guard?" "Not bad. It''s a solid job for young men and women, and I''ve learned a lot." Then she tried to steer the conversation back to where she wanted it. "So going back to my question from earlier: where are you from?" Zach hesitated in a way that Alexia found eerily familiar. It was just like her own pause just a moment ago while she''d been making up a cover story. Then he said, "A town called Denver. Have you heard of it?" Alexia shook her head. She knew most of the towns in New Albion, but not all of them, and she still wasn''t convinced he was from inside the kingdom. "Well, it''s pretty different from here, but it''s got the same climate and a great view of the mountains." Alexia went over what he''d just said in her head. He had pronounced the word ''mountains'' unusually. He dropped the T entirely, leaving an empty gap and making it sound like ''moun-ins''. "You have an interesting accent. Is that how people sound in Denver?" she asked. "What accent?" Zach''s eyebrows raised. "I didn''t think I had an accent." Alexia smiled. "It isn''t significant, but you pronounce some things differently, especially ''mountain''." Unlike Zach, she clearly enunciated the T sound. Zach paused in thought, then said, "Huh, I guess I do say it oddly. I do the same thing to ''kitten'' and ''cotton''. I never noticed it before, and I think most people back home pronounce them that way too." Then he pointed his spoon at Alexia. "Now that I''m thinking about it, you have a bit of an accent to me." Alexia blinked. "Do I?" "Yeah. Your Rs are very soft, for example. It sounds kind of British." "What is British?" "Uh, how about English? Do you know of a place called England?" Alexia shook her head slowly. She didn''t like not knowing about these places he kept mentioning. Was he just making them up, like the crazy story that had earned him all his money? Or had he really come from another kingdom? Then a memory surfaced, from when she had studied history at the Grand Library in her youth. "Wait. I think England used to be the name of a place. It has a new name now." That got Zach''s attention. He scooted forward on his seat and said, "Oh?" "It''s the largest human kingdom, but we broke away from them hundreds of years ago. That''s when it changed its name to something else, but I don''t know what. Maybe it''s petty of us, but the people of New Albion refuse to call it anything except the Old Kingdom." Zach smiled at that, then he said, "You said the Old Kingdom is larger than New Albion. So how many people live here in New Albion?" Alexia hesitated. If Zach was a spy, he wasn''t a very good one, trying to get information from a guardswoman who was already suspicious of him. But, it wasn''t particularly sensitive information. A quick visit to the Grand Library would have answered that question and more. She answered, "Just over two million, if you include the entire territory." She didn''t mention that the population had been substantially higher before 2005. Between the storm that destroyed the city of Okwata and the King''s decision to abandon the coastal territories, the kingdom had lost nearly 200,000 residents. Zach swallowed a bite of oatmeal, then said, "Oh, that''s all?" "That''s all?!" Alexia blurted in surprise. "How many people live where you''re from?" "Hmm. I think my state, which is kind of like a small kingdom, has five and half million." Alexia flat-out didn''t believe it. Even if Zach was from the Old Kingdom, she''d been told they had barely over three million people. For his story to be true, it meant one of two equally terrifying things: either Zach was from an unknown human country that was somehow larger than New Albion and the Old Kingdom combined, or he was from an equally unknown multi-race land and he had included non-humans in his population estimate. Before she could inquire further, Zach stood up and said, "Sorry to bail on you, but I have a lot to do today, starting with buying a shaving razor. I bet I gave you plenty to report back on, and I learned a bit too. Maybe we can talk again another time." He started for the door of the inn, calling back, "Seeya, Alexia."
Alexia briefly debated tailing him again, but decided it would be better to report back to the Princess while everything was still fresh in her mind. She took a carriage to save some time, then ran up to the Princess''s tower. She passed other maids in the hall, all of whom bowed and made way for her. She found the Princess idly gazing out the window again, so Alexia launched into a report of the morning''s findings. After Alexia recounted everything, Princess Evelyn wore a very intense and inscrutable expression. Evelyn carefully said, "You''re sure he said his so-called ''state'' had five and a half million people?" Alexia nodded. "I am sure." Evelyn jumped to her feet and grabbed both of Alexia''s hands. As Alexia''s face reddened, Evelyn said, "I need to meet this man. Bring him here tomorrow. No, the day after that." At the door of the room, two other maids looked at each other with wide-eyed expressions. The Princess had never shown interest in a man before, and the King would be thrilled to hear of it. In hushed whispers, the two women argued over who would get to be the one to tell him. Eventually the younger one, a girl of perhaps 16 with curly brunette hair, gave in. She whispered, "Okay, Riley. You can tell the King. I''ll be in the kitchen, saying nothing in particular to anyone that''ll listen." The taller maid with long red hair and a freckled face grinned. "You''ve got a deal, Beebee." Meanwhile, Alexia was in a sour mood. The Princess wanted to meet face-to-face with a man who was some combination of an idiot, a liar, and a spy. There was no way it would end well. 13. The Meeting For two days, Zach went about his life in two worlds, unaware that one of the most powerful people in New Albion was trying to get in contact with him. He''d heard a rumor from the local merchants that the Princess had finally taken interest in a man, but he never thought for a moment that the man involved could be him. Rumors like that popped up from time to time, but the gossiping townsfolk considered this new one more reliable than average, since it had originated with palace staff. The gossip reminded Zach of the existence of the commemorative ''Evy'' coin that featured Princess Evelyn''s portrait. He still wanted to know more about the mysterious Princess, in case she was the one from his mostly forgotten dreams, so he planned to trade for one of the special coins as part of a larger deal at some point. The opportunity arose in the eastern market while he was shopping for a way to carry his ever-growing number of possessions. While browsing a stand selling leather goods, he asked the vendor if she had an Evy on hand. The leatherworker said, "I do. I received one from a previous sale. Why do you ask?" "I''d like to own one for myself, now that I can afford it," Zach said. The woman shrugged. "I don''t have much use for such a large denomination coin. I can trade it to you, if you buy something too." "That works for me. I wanted to buy a bag from you anyway." Zach picked out a large bag that had two flat straps that could be worn over the shoulders, then paid for it and the Evy with three Crowns and 2 Harts. $60 for a real leather backpack seems fair. Considering that and the price of my shoes, I guess leather is pretty cheap here. The woman pulled him close and surreptitiously pressed the heavy gold coin into his hand. She whispered, "Be careful with that. Fifty Harts would be a lot to lose to a pickpocket. Those Evys may be enchanted to prevent forgery or damage, but they ain''t traceable." The woman smelled of warm leather and a faint sourness, likely from some part of the tanning process. Zach vastly preferred it over the scent of horses and manure that dominated some areas of the city. He nodded, then slipped the coin into his new bag''s innermost pocket and fastened it closed. He slung the bag onto his back and was pleased with how it felt on his shoulders. It reminded him of his schoolbag in a very bittersweet way. "Thank you for the advice, and the wonderful backpack." "Back¡­ pack?" the woman said, trying the unfamiliar phrase out. "Ah, you mean the haversack?" He smiled and nodded. "Yeah, that''s what I meant. It''s a bag to pack things in, that I wear on my back, so¡­ backpack." "I like it," she replied. "I think I''ll try calling that style of bag ''backpacks'' for a while. It certainly flows off the tongue better than haversack." "Happy to help," Zach said, offering his hand for a wrist-shake. "My name''s Zach, by the way." She grabbed his wrist, smiled, and said, "Eleanor. Come back if you ever need a custom order. I can do a lot more than ''backpacks'', and my leather''s sourced straight from my cousin''s ranch, so I know it''s top quality." "Will do," Zach said, then he started back towards his interim home, the Hard Fought Rest. He''d grown rather attached to the place, and he''d gotten to know all the staff and most of the other regulars. In some ways, it felt more like home than his apartment in Denver, where he woke up every alternate day.
Zach sat in his inn room, digesting a hearty lunch from downstairs and fretting about how to make more money. He had dropped down to under $1800 worth of New Albion currency, and he had no way to make more. $250 of it was invested in a single coin worth 50 Harts. The hefty gold coin depicted the Princess Evelyn on both sides, one as a child, and one as she looked after her recent and miraculous return. He flipped the Evy coin in his fingers, thinking, Some of my purchases have been long-term necessities, like my clothes and that backpack, so my expense trajectory isn''t as bad as it looks, but¡­ He paused with the coin adult-side-up in his hand. The Princess really was beautiful, if the detailed image was to be believed. Even at the small scale, Zach could see that she had gorgeous flowing hair framing a delicate face with high cheekbones and intense eyes. Unfortunately, the sight didn''t jog any memories of his dreams. But a business needs to spend money to make money. If I set aside enough money for a month''s living expenses, that leaves only 250 Harts. Is that enough for a meaningful investment? Am I going to need to get a day jo¡ª Zach was startled from his thoughts by a knock at the door. He scrambled to hide his money safely inside his backpack, then called out, "On my way!" He opened the door to see someone he had met once before. He said, "Hello. You''re Alexia, right?" Alexia nodded stiffly. Quite unlike her peasant attire the last time he saw her, she now wore a sleek purple dress with silver trim at the shoulders and waist. It seemed more suited for a noble''s mansion than a run-of-the-mill inn. She fixed Zach with her gaze and said, "The Princess has requested your presence. Put your best clothes on." Zach stood there in stunned silence for a moment, then stammered, "Oh! Really? Wow, okay, sure." He wasn''t actually sure he wanted to meet with royalty, but it wasn''t like he could just turn down such a request. When Zach failed to actually move, Alexia said, "Be quick about it," then she closed the door to wait outside. Zach scrambled to get into his jacket and shoes, then paused in thought. I probably shouldn''t bring my new backpack to the castle. It makes me look like a lowly traveler. He plucked a few Harts from it, then stuffed the whole bag under the bed. Then he emerged from the room with a forced smile on his face, trying to hide his nervousness. Alexia didn''t bother to fake a smile. She had a tense air about her that was very different from the bubbly persona he''d seen the other day. In silence, she lead him to the castle on foot. He could see it towering in the distance, what looked to be about half a mile away, but Zach had never actually gone to that part of the city. With every block traveled, the surrounding buildings got more and more extravagant, until even the cobblestones under his feet felt expensive. All the inns and storefronts dropped away, replaced by luxurious townhomes and mansions with perfectly tended gardens that were safely secured behind ornate wrought-iron fences. On the way, Zach tried to strike up a conversation, if only to break the awkward silence. "So I guess your report about me reached the Princess? That''s pretty cool. I imagine it could be good for your career in the guard." Alexia ignored him, other than his use of the word cool to refer to something other than temperature. "What do you mean when you say ''cool''?" she asked. Oops, Zach thought. Even if I''m not trying to blend in, I should probably dial back on slang before it causes a troublesome misunderstanding. Though it would be pretty fun if it caught on¡­ Forcing himself back to the issue at hand, Zach answered truthfully, "Where I''m from, cool can mean good or stylish or interesting. It''s a very multipurpose word." "Uh-huh," Alexia said, sounding quite skeptical. She was silent again until she suddenly turned down a narrow alleyway between two unmarked buildings. "This way. From here forward, it would be simpler if you don''t speak." The alley ended at a large metal door with an armored guard on each side. The guards visibly tensed when they saw two people approaching, then relaxed when they saw Alexia''s face. Zach was expecting Alexia to show them a sealed letter or at least say something, but the guards just opened the heavy door and waved them through. Once they were inside the stone corridor, which was lit by some sort of magical torches every ten feet or so, Zach said, "Oh, they recognize you? Are you stationed in the castle too?"The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. "Something like that," she answered cryptically. "And please don''t speak until we reach the Princess." It became apparent as they winded their way through the castle that these corridors were meant for staff use only. The halls were wide but utilitarian, with occasional plain doors and few windows. They passed some staff, all dressed in crisp black and white outfits and moving with grace and purpose as they carried baskets of laundry or plates of food. As Alexia lead him higher and higher, Zach saw fewer male staff passing by until there were only women around, all dressed like maids. He didn''t dwell on it, but the gender imbalance did stand out compared to what he''d seen elsewhere in the kingdom. They stepped through a simple door into a far more elegant hallway. The white walls were decorated with paintings and tapestries, and rich maroon carpet was plush underfoot. Zach was worried that he might have tracked dirt inside and ruined the expensive material, until he realized that they probably had magical ways to clean the carpets. They climbed one final staircase which spiraled tightly around a tall tower. At the top, Alexia stopped before a beautiful red-stained wood door. She pocketed something slim and shiny and silver, then gave the door two sharp knocks. A voice immediately called out, "Please enter, Alexia." They knew her by her knock alone? And was that a dagger she just pocketed? Zach was starting to suspect that Alexia wasn''t just a regular guard, but before he could think much more about it, Alexia opened the door and pulled him into the room.
For being at the top of a tower, the circular room was more spacious than Zach had expected. A massive bed occupied the west side of the room, and bookshelves and cabinets lined the walls between wide windows that faced every cardinal direction except east. There was a closed door in that direction, which Zach assumed lead to a bathroom. Two maids stood on that side of the room, unobtrusive and out of the way. In the center of the room was a small table. Seated next to it in an ornately carved chair was a beautiful woman. Zach recognized her from the Evy coin, but he would have known that she was royalty regardless; her regal outfit made Alexia''s fancy dress look like a burlap sack in comparison. Princess Evelyn wore a dark red dress of velvet and silk, with gold embroidery, gemstone accents, and a square cut neckline that showed a distracting amount of cleavage. Zach bowed as deeply as he could manage while still standing, just in case, and said, "Uh, it''s a great honor to meet you, Your Highness." "Please rise and take a seat," the Princess said, surprisingly casually. "I''ve never been very keen on the idea of bowing and groveling." Zach sat down across from the Princess and was suddenly very self-conscious about his clothes. He was wearing the nicest clothes he owned, but he still felt criminally underdressed. Then he began to stress about whether he should or shouldn''t look the Princess in the eye. In the end, he decided it would be less rude to make eye contact. He took a deep breath and met the Princess''s striking blue eyes, then said, "I apologize for my ignorance, but I''m not exactly sure why I''m here." Princess Evelyn cast a quick and possibly annoyed glance at Alexia, then answered, "I just have some questions for you, Zach. You''ve drawn some attention since you arrived in the city, and captured my curiosity." "O-oh, okay. I''ll do my best to answer all your questions," Zach said, but his thoughts were racing in another direction. So should I be more or less nervous than if I was meeting the Queen of England? The Queen is just a figurehead, but maybe so is this Princess, but this Princess might be magical, so¡ª "First," the Princess began, "where are you from?" Good, she started simple. I already told Alexia the truth, so no sense lying now. Zach answered, "The city of Denver in the state of Colorado, though I grew up in small town outside Denver." The two maids by the bathroom each raised an eyebrow at the strange place they had never heard of. Behind Zach, Alexia shifted slightly; he hadn''t mentioned Colorado by name before. The Princess went completely silent, showing nothing on her face at all for several seconds. Then she continued with follow up questions about the population of Denver and Colorado, and eventually the United States, once Zach had mentioned its existence. Zach didn''t know the exact amounts, so he gave his best guesses and admitted they could be off. Princess Evelyn didn''t bat an eye at Zach''s 300 million estimate of the US population, but Alexia coughed in surprise. The Princess ignored the disruption and started a new line of questioning, "Are you or any of your immediate family proficient at invocation?" Zach wavered, then said, "Um, I guess the answer would be no." Alexia cut in, asking, "Why did you answer like that? It''s a very straightforward question. Either your family uses invocation magic or they don''t." "I''m sorry, but I don''t really know what that is. I could make a guess based on the name, but I''m afraid it would be a waste of your time. I had never encountered magic before arriving in New Albion and I haven''t had a chance to learn anything about it." The Princess leaned forward. Once again, Zach found himself distracted by the cleavage-baring cut of her dress, but perhaps that was the point. She asked, "Oh? Not even in your youth? I''ve heard that young children in remote regions are often visited by Fae." "No. I also don''t know what ''fae'' means, though I''m guessing from context that they''re some sort of magical creatures?" Alexia was beyond irritated now. She interrupted with, "Princess Evelyn! You cannot possibly believe this man''s lies! There is no country with three hundred million people and there''s no way someone could have reached his age without encountering magic. Even in the Old Kingdom where they''ve tried to purge it, magic is nearly everywhere!" Princess Evelyn shifted her attention from Zach to Alexia. She looked her dead in the eyes and slowly said, "For once, Alexia, you don''t understand the situation as well as you think. Be quiet and let the man speak." In a huff, Alexia retreated to the door at the northeast corner of the room with her face red and her jaw set. She glared daggers at Zach, and he felt justifiably worried about it, considering the actual dagger in her pocket. She seemed convinced that he was the cause of her rebuke, and hated him for it. The Princess returned her attention to Zach and said, "So how did you travel to New Albion? I''m assuming a bridge from the coast?" Zach blinked at that. A bridge from the coast? That doesn''t make any sense. Whatever. I guess I''ll keep being honest, even if they won''t believe me. He sighed, then said, "I don''t actually know. One day I just went to sleep in Denver and woke up on a hill outside the east side of the Gwendolyn Wall." Zach decided it would be safest to not mention that he returned to Denver every other day. He didn''t want to end up on a dissection table, or whatever the magical equivalent was. The Princess considered that in silence for a long moment, then she said, "Let''s stop here for the day, Zach. At 10am the day after tomorrow, meet at the staff entrance you used today. If you aren''t there, I will send guards to find you and you won''t like the result." Zach nodded slowly, thankful that she picked two days out, since he wouldn''t be in this world in one. "Sure thing." The Princess turned toward the two other maids and said, "Bethany, you''ll be the one meeting Zach at the staff entrance." The maid on the left, who had strawberry blonde hair in a short ponytail, stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Yes, Princess Evelyn." The Princess continued, "And I''d like you to escort him to the staff exit now." Zach stood and followed Bethany to the door, feeling Alexia''s seething gaze on him until the door was fully closed behind him.
At the bottom of the spiral staircase, Bethany broke the silence. "Sorry about Alexia. She''s used to being in charge of things, and she hates being wrong." "So she''s not just a regular guard then?" he asked as he followed Bethany through the maze of staff corridors. Bethany stifled a laugh, then said, "She does love to use that cover story. No, she''s head maid to the Princess." Then Zach asked, "Does ''maid'' mean something different around here? Back home, it meant someone who cleans, not a secret agent with cover stories." "Most maids here fit your definition, but the Princess''s maids are different. Even I''m trained for combat, so if you try anything, I''ll have to gut you." Zach stumbled a bit and looked up at Bethany with a hint of fear in his eyes. After seeing how pissed off Alexia had been, being gutted was a legitimate concern of his. Bethany laughed again, less restrained this time. "I''m just kidding. I can gut a fish, but only because I lend a hand in the castle kitchens from time to time. I''m actually the only one of Princess Evelyn''s maids who worked here back before she returned. You''d think my experience would make me the head maid, but like I said, things work differently now." For reasons Zach didn''t understand, Bethany had decided to open up to him. He figured he might as well make use of it. "Um, on a different topic, the Princess mentioned some terms I don''t understand, like ''invocation magic'' and ''fae''. Can you explain what those are?" "Riley''s the mage in training around here, but I can tell you a bit. Invocation is one of the three branches of magic. Augmentation and connection are the others. Invocation is the one that conjures fire and light, while augmentation is what Riders use on their horses and what healers use to heal people." Bethany paused in her explanation, looking unsure, then she said, "I don''t know much about connection magic, or about fae for that matter. All I know is they''re creatures made of mana that like to prank people. They avoid cities though, so I''ve never actually seen one." Before he knew it, they were at the big metal door. Zach stopped and said, "Thank you for the conversation, and for answering my questions." Bethany smiled and her green eyes sparkled in the magical torchlight. "You''re welcome. It''s nice having someone to vent about Alexia with. In case it wasn''t obvious, she and I don''t get along." Then she opened the door and walked with Zach past the guards. When they reached the opening into the street, she asked, "Do you know your way back from here?" "Yeah, though I was hoping you could give me directions to that Grand Library I''ve heard about? I''d like to be a little less, uh, clueless." She happily gave him directions to the library, then she said, "Meet me here at 10am in two days." Smiling, she added, "Or else." "Of course. See you then," Zach said with a wave. The whole ordeal had taken about three hours, leaving plenty of time to go check out the library before dark. After all that stress, some calm and quiet studying should be good for me, he thought. 14. Apology After Princess Evelyn sent Zach and Bethany out, she turned to the other maid who had been waiting by the bathroom. The young brunette stood at attention, awaiting her orders. She''d been fighting valiantly against her energetic nature so she could stay still and quiet during the long meeting. "You''re excused, Beebee," the Princess said. "I have something else to talk about with just Alexia." Beebee bowed deeply and said, "Of course. Please call on me if you need anything." Then she scampered out the door and closed it behind herself as softly as possible. Beebee was just a nickname, short for Phoebe Beasley, but it matched the girl''s bubbly personality perfectly. Only two people remained in the room yet the atmosphere was tense and stifling. Alexia stewed in the corner, her mood still foul, and the Princess was silent while she decided what to say. The silence grew longer and longer, until Alexia was tempted to say something, anything, to move things along. Finally, Princess Evelyn took a deep breath and said, "Alexia, I am sorry." Alexia twitched in surprise, but she said nothing. It seemed Princess Evelyn had more to say and Alexia didn''t dare interrupt her again. Evelyn continued, "I apologize for how rudely I treated you, especially because your interruptions came from a good place. You couldn''t have known the full picture, because I never explained it to you." Alexia took three small steps closer, her hands clasped at her waist. "Your apology is accepted, Princess Evelyn, but I don''t fully understand. I''m the one investigating Zach, so what was there to explain that I didn''t know?" Alexia had been the person researching the strange man, tailing him and cross-referencing his stories with all the information she could get her hands on. She''d interviewed mages and scholars, and even soldiers who had traveled the world and come face to face with an elf and lived to tell the tale. None of them had the slightest bit of information that could validate a single one of Zach''s wild lies. Evelyn gestured for Alexia to take a seat at the small table. Once Alexia was sitting down, Evelyn said, "It isn''t about Zach. It''s about me." She paused, building up her courage, then said, "I never told you where I was¡­ when I was missing for all those years." Alexia nodded slowly, unsure what that had to do with Zach. She chose her words carefully and said, "Correct. I know more than most people, and I only know that you had been magically transported far away, unable to return." Alexia had always suspected that the elves had been at fault for that, but it had occurred before her time in the guard and every trail had gone cold long ago. There was nothing to be done about it now. Evelyn leaned forward and beckoned for Alexia to do the same. Once Evelyn''s perfect lips were tantalizingly close to Alexia''s ear, she whispered, "The place I was taken to¡­ it was the very same place Zach has described. It was the one from his wild story about a world with technology instead of magic." Alexia went still. That alone was too much to process, but the information just kept coming. Evelyn sat back in her chair. "I''ve been to Denver, Colorado. I lived there, for a time. I may even have crossed paths with Zach there, but if so, neither of us noticed." Alexia could do nothing but nod, still unable to fathom it all. Her basic understanding of the way things were supposed to work had been shattered. She was now faced with a painful dilemma: could she believe the Princess, continue to trust her wholly and completely, at the cost of believing Zach''s impossible stories? Evelyn continued, "I want to find out how he got here, because I want to understand how I got stuck over there in the first place. I need to know why that happened to me." Alexia agreed with that. It had only been a few months since the Princess suddenly returned home, and the fear that she could be taken away again was always looming in Alexia''s mind. Information and understanding was crucial. The kingdom needed the Princess, and it needed knowledge to help keep her safe.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Finally, Alexia found her voice. She said, "Assuming he was telling the truth, then he doesn''t know how he got here. He said he just woke up here one day." Evelyn sighed. "I know, but I hope that we can find out more if we observe him. I suspect he''s been returning to that other world every alternate day." That sounded impossible at first, but as Alexia recalled her own observations, the pieces started to fit together. Zach had been conspicuously absent on some days, and the theory would explain his strange habit of paying the Hard Fought Rest for two nights at a time. Alexia said, "That could certainly be true. But how did you come to suspect it?" Evelyn slumped in her chair, looking young and afraid as she explained, "Because that happened to me too, before your time in the castle." The Princess had hired Alexia less than two weeks after her return, and Alexia in turn helped to hire the Princess''s other maids, except for Bethany, who predated her. "When I first returned to New Albion after ten years, Father instantly knew it was really me, and I was beyond happy to be home again. But when I went to sleep in my old bed, I awoke back in that other world, in the clothes I''d been wearing before." "Father was terrified to lose me again. He hadn''t yet announced my return to the public, so he suspected foul play from within the castle. I''m told his questioning of the staff was very intense. Thankfully, I returned again the next day and he calmed down. Then it happened again that night. Against my will, I awoke back in that other world, in my tiny dorm room." Alexia didn''t know the word ''dorm'', but she ignored it. She asked, "So what made it stop?" "Father assigned guardswomen to stay in contact with me all day and night. Our hands were literally tied together. He just wanted to keep me from running or being stolen away, but it somehow stopped the flipping when I went to sleep." "Flipping? You''re referring to going to the other world?" Alexia asked. The term did seem to fit, like turning the page of a book, or flipping a coin with a different world on each side. Evelyn nodded, then went quiet. After a long pause, she said, "Thinking about all this wore me out. I think I need to be alone with my thoughts, if that''s alright." Alexia hesitated. "What about the flipping?" The Princess shook her head. "That''s only when I sleep at night, and I promise I won''t even take a nap. I''m too stressed out anyway." "Very well. I''ll leave you be," Alexia said as she rose from her chair and smoothed her fancy dress. "I will be available if you ever need me, Princess." She bowed and made for the door. She moved slowly, but her mind was running a mile a minute with all the new information. Alexia felt much calmer than when she had lashed out earlier, but she was still suspicious of Zach. The relief of knowing that he wasn''t a spy was dwarfed by the new information that he was from another world entirely. And he seemed to still have access to that other world and its strange knowledge. At least it seemed that objects couldn''t be brought along when flipping. Alexia descended the long staircase, her nerves still wound tight. Her mind continued to race as she crossed the plush carpets of the royal halls and slipped through a recessed staff door. Was trusting Zach the correct decision? Could she convince the Princess otherwise if she tried? In the lower staff hallways, she came across another maid, one who had green eyes and straight red hair that reached the middle of her back. She was carrying an empty platter, but she didn''t seem to be in any hurry. "Hello there, Alexia," the woman said in a sweet tone as she approached. She wore a subtle smile with one corner lifted, like she was up to something. She usually was. "Hello, Riley," Alexia answered without stopping. She didn''t have patience to deal with Riley''s schemes just then. Unfazed, Riley matched Alexia''s pace. "You look tense," she said as she put a hand on Alexia''s shoulder and gave it an intimate squeeze, laced with a touch of magical warmth. "Oh, you''re very tense. I can help you with that, you know¡­" She leaned closer and whispered, "Shall we bathe together?" Alexia kept her eyes forward, ignoring the touch as best she could. "Stop trying to get in my skirts, Riley. It''s not going to happen." "Aww, you''re no fun," Riley pouted. "And I was so hoping to finally see that fit figure of yours." Her smile returned and she added, "I''ve heard you kept to your exercise routine since you left the guard¡­" Then she skipped away down the hallway, calling back, "The offer stands, if you ever change your mind. I''ll be in the baths!" Riley was an unabashed flirt with nearly everyone in the castle, but when it came to Alexia, she had never made any real progress. Alexia continued her quick pace toward the maid quarters. The King had ordered for the Princess to be attended at all times, and now Alexia finally understood why. And despite Princess Evelyn''s promise that she wouldn''t take a nap, Alexia didn''t feel comfortable leaving her alone. Any maid could watch over the Princess, but Alexia was hoping to find Beebee. It hurt Alexia''s heart to admit it, but Beebee was what Princess Evelyn needed just then. Beebee was somehow closer to Evelyn than any of the other maids, almost like a little sister, and her eternal optimism always managed to lift Evelyn''s spirits. While Alexia''s serious attitude only seemed to bring them down¡­ 15. The Library Zach went straight to the Grand Library after parting ways with Bethany. It was only a twenty minute walk from the castle and about the same distance from the Hard Fought Rest. As he walked through the streets, weaving between guards, merchants, and working folk, he felt stupid for not thinking of visiting a library sooner. Better late than never, he thought as he climbed the stone stairs at the front of the large marble building. The Library was free to enter and just as large as the ''Grand'' in the name suggested. To Zach, the inside felt remarkably similar to the university and city libraries back home, albeit without any computers scattered about. Parallel shelves of books filled the main hall and overflowed into smaller rooms that jutted off the sides. The walls and ceiling were painted white, giving the building a bright, open feeling. He walked further inside to the main room and noticed something on the wall above the bookcases. As he''d been told it would, the library featured portraits of the royal family. Three paintings were on prominent display, but Princess Evelyn''s caught his eye first. Zach could see the painting was woefully out of date. The lifelike and life-size painting depicted a cheerful young girl with light brown hair, vivid blue eyes, and puffy cheeks. Her expression was a teetering balance of boredom and eager excitement: she looked ready to jump right out of the frame to run and play outside. A woman approached while Zach was staring up at the painting. She stood a couple feet to his right and said, "She was an adorable child, wasn''t she?" Zach nodded, unsure what to say. He knew better than to mention that he had just come from a visit with the very same Princess from the painting, now all grown up. The woman continued, "That was painted when the Princess was nine years old, not long before she disappeared. During the years she was missing, seeing that portrait every day made me sad, but now it fills me with hope." "So you work here?" Zach guessed. He noticed that the woman appeared to be about 40 and wore a long grey dress. She also had surprisingly long brown hair, its braid reaching lower than her hips. The woman''s eyes went wide, then she bowed her head and said, "Oh, I''m so sorry. I didn''t introduce myself. My name is Edith and I''m one of the librarians here. Welcome to the Grand Library." "Uh, thank you. I''m Zach." "So, is there anything I can help you with?" Edith asked. Zach shuffled his feet for couple seconds as he pondered how to say what he wanted without sounding weird. He settled on, "Do you have anything on jobs and careers?" Zach was actually looking for short-term ways to make money, but he also needed to know more about the economy and the world in general. He was also quite curious about the mysterious Fae and the three branches of magic, and hoped to learn about them too, eventually. Edith beamed. "Looking for a path in life, I see. I figured you were about that age." Then she answered his question, "Yes, we do have some resources that will help you pick a direction that interests you. Come right this way." Zach was ushered to a cozy alcove with a large polished table and chairs. Sunlight streamed in through a frosted glass window, illuminating the area with muted white light. Zach took a seat while Edith expertly plucked a few books from a nearby bookshelf. "Here you go," she said as she set three small books on the table. "This one is about the applications of magic, including the careers that utilize them. This one covers various practical trade skills like wood and leatherworking." Then she pointed at the last book, which was closer to a pamphlet in size and featured a drawing of a broad-antlered stag on its soft cover. "This is basically just an advertisement for the Guard, but it does mention the career prospects that are available to former guards. Oh, and you can keep that one for yourself. The Guard gives them to the Library by the crate-full." "Thank you so much," Zach said, more than a little surprised at how organized the information was for a world without computers. "I''m sure these will have what I need." Edith turned to leave, then spun back to add, "And if you need anything else, feel free to browse this shelf of self-improvement books, or come find me around the library. I''m always happy to assist a young learner." Then the helpful woman finally left Zach to his reading.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. The books weren''t particularly long and Zach was a quick reader, so he expected it to only take a few hours to read them all the way through. From the first book, The Magic of Our Lands, Zach learned a bit more about the three branches of magic: invocation, augmentation, and connection. The first two types were integral parts of New Albion''s society and economy. They were used by heavily magical careers like Mages and Healers, as well as by crafting trades to boost their effectiveness, like the crew that repaired the Gwendolyn Wall. Learning to use magic wasn''t easy or simple, so several long-standing organizations existed to train and certify people to perform magical jobs in the kingdom. The Mage''s College focused exclusively on teaching the art of invocation magic: channelling mana into the world to control elements from ice to light to fire. Mages in training were called Conjurers and could work simple jobs like lighting lamps and keeping food cold, while full-fledged Mages worked alongside the Guard in city defense and on monster hunting missions. The College was funded by the kingdom and enrollment was free for anyone with the natural talent and sufficient dedication. The Royal Clergy was another group funded by the kingdom, but in a different way. Before Queen Gwendolyn died, she had set up a permanent interest-bearing fund so that the Clergy could train citizens in the curative arts. Using life magic, a subset of augmentation magic, Healers could repair damaged flesh and cure most any disease. Zach found it interesting that most professional Healers were over 40 years old. Apparently, life experience and compassion were crucial to the proper use of healing magic on humans. The other application of augmentation magic was to manipulate or reinforce non-living matter. King Gildahart was particularly adept at physical augmentation magic and he had used it to build the Gwendolyn Wall. After crews had cleared the land and architects had plotted the boundaries of the structure, the King summoned an unfathomable amount of stone out of nothing but mana. Those who wanted to learn that kind of magic usually went to the Creator''s Guild for training. It was a very diverse organization, covering craftsmanship both magical and mundane. The majority of Guild apprentices were sponsored by their employer, but some wealthy merchants funded their own way. But the most critical career managed by the Guild had nothing to do with creating goods to sell: the Purifier. Using intense focus and skill, they could separate impurities from molten metal and filter large volumes of water. The Kingdom employed dozens of Purifiers to clean the public''s drinking water of all impurities. The Magic of Our Lands also contained occasional mentions of two other organizations, the Gatehouse and the Eagle Society. The Gatehouse was very secretive and seemed to have a monopoly on teaching connection magic, whatever that was. The Eagle Society, on the other hand, was an extension of the Guard, so Zach expected to find more information about it in the Guard pamphlet. The second book, Creation and Handicraft, featured the Creator''s Guild emblem on the cover: a stone archway with a weathervane on top. But before Zach could begin reading it, there was something he had to deal with. He looked up and across the table, at the young man sitting there, perhaps a few years older than Zach. He had arrived while Zach had been reading The Magic of Our Lands. The man wore deep red robes with an oversized hood down around his shoulders. "Um, excuse me?" Zach started. The man didn''t react. He ran a hand through his loose dirty-blond hair, but kept his eyes on his book. Four more books lay in a sloppy ring around him, covering a full half of the table. "Excuse me, sir?" Zach tried again. The man finally looked up. "What?" he barked. "Could you please stop shaking the table?" The man blinked at Zach but the subtle shaking continued, deliberately now. The cause was the man''s leg, bouncing in time to some tune Zach wasn''t privy to. "Nah. Move if it bothers you so much." "I was here first," Zach countered. He knew it was petty to fight over this, but he didn''t want to yield his comfortable reading nook to some jerk. "And I like this seat," the man said, shrugging. "I''m fine with the way things are, but you aren''t. Seems like the best solution is for you to move." Zach was getting flustered. "Is it so hard to be courteous to other people?" The man went back to his book. "I''m a Mage. You''re a nobody," he said, as if it answered Zach''s question. Zach''s jaw clenched. He didn''t want to give this random asshole the satisfaction of victory, but he didn''t have much choice. He didn''t know exactly what a Mage could do but it definitely involved lightning and fire, and Zach wanted to stay alive and unburnt. He had felt safe within the walls of the city and most people seemed friendly, but that didn''t mean there weren''t dangerous people too. And, if Zach wanted to get anything else productive done that day, he needed to let it go and get some distance, then calm down. He gathered his books and got up from the table. On his way to the bookshelf to return The Magic of Our Lands, he had to pass the Mage, who made a satisfied scoffing sound. Oh, screw you, Zach thought, but he didn''t stop walking. He returned both his books to their spots on the shelf, and pocketed the free pamphlet. He hadn''t been able to read Creation and Handicraft yet, but he remembered where it was and could return on another day, when his head was cooler. Then Zach wandered back towards the front of the library. He kept an eye out for Edith so he could say thanks, but he didn''t see her again. He did see several other citizens using the library, including a group of teenagers in identical blue robes, all huddled around one huge and weathered tome. Mages in training, Zach assumed. Hopefully not such assholes. Then he wondered if he had the natural talent to use magic, but he dismissed the thought. It took years to master magic enough to earn a living, so it wouldn''t help his short-term money issues. 16. The Second Meeting Zach was a child again, alone at a small campsite in the wilderness. His clothes were handmade and his shoes were worn leather. The fire burned hot, but did little to fight off the morning chill. In the distance, what appeared to be bison moved across the horizon, an entire herd of majestic beasts. Then something else crossed his sight, something massive. At first, Zach thought it was another bison that was simply much closer, but he realized there were bison between it and him. It was actually on the far side of the herd. The creature had a silhouette like a male bison, except it had two sets of massive horns. And it must have been nearly three stories tall. Zach felt the ground rumble with each of its mighty steps and he understood intuitively that no man could fight such a creature. It was a monster, grown to impossible proportions by feeding on mana, and for some reason it had taken to protecting a herd of mundane animals. It turned and looked right at Zach''s campsite, its blood red eyes glowing brighter than the sunrise. Then Zach awoke in his bedroom in a cold sweat, an hour before his alarm.
Two days had passed in a flash since Zach''s first meeting with the Princess. On the first day, he''d learned a bit about New Albion''s magical careers and had a run-in with a jerk Mage. On the second he had returned to his own world for Friday classes and catch-up. The only interesting that happened while he was in Denver was that strange and terrifying dream. But now, Zach had a 10am meeting with the Princess to get to. He knew that Bethany had been joking when she''d threatened him about being late, but he didn''t risk it. He arrived at the castle a few minutes early, wearing his nicest clothes. The outfit now included a quartz pendant necklace that he''d purchased just to thank a merchant who he got info from. But since he had it and it looked nice, he might as well wear it. He met Bethany by the staff entrance, then followed her through the winding back hallways. She wore the same black and white maid uniform as all the other women they passed, with only her shoulder-length strawberry blonde hair standing out. Bethany was pretty friendly with Zach, especially compared to Alexia, who had switched from false friendliness to barely-concealed distrust. He supposed that once her mission was complete, Alexia had shown her true self. He didn''t think he liked it. "So how do you like New Albion?" Bethany asked as they climbed yet another stone staircase. "It''s amazing," Zach answered. "Everything''s so different from home, and it feels like it would take a lifetime for me to get used to it all." "You seem smart. I doubt it''d take that long," she said with a smile. "Thanks, but my homeland is less like this one than you know." Even though Bethany had been there for his latest talk with the Princess, there was no way she fully understood how different things were in his world. A new voice suddenly cut in. "Who''s that, Bethany?" Bethany spun around to face the source of the voice: another maid. "Oh, hello, Eloise. This is a guest of the Princess. I can''t stop to chat, sorry." Eloise''s face scrunched up in displeasure and she flicked her long curls of shiny black hair over her shoulder. "A man, visiting the Princess? Dreadful." Then she turned and left in a hurry down the hallway, her ruffled dress trailing. Before Zach could even think to ask what Eloise''s problem was, Bethany said, "Sorry about her. She had some bad experiences with men." "Oh, okay." Zach found it odd that Bethany kept apologizing for her coworker''s attitudes, first Alexia and now Eloise, but it wasn''t his place to speak. He changed the topic. "Do you know what the Princess wants to talk about today?" Bethany shrugged. "Not a clue. It seemed important, though." The conversation died out until they reached Princess Evelyn''s tower bedroom. Bethany knocked and it was another maid who answered, a shorter girl with curly brown hair. Zach recognized her from his previous visit, but he didn''t know her name. She''d been the one standing by the wall, trying to be patient but fidgeting the whole time. "Oh, it''s you two," the girl said. "The Princess isn''t here yet, so I guess we gotta keep waiting." Bethany waved Zach into the room and pointed at a chair. "Go ahead and take a seat." Then she turned to the younger maid. "You should introduce yourself to our guest." The girl quickly said, "Oh, yeah, sure. Hi, Zach. I''m Beebee." Then she jumped to a totally unrelated topic. "Bethany, I heard the kitchens have genuine coffee today. I want to try some, but the mean old chef won''t let me." Bethany rolled her eyes. "You of all people don''t need coffee. I hear it gives you more energy, and you have plenty of that as is." "Well, I will need coffee a few days from now, because it helps you stay awake and I want to stay up ''til sunrise at the equinox festival." She turned to Zach and explained, "It''s a big party from sunset to sunrise, to celebrate the day when day and night are the same length." Bethany added, "That''s true, but the reason it''s a special event is because mana surges up near the equinox and solstice, and monsters stop attacking for some reason. New Albion considers them holy days." A grin appeared on Zach''s face as an idea came to mind. That festival could be his ticket to financial success, but he had to figure out some details first. "Oh, you look happy about that, Zach," Beebee said. "Want to come with me to the festival? They''re always better with more people." He said, "Sure. It sounds like fun." He was about to ask for details about the upcoming event, but the door opened before he could. It was Princess Evelyn. She was wearing a light blue robe and her hair was still damp from bathing. As she entered, she said, "Sorry for making you wait, Zach." Zach sucked in a surprised breath. He hadn''t expected the Princess to apologize to him, especially in such a casual way. "Uh, no need to apologize. I wasn''t waiting long, and Bethany and Beebee kept me company." The two maids nodded, then returned to stiff attention. Zach caught another look at the Princess''s bathrobe and stood up from his chair. "Uh, do you need to finish getting dressed? I''ll leave the room." Evelyn smiled and shook her head. "No, this is fine. Sit and chat with me."If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Zach returned to his seat, thinking, ''Sit and chat''? She''s being awfully casual, and meeting me in a bathrobe? What is going on here? Then a random thought popped into his head, If she was bathing somewhere downstairs, then what is that other door in this room? Maybe it''s a bathroom after all, but without a tub? "So, Zach, what do you want to do with yourself here in New Albion?" The Princess had taken the seat across from Zach and she was leaning on her elbows, watching him with a curious glint in her eyes. "I want to become a merchant, trading in interesting goods and information. I''ve studied economics, so I think I could be successful." He paused, then added, "Though I''ll admit that the thought of monsters has me worried. I''ll probably stick to local trade until I can afford to hire guards to travel." "Are there no monsters where you''re from?" "There aren''t. There''s some dangerous wildlife in remote regions, but monsters are entirely fictional." "But I''m sure there are other dangers that might beset a traveling merchant?" "Oh, definitely," Zach said, thinking of everything from car accidents to armed robbery. Though businesses in his world usually had insurance to protect them from complete financial ruin when something went wrong like that. From his conversations with local merchants, there wasn''t anything like insurance here. Evelyn nodded, then turned to her maids Beebee and Bethany. "I need you two to promise me something. What happens next absolutely cannot leave this room. Unlike that rumor that I was interested in a man¡­" Beebee looked down at her feet, ashamed. Evelyn said, "Don''t fret about that anymore. What''s done is done and it caused no major harm. But I need you to promise to keep what we''re about to say totally, perfectly secret. Okay?" "I promise!" Beebee cheered. "I promise," Bethany said less boisterously. Zach just sat in silence, wondering what the Princess was up to. Evelyn returned her attention to Zach and said, "I''m gonna drop the charade now." She took a deep breath, then looked him straight in the eyes. There was something in her gaze, strong and persistent and captivating, and it kept him from even considering looking away. The Princess said, "I''ve been to your world, Zach. Grew up there, actually. That''s where I was when I went missing all those years." Zach knew he was awful at containing his surprise, and he was very surprised indeed. But his reaction was nothing compared to Beebee''s. "What?! You were in¡­ another world? No wonder they couldn''t find you! And think of all the amazing things you saw! What was it like there? How''d you keep it secret all this time?!" She was grinning from ear to ear and bouncing on her toes, unable to contain her overflowing energy. Bethany put a hand on Beebee''s shoulder. "Shush, Beebee. I''m sure she''ll answer your questions later." Zach couldn''t keep his surprise inside anymore. He gasped aloud and said, "So I''m not alone?!" The Princess nodded. "You aren''t, and I suppose I''m not either." Zach closed his gaping mouth and took a slow breath, then managed to say, "So that''s why you weren''t surprised by a lot of the information I gave you and Alexia, like the population of the US." Evelyn slouched casually in her chair and twirled a lock of brown hair around her fingers, looking more like a fellow college student than the Princess of a magical kingdom. "Oh, I was surprised alright, by your presence here. I couldn''t believe I''d actually found someone else with a connection to the other world. You''re the first one ever." "So what happened to you, when you were in my world?" Zach asked. She shrugged. "Not much, really. I was raised by foster parents until I turned 18, and I had just enrolled in college in Denver when I suddenly returned to this world. I was living in the summer dorms, but I returned before the start of the semester." Zach wondered if they had ever encountered each other over there, but he couldn''t recall anything. Rather than dwelling on that, he asked, "Do you flip back and forth every day like I do?" "Ah, so you call it flipping too¡­ I used to flip, but I found a trick to stay here so I wouldn''t keep scaring my father with my disappearances." Zach felt a tightness in his chest. If he could stay in this world, would he? If he could choose New Albion over Denver, magic over technology, would he do it? Could he leave behind his home, his friends and family, for this fantastical land? "A trick?" he whispered. He didn''t trust himself to say anything more complex than that while his heart was hammering and his thoughts were racing. The Princess answered, "Try sleeping with someone in physical contact with you all night." Beebee muttered, "Oh, so that''s why she¡ª" "Shh!" Bethany hissed. Evelyn sighed. "Just contact, like holding hands. Nothing sexual." Zach blushed at the image that leapt to mind. He averted his eyes from the bathrobe-clad woman seated across from him, her damp hair hanging loose around her shoulders, with no makeup on. She was another college student like him, pulled between two worlds like him. And now that she no longer seemed like some monolithic and unreachable sovereign, he realized something else: he found her quite attractive. He pushed that thought away in a hurry, telling himself not to form a crush on the friggin'' Princess. "Thank you, Princess," he said, bowing slightly. "Just Evelyn is fine. I spent eight years as regular girl in Colorado, and I kinda miss it. It''d be nice to relive just a bit of that, if you don''t mind." "O-of course. Thanks, Evelyn." Zach heard a noise to his right and glanced over at the two maids. Beebee was practically vibrating with excitement and Bethany was trying to calm her down. He asked, "Uh, what''s going on?" Beebee blurted, "She only lets her closest maids call her that! She must really like you!" Zach blinked, feeling his face grow hot. Evelyn spoke up. "It''s not like that. I''d have everyone call me Evelyn or Evy, if I thought it wouldn''t cause more trouble. Whether I like it or not, I''m a princess now and I have to keep up appearances." Zach said, "I understand completely. Well, I''ve never experienced anything like that, but I see how it would be hard on you." That came out more awkward than he''d hoped, so he quickly asked, "So you want to relive your time in my world? How about telling us more about your time there?" Beebee''s eyes lit up and she started bouncing from foot to foot. "Oh, please, Princess Evelyn, please tell us!" Evelyn sighed. "Fine, but sit down somewhere first, Beebee. Your constant wiggling is distracting." Her tone of voice was one of annoyance, but the way she smiled at Beebee said otherwise. Her maids sat down on the bed and Evelyn began, "I don''t remember my first couple weeks in that world, except that I was scared and overwhelmed. It got better once I was put in a foster home. My foster parents were good people, but they didn''t devote much time to me, at least not compared to the constant attention Father had given me after Mother died." "I started school later that year. I quickly learned not to mention my past or where I was really from, but I still had trouble making friends. So I focused on schoolwork, mostly. Technology was amazing to me, and the internet was such an amazing resource. I decided I wanted to be an engineer or scientist." Beebee looked quite confused by the terminology, but she held her tongue. "After a couple years there, I started to fear that New Albion had only been a dream. But I knew in my heart that Father and Mother had been real, and that Father would be waiting for me. I held on to the hope that I could go back someday, and maybe science would help me do it." Evelyn''s expression soured. "By the time I was seventeen, I''d lost my belief that science could solve my problem. It was clear that the people of that world had never encountered this one, and their technology couldn''t possibly interact with it. I needed magic to have a chance of returning home, but there was none there, at least no real magic." When it was clear Evelyn had paused, Zach said, "There are a lot of people there that truly believe in magic. Maybe it''s because a little bit of this world has bled over into that one over the years?" "That could be, and that very thought gave me a bit of hope in my darkest hours. In any case, when I moved into the summer dorms, I made a friend there, my roommate. She and I really connected, understood each other. I told her about my childhood, and she¡­ she actually believed me. She believed in me." Evelyn''s face went a little pink as she continued, "And one night about three months ago, it happened. For whatever reason, I returned to this world." She pointed at the massive bed where Beebee and Bethany sat. "I woke up on that very bed, in a room that had been kept the same for eight years, in a too-small nightgown that hadn''t aged a day." Then a small chuckle escaped Evelyn''s lips, prompting Bethany to ask, "What is it, Princess?" "Just laughing at how I said I wanted to reminisce about my time over there, but I fast-forwarded right back to when I returned here. I guess I really do belong here. I just miss Tiesha¡­" "Tiesha? Is that your dorm friend?" Zach asked. Evelyn nodded, her eyes down. "I bet she''s worried about you. I could try contacting her for you, tomorrow after I flip." The Princess leapt to her feet so fast Zach almost fell backwards out of his chair. She said, "Yes, please do. That would mean so much to me! Her name''s Tiesha Cyrus, and she''s in the University West Dorms, room 312. Or at least she was the last time I flipped. Tell her I''m okay and I miss her." Zach took a breath to settle his nerves and to process all that information, then he said, "Will do." 17. The Dorms It was Sunday morning and Denver''s weather was cool and clear. Zach looked up the location of the University West Dorms online, then rode his bike over. The dormitory was an old four-story brick building, just one block from campus. The ground floor started several feet above the ground, suggesting that the building had once been a warehouse or factory, built to accommodate shipping trucks or even trains. Zach chained his bike to the rack outside, then hesitated at the front steps. The building housed both men and women, so Zach''s presence wouldn''t look strange, but being on a women''s floor might. He just hoped he wouldn''t run into anyone during his brief visit. He stepped inside, wandered around a little for a moment while he searched for the stairs, then started to climb. Zach exited the stairwell on the third floor and immediately encountered potential trouble, or at least an awkward moment. A blonde-haired woman was unlocking her door, carrying a large canvas laundry bag over one shoulder. She wore simple grey sweatpants and a white tank top with a purple bra strap visible at the shoulder. She turned to look at Zach and he saw that she was wearing round-framed glasses and no makeup. "Zach?" It was Erin, and for once she was the surprised one. Well, Zach was quite surprised too. He''d had no idea that Erin, a sophomore now, was still living in a dorm, and he''d barely recognized her dressed so casually. They''d been frequent study partners for a full year, but Zach realized he didn''t know much about Erin''s private life. "Erin? You live here?" She looked away, saying, "Yeah, I do." "Cool. It''s nice and close to campus," he said, just trying to fill the awkward silence. Then he remembered something he wanted to tell her. "Oh, by the way. I''m going to be missing a lot of class for the next couple weeks, including tomorrow." He paused, then added, "I didn''t want you to worry." "Oh, thanks for the notice. Can I ask why?" "It''s, uh, family stuff," he lied. Erin nodded, looking defeated. Then she perked up and said, "If you need to talk about anything, I''m here for you. Just call." "Thanks for the offer. Well, I''ll be on my way." Erin started into her dorm room, then she turned back and squinted at Zach. "Why are you here, anyway? And on the girls'' floor?" She grinned. "Are you up to something naughty?" "No! I''m just bringing a message from a friend, uh, to her previous roommate, who lives here," Zach babbled. "The roommate''s name is Tiesha. Do you know her?" Erin shook her head. "Nope, sorry. Well, I''ll let you get on with it. Seeya tomorr¡ª I mean, seeya around, Zach¡­" Then she disappeared into room 303.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Zach waved, but she was already gone. He smiled at the coincidence of running into her of all people, then he continued down the hall to his destination: room 312. He took a deep breath to settle his nerves after Erin''s teasing, then knocked. After just a few seconds, a woman with tightly braided black hair and dark skin opened the door. She was wearing black leggings and a t-back tank top, like she''d been about to go jogging. She raised one eyebrow, looking puzzled but not distressed. "Uh, can I help you?" "My name''s Zach Pike. Are you Tiesha?" She nodded, then kept looking at him expectantly. She had wide and kind-looking eyes, dark with specks of light in them. "I''ve got a message for you, from Evelyn Gilda¡ª" He cut himself off. "Well, I don''t actually know the last name she used over here." Without another word, Tiesha grabbed Zach by the wrist and forcefully pulled him inside, then closed the door. "Uh, what was that about?" Zach said, totally confused and now standing inside a very feminine dorm room. Everything was neatly organized and the room smelled lightly of perfume or scented candles. She whispered, "Evelyn''s still a missing person. I''d rather not have the cops around here again, asking questions I can''t answer. It''s just not worth the risk. Well, depending on your message. Is it good news? Please say it''s good." Zach smiled. He could see Tiesha really cared for Evelyn. "It''s good news. I saw her, back at her real home with her dad, and she''s doing fine. She said that she misses you." Tiesha stomped her foot. "She''d better! I''ve missed her so much, and I was so worried about her. When she didn''t return that last time, I was so scared she had¡ª Nevermind. She''s safe and home now, and that''s all that matters." Zach had said what he was supposed to and he didn''t know what else to do, so he looked around the little room. There were two beds on opposite walls, and all the sheets and pillows were shades of pink or purple. Only one bed looked to get any use, which made sense, since Evelyn hadn''t been back in months. On one wall, there was a poster of two anime characters Zach didn''t recognize, girls in elaborate and colorful outfits. "Wait." Despite the low volume, there was a hard edge to Tiesha''s voice. "You were at Evy''s real home? In the other world? How?!" Zach shrugged. "I still don''t know exactly. I flip over there every other day. It''s total hell on my college attendance." Tiesha nodded knowingly. "Evy said that was happening to her too, until she just didn''t come back one day. What happened?" "Oh, she found a way to stop the flipping, and she can''t risk letting it happen again, or the King will freak out." "The King? She really was a princess after all¡­" Tiesha muttered to herself. Zach nodded. Then when Tiesha didn''t say anything else, he cleared his throat. "Um, I have a lot of catch up work to do for class, so I should be going. If you have any messages for Evelyn, I can relay them to her." Tiesha sat down hard on her bed, the one with ruffled sheets. "I have so much I want to tell her, but I can''t get my thoughts straight right now. Can I text you?" "Sure. I''ll see her again tomorrow, so text me before 10pm tonight. And don''t make it too wordy, since I''ll have to memorize it. No cell phones over there." "Right, right. Thanks, Zach, for doing this." She stood up and gave him a quick hug, but she still looked lost in thought. They exchanged phone numbers, then Zach left the room. He passed Erin''s room, but didn''t stop. He didn''t like lying to her about what was going on with him, but he wasn''t ready to explain either. After all, it had taken Evelyn eight years to find someone in this world who believed her story. It was a short bike ride back to his apartment, where he had a lot of studying to do. Even without all the missed tests and quizzes he had to make up, it was hard taking a full course-load on only fifty percent time. His grades were already sliding, but maybe that wouldn''t matter, in the long run. 18. Staying the Night Zach had promised Tiesha a bit too much when he''d said he would see Evelyn the next day. While he had indeed been in New Albion on Monday, he was unable to meet with the Princess. She was caught up in royal business and Zach was turned away at the staff entrance by an apologetic Bethany. He trusted his memory to hold onto Tiesha''s message for a couple more days, so he spent the day on other tasks. First, he wanted to learn more about the upcoming equinox festival, specifically about how to run a vendor stall during the festivities. If Zach could run a stall selling something unique and desirable, he might be able to make a sizable short term profit. Of course, short term profits wouldn''t keep him afloat forever, but they could provide a nice boost to his nest-egg and help finance his next venture. You had to spend money to make money, and a shrewd businessman couldn''t let good opportunities pass him by. Zach even had an idea of what he''d sell at the festival, assuming he could acquire the raw materials in time. But that step needed to wait until after he understood how the festival was managed and had taken care of any required approval processes. The castle also contains all the municipal offices, so I should start there, he thought as he left the staff entrance alley, where Bethany had been anticipating his fruitless visit. He made his way around to the other side of the castle to some wide stone steps that led to a very official-looking double door. Before just walking in, he approached a guard stationed outside and asked, "Is this the right place to ask about being a vendor in the upcoming festival?" The guard nodded. "Yeah. You want the Event Planning department. Fourth door on the left after the big fountain." Fountain, huh? Zach thought. I guess the administrative side of a royal government is just as fancy as the royalty themselves. He was wrong. It was even fancier. Zach quickly encountered two fountains inside the building. Since they were the same size, he didn''t think either was the big one the guard had mentioned, but they both featured dozens of streams of crystal-clear water shooting in an ornate criss-crossing pattern, like overlapping looms. They framed the entryway of polished granite and marble, guiding visitors deeper toward the numerous offices within. Zach was conscious of every one of his footfalls as he crossed the distance to a large object in the distance. The room opened up, with a high domed ceiling and a massive crystal chandelier, and the center held a massive fountain. Four lifelike marble figures stood in the twenty-foot-wide pool, shooting streams of water into the air from their hands. At least, Zach assumed they were lifelike, but he''d never seen anything like some of them. Next to the sculptures of a human man and woman in long flowing robes were two fur-covered humanoids with doglike faces. The only other clue Zach had about the dog-people was their style of dress. Both wore hide tunics with feathers and beads tied to the hems. The statues were all pure white marble, but he got the feeling that those beads would have been bright and colorful in real life. The figures reminded Zach so much of Native Americans, or at least the popular stereotypes of them, that he half expected them to be wearing moccasins too, but the statues'' feet were hidden under the water and he couldn''t check. He made his way around the distracting fountain and continued down the hallway, then stopped at the fourth door down. The dark wood door was closed, so he knocked gently. "Come in!" called out a voice, surprisingly casual for such a noble setting. Zach opened the door and stepped into a small office with barely enough room for a desk and a few chairs. Behind the desk was an elderly man with a long white beard. He had a heavy brow and bushy eyebrows that hid his eyes almost completely, yet his wrinkled face still looked kind. The man said, "Sorry about the door. Having it closed makes people think I''m not here, but I only want to block out that incessant fountain. The sound was nice for the first day, but not the three-thousandth. How can I help you, young man?" As a legal adult, Zach sometimes bristled at being called ''young man'', but the man behind the desk looked old enough to safely call anyone young. Zach stood up straight, hoping he looked respectable in his nice clothes, and said, "I''d like to inquire about the availability of merchant stalls for the upcoming equinox festival." "Oh-ho-ho-ho, oh-ho-ho!" The man laughed freely for nearly fifteen seconds before saying, "No need to go so verbose, boy! Normal King''s Speech will do you just fine with me." Zach felt his eye twitch. Now I''ve been downgraded to ''boy''. Not the result I wanted¡­ He took a breath and tried again. "Are there any spots open for the festival? If so, how can I get one?" "Yeah, there''re some open. Normally they''d be full up weeks ago, but vendors are less optimistic about this festival since everyone already spent all their spare Harts at Evy''s multi-month celebration. I can get you set up for a stall. Just need to know what you''re selling." "Uh, that''s not actually set in stone yet. I didn''t want to buy ingredients until I knew I''d have the stall." "No problem. Sounds like you''re selling food? I can put you down as food and get you in touch with the inspector." Zach raised a finger. "Actually, my plan is to sell coffee, if I can get the beans." The man wasn''t bothered. "I''ll put down ''drink'' then. Still gotta meet with the inspector once you have your product though. Can''t have you getting a bunch of people sick with spoiled ingredients, even if the Healers would love the business. What''s your name?" "Zach Pike," Zach answered, then spelled it out for the man. The man scratched the same note on two pieces of paper and handed one copy to Zach. "Just bring that to the inspector across the hall. He''ll pick your stall location and do his inspection on the day of the festival." "Is that all?" Zach asked as he took the paper. "No application fee or anything?" "Nah, at least not when there are so many openings. But if you back out without telling us, we''ll send a guard to collect 50 Harts for the hassle." Zach nodded. "Thank you for your time." "Just doing my job. Good luck, kid." Zach ignored the ''kid'' part and focused on the task at hand. He crossed the hallway to a door marked ''Health Inspections'' and stepped inside. This office was much larger and far busier. People were moving from desk to desk, sorting through papers and filing them in wooden cabinets.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. "Whatcha want?" a young woman barked when she noticed Zach. "I''m supposed to meet an inspector. I''m doing a drink stall at the festival," Zach answered. The woman kept digging through a stack of papers even as she said, "Stall 13, and Grecc will be inspecting your stall at 5pm on the 22nd. Don''t make him wait. You bring all your own stuff. No table or water provided. Here''s your vendor badge." Suddenly, a solid object the size of Zach''s palm came flying at his head. He barely managed to catch it in time. He glanced at it and saw that it was a shield-shaped piece of wood with an ornate seal carved into it. "Uh, what about this paper?" He held up the note from across the hall. "Save it for Grecc. You''re done. Get out of here. Can''t you see we''re busy?" Zach turned and left in a hurry, wondering if the health inspectors were always that understaffed or if something had changed recently. In any case, Zach had work to do too. He needed to visit the suppliers near the docks, a couple equipment rental places, and get back to the Hard Fought Rest before sundown for the most stressful task of all.
There she was, wearing the same green dress as before, nearly spilling out the top of it like before. There was no doubt she was beautiful, and that made what Zach had to do even harder. She was at the bar by herself, and Zach knew he had to act fast while she was alone. He walked stiffly across the room and sat down on the stool next to the woman, then he had to work up the courage to speak. "Um, excuse me, miss?" he managed, though the volume was nearly too quiet to hear over the start of the dinner rush. She turned, her warm brown eyes peering out from under her thin eyebrows and flowing auburn hair. "Ah, hello again. Despite seeing you around here a lot, I don''t believe I''ve caught your name. I''m Harmony." "Zach." "So what can I do for you tonight?" Zach noticed the way she''d phrased that, such that it was filled with potential without being outright lewd. She''d probably been in her line of work for a while and had refined her technique. He had rehearsed his response in his head several times, but it didn''t make it easy to say. After an awkwardly long pause during which Harmony was quite patient, he asked, "Are you available tonight, for the entire night? All the way to morning, I mean." She raised one eyebrow, looking more intrigued than doubtful. "I suppose I can be, for the right price. But I don''t discuss price out here. Shall we retire to your room early?" Zach shook his head. "Not yet. I just wanted to mention it to you now, before you went upstairs. I wouldn''t want to get in the way of your other business. Can you meet me at ten?" The belltower down the street had chimed seven just a few minutes ago, and eight would be its last chime until morning. Beyond that, people needed to estimate the time, or use an expensive pendulum clock. The inn had one in the kitchen, mostly to assist with cooking and to close down the bar at a consistent hour. "I suppose so. You''re in that first room at the top of the stairs, right? Shall I go straight there at ten?" Zach swallowed hard, then said, "Yes please."
Zach was writing in a notebook, tracking all the deals he had in progress and the total cost, when there was a soft knock at the door. He quickly answered it and was again taken back by Harmony''s beauty. "Uh, hello. Come inside." "That''ll cost extra," she said with an impish smile. "What do you mean?" Zach said, confused. "Just a little Companion joke," she said as she slipped through the doorway. "I charge a fee to cover potential pregnancy, but you get it back if you don''t come inside." "Oh." Zach''s face was burning. He was overwhelmed, in way over his head. This woman had sex for a living, and he was still a virgin. He still would be after the night was over, unless things went way off the rails. She sat down on the bed and patted the empty spot next to her. "Don''t worry. The fee isn''t that much, since I can just pay a Healer for their morning-after service." Zach shook his head. "Sorry, I haven''t been very clear. I''m not actually looking for sex tonight." She tilted her head and a lock of auburn hair slid off her shoulder. The curl at the end nestled lightly into her exposed cleavage, drawing Zach''s eye there. "Oh really? Then what do you want?" "I just want you to hold my hand all night while I sleep. Don''t let go, even for a second. I''ll pay the normal amount, and you can get a good night''s sleep too, if you want." Of course, Zach couldn''t possibly explain why he wanted such a weird and specific thing, so he probably came across as someone with severe attachment issues. "Hmm, alright. That''s not the strangest request I''ve heard." She put one finger to her lower lip for a moment as she thought, then said, "I''ll stay with you until sunrise, and I''ll just charge you my hourly rate for four hours, with no pregnancy fee. Twenty Harts total." She rested her hands on her knees, looking a little out of her element for the first time that night. "Sound good to you?" Zach nodded. It was an expensive way to test Evelyn''s trick, but it would be worth it, just to know. He stood up to get her payment and to gather his notes that were still strewn around the other end of the bed. As he put the papers away in his backpack, Harmony commented on them. "So you are a merchant after all. I guessed based on your outfit, but you don''t act quite like any merchant I''ve met." "I suppose I''m not a merchant quite yet. These notes are about my first big venture. But I can''t think about that right now or I''ll never get to sleep." She smiled. "Fair. Got a preferred sleeping position?" she asked, then she giggled and quietly added, "Not the kind of position I normally ask about¡­" "Not really. I''ll probably end up on my stomach regardless," he said, still fighting the overwhelming awkwardness of it all. "Oh, and can we wrap this leather strap around our hands? So we don''t separate on accident? It''s really important to me that we don''t come apart." "Sure. Again, not the strangest request." Zach quickly changed into his pajamas right there in front of her, knowing that she had seen men wearing far less than just undergarments, and climbed into bed. Harmony took off her dress and shoes, leaving just a light camisole and some lacy underthings under that. Then she turned off the lamp and followed. His breath was heavy as he fumbled with the leather strap in the dark. Eventually, Harmony took it from him and tied their hands together herself, much more skillfully. "I hope you sleep well, Zach," she said, her voice soft and kind. "Thanks."
Zach awoke on his stomach, to the sound of music. He swatted at his alarm with his right hand, then froze partway. "Damnit." That hand should have been tied to Harmony''s hand, in New Albion, in another world. "What a way to start a day. A hundred dollars down the drain¡­" But that wasn''t quite right. While 20 Harts had the buying power of about $100, getting money in New Albion was much harder than in Denver. He''d been chipping away at the money Shen gave him for two weeks now, and he was about to wager most of what was left on a risky business venture. Losing 20 Harts to a failed hypothesis stung more than he''d expected. Zach checked his phone to confirm that it was Tuesday, then got ready for class. If there was a silver lining in the situation, it was that he wouldn''t miss the upcoming Econ 202 test.
Zach was grumpy all day, though talking with Erin helped a bit. She really was a supportive friend, despite the constant teasing. Even her fake flirting was a welcome escape from his own negative thoughts. "So, my darling Zach, how do you think you did on the test today?" she asked as they left the classroom. "Pretty good. I studied on Sunday night and got lucky on what the test covered." Zach weaved through the crowd of other students, heading for his next class in the science building. "Would it help if I text you about what we cover on the days you miss? You could study the right stuff that way." Zach forced a smile. "Maybe, though I wouldn''t have much time to act on it. I didn''t get home until this morning." "And you can''t study when you''re at your, uh, family thing?" His own mention of the morning had reminded him of the failed experiment, which brought his bad mood back. He tried to keep it out of his voice. "Correct. Thanks for the offer, though." I don''t know whether Evelyn''s trick failed, or if Harmony got up in the middle of the night, or if the leather strap just came undone. As harsh as it sounds, I think I trust the Princess more than a Companion or the knot that she tied. "Are you doing alright, Zach?" Erin suddenly asked. "Yeah, why?" "You got a look like you were lost in thought, but you looked upset. Normally you look happy when you''re lost in thought, like you''re dreaming up something fun." "Do you really have that much experience watching me zone out?" Erin smiled and punched him lightly in the arm. "Yep! I watch you all the time!" Zach shook his head, but he couldn''t help but smile. "Not your best attempt at getting a rise out of me. Stick to fake flirting over fake stalking, IMO." "Darn!" Erin said as she swung her fist and arm in an exaggerated motion. "Alright, I''ll get you good next time." 19. Once More With Feeling On Wednesday morning, Zach awoke in New Albion. He stood up in his inn room, confirmed that his valuables were all still present and sighed in relief, then noticed a note at the foot of the bed. As he reached for it, he realized there was a strip of leather still tied to his hand. The other end hung loose. It had been carefully untied. He picked up the note and sat back down on the bed to read it. In small and neat letters, it said, I think it''s sweet that you just wanted someone to be near you, but it was odd that you ran away. If you want another night like that, or one more adventurous, you know where to find me. - Harmony He sighed and thought, I think she got up in the night to use the restroom or something, and I disappeared. I wish she''d taken my request that we stay tied together more seriously¡­ Then he got changed and went downstairs for breakfast. He was hoping for scrambled eggs and skirlie mash, if they were on the day''s menu. After that, he would have a little time to solidify his festival plans, then he could head to the castle at ten. That was the meeting time the Princess seemed to prefer, and a maid had always been waiting for him at the servant entrance at that time, even on days the Princess wasn''t available. He really hoped Princess Evelyn would be available, so he could talk to her about the technique to stay in one world, and his failed attempt. Oh right, I''ve got Tiesha''s message to relay, too, Zach thought. That will probably get the Princess in a good mood.
Bethany was waiting at the servant entrance again, her bright strawberry blonde hair visible from all the way at the start of the alley. "Hello again, Bethany," Zach called out as he approached. Out of the Princess''s many maids, he''d interacted with Bethany the most and he liked her the most too. She had a stern side to her, but once you got past that, she was kind and helpful and reliable. The other maids he met were lacking in one or more of those traits. There was the Head Maid Alexia, who could certainly act kind, but seemed to hate and/or distrust Zach. There was Beebee, the hyperactive younger maid who the Princess adored despite her sometimes tiring personality and inability to sit still. He''d also briefly met a black-haired maid named Eloise, but she seemed disgusted by his mere presence, so he didn''t foresee that relationship developing much in the future. "Hello, Zach," Bethany said with a little curtsey. "Sorry about the other day, but the Princess will indeed be able to meet with you today." "Excellent. Is she available right now?" he asked while they started into the massive castle. "Yes, but soon I won''t be. I have to help the kitchens prepare a finicky recipe for the royal lunch, so I was hoping you could see yourself up to the Princess''s room. Do you remember the way?" Zach nodded, but he was having trouble believing what he''d heard. "It''s really alright to let me wander the hallways unattended? I get the feeling that Alexia would never allow it." Bethany smiled. "Well she doesn''t get a say in the matter, because she''s out of town on a mission." Ah, there''s a tug-of-war going on between Bethany and Alexia for command over the Princess''s maids. I hope I don''t become a pawn in that conflict, Zach thought. Then he said, "Uh, and what do I say if anyone asks what I''m doing in here?" "Just tell the truth: you were ordered to meet the Princess in her quarters. Actually, no. Don''t say it like that or we''ll get more rumors circulating." She furrowed her brow in thought for a moment, then said, "Okay, just say you''re supposed to meet Riley. She''ll be waiting for you in the Princess''s room." "Riley? Another maid?" Zach asked. Bethany nodded. "Yes, and you''ll like her. Or she''ll like you, at least. Good luck!" And with that, Bethany turned down a long stone hallway that presumably led to the kitchens. On his own, Zach traveled through the undecorated staff hallways that wound their way through the castle, like the circulatory system of a massive beast. In that metaphor, is the Princess the castle''s brain? Its heart? Zach''s mind continued to wander pointlessly until he reached the red wood door at the top of the tower. He took a deep breath and knocked once. Almost immediately, the door opened. A maid stood there with vivid red hair, long and straight. She smiled and said, "Ooh, he''s a handsome one!" Behind her, the Princess was seated at her small table, sipping from a teacup. She set the cup down and said, "Riley, please treat our guest properly." "Of course, sorry, Princess." Riley stepped back from the door and beckoned Zach inside. "Please join the Princess for morning tea and discussion." Zach was still reeling from the ''handsome'' remark. Did she really think that, or was she just messing with him? Bethany seemed to think that Riley would like him, so maybe he was her type? Still unsure, he stepped into the room and approached the table. He''d barely sat down when Evelyn spoke. "Were you able to get my message to Tiesha?" "Yes, I was. She''s very nice and clearly cares for you, Evelyn. I told her that you were safe at home, and that you missed her. Then she said she missed you too, and she had been worried about you after the last time you disappeared." While he''d been speaking, Riley poured him a cup of tea, then stepped away again. Evelyn nodded solemnly. "That couldn''t be helped, sadly. I really am so thankful that you were able to get a message to her, Zach." "Oh, of course. It wasn''t a problem." Zach still wasn''t used to interacting so closely with a real princess, and the fact that she was basically just a regular girl his age didn''t make it any easier. He switched back to the topic at hand. "I talked with her for a few minutes. and then she texted me a long message to relay to you. Let''s see if I can recall her exact words." He paused for a second, then said, "You''re a real piece of work, Evy, you know that? You scared me enough that first night when you disappeared, and I when I finally get used to your reappearing thing, you disappear for good! I was terrified that you''d died, eaten by some dragon or abducted by an elf! What the hell, girl?" Zach stopped for breath before continuing to recount Tiesha''s words, but he heard a faint sound coming from his left, and the Princess had a strange look on her face. "Uh, is something wrong?" he asked. "No, nothing''s wrong. That sounds exactly like what Tiesha would say, and I deserve those harsh words." "Then what''s with that expression?" he asked, cautiously. "I''m deciding what to do about Riley¡­" She glanced over at her maid. Zach followed her gaze. Riley was standing by the wall, but she was barely standing up. She was folded at the waist with a hand over her mouth, trying to stifle what seemed to be full-out laughter. "Riley, what is it you find so funny that you''d interrupt my meeting with Zach?" The redhead finally stopped laughing long enough to say, "I''ve just never seen anyone talk to royalty like that! You said you lived as a regular girl in another world, and now I believe it. Zach too! No way he could say those things, even as a messenger, unless he wasn''t from around here, that''s for sure! You must have quite the pair on you, Zach." And with that, Riley burst into giggles again. "Yes, yes, it''s all very amusing, Riley. Now, please let us continue our conversation." Riley straightened up and gave a serious nod. "Of course, Princess. I am sorry." "Uh, where was I¡­" Zach said, then, "Evy, take care of yourself, and be true to yourself. I know it may be hard to do that there, harder than it was here, but you can''t truly live until you embrace who you are. Shine on." Then he shrugged and said, "That''s it. That''s how she ended the message." Evelyn was silent for a moment, then she said, "First, I''m very impressed that you remembered that whole thing."Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Zach blushed lightly. "I have a really good memory¡­" Evelyn smiled. "And thank you. I feel so much better now." Zach raised one hand. "Uh, sorry for intruding, but what did that last part of her message mean?" Evelyn hesitated. "Well, it''s rather personal, but she was all about being true to yourself and¡­" She trailed off, unable to continue. Zach cut in. "Oh no, sorry, I just meant the ''shine on'' part." Evelyn looked relieved. "Oh. That''s just Tiesha''s thing, her way of saying goodbye. She''s¡­ unique. And wonderful." With that, the conversation died. Zach wanted to bring up his attempt at staying the night in this world, but he didn''t want to change the topic if Evelyn still wanted to talk about Tiesha. After nearly 30 seconds of silence, he figured that topic was done. He said, "Um, I tried to stay in this world the night before last, using the trick you suggested." Evelyn sucked in a breath through her teeth. "Ah, and I guess it didn''t work?" Zach nodded. "But that doesn''t mean that your approach won''t work for me. I think the woman I paid just left in the night. We tied our hands together, but I think she untied them to go the restroom." Evelyn nodded. "That could be. I do hope that my technique will work for you, but maybe it won''t. I wish I had more answers for you." "Don''t apologize. It might still work. I can try again tonight, I guess." He said that, but he wasn''t keen on risking another 20 Harts on it. Not to mention the awkward conversation he''d have to go through¡­ "Excuse me?" It was Riley, standing demurely by the wall. "What is it?" Evelyn responded. "Uh, if I understood correctly, Zach paid a Companion to stay the night with him to keep him from going to the other world, like what you do with us maids, but the woman flaked on him?" Zach nodded and Evelyn cast a glare at Riley that clearly meant, ''You''d better have a point.'' Riley quickly said, "Then I volunteer. I will go with him to his inn, and I can be trusted to stay all night long." Evelyn rolled her eyes, but she didn''t say anything against the plan. Instead, she turned to Zach and said, "I''m fine with that. If you want this ridiculous flirt''s help, it''s yours." When Zach looked totally overwhelmed by the offer, Evelyn leaned forward and whispered, "By the way, she''s all bark and no bite¡­" He nodded slowly, already wondering if he''d regret the decision. Another part of him was excited; there was no denying that Riley was attractive, and she even thought the same of him¡­ Not that he wanted to act on that. The Princess stood up. "Alright, Riley. Report to the Hard Fought Rest in street clothes tonight. What time works for you, Zach?" "Uh, ten, I suppose." "Good. Now I have to go to some fancy lunch with a kobold diplomat. Riley, can you see Zach to the exit?" "Um, I can see myself out." Evelyn shook her head. "No, you should use this time to get to know what you''re in for."
The instant the Princess was out of the room, Riley was at Zach''s side. "I hope my offer wasn''t unwelcome, Zach. I just really wanted to help you out." "Uh, no, it''s quite welcome," he stammered. She had grabbed his arm and was holding it against her chest, pressed against the lace of her dress. He could barely think straight. "You have such an expressive face, did you know?" "R-really?" Zach actually found comfort in that. If Riley had already realized that he overreacted to flirting, and if she got enjoyment out of teasing him like Erin did, then maybe she was just teasing him. He knew how to deal with that. "Oh, yes. It makes me want to see the faces you''d make in all sorts of situations. Do your eyes go twice as wide when you see a woman''s bare breast? Do your ears flush bright red when she presses her skin against yours?" "Uh, should we start heading out? I have lots of work to do for the festival, after all." It was a miracle that he''d even managed to blurt out that much. His heart was racing, and he couldn''t stop it. He wasn''t even that worried about Riley''s flirting, since the Princess had said she was all bark and no bite, but he couldn''t do anything about his natural reactions. "Oh, the equinox festival?" she said as she started for the door, still holding his arm tight. "I heard you''re a merchant. Will you be selling anything fun?" He swallowed hard. "Uh, I''m planning to sell coffee actually, prepared a way I like from back home." "And which way is that?" she asked, her voice honey-sweet and unnecessarily flirty. "Chilled, with milk and sugar. I''ve secured the ingredients, but I still need to find a mage to keep it cold." Riley shook her head and peered up at Zach with vibrant green eyes. "Oh, you don''t need a mage for that. A mage in training, a conjurer, would be plenty. You''d be drastically overpaying if you hired a full mage." "Oh, thank you, then. That''s really helpful to know." Then Riley grasped his hand between both of hers and held it up. "It just so happens, I''m a conjurer." As she spoke, Zach felt the hand she was clutching grow cold, as if it had been dunked in ice water. He half expected frost to form on his skin from the magical chill. Then it grew warm again and Riley cast him a confident smile. "Just something to think about. I heard you already invited Beebee to join you at the festival¡­" Zach supposed he had indeed done that. Maybe he could formally hire Riley and Beebee? A lively barista like Beebee could help draw in business. And having another maid there might help keep Riley''s flirtation in check. "Thank you for the offer, Riley. Let''s talk about it tomorrow morning?" They were quickly approaching the castle''s staff entrance, and Zach would soon be free of Riley''s overwhelming, if not entirely unpleasant, flirting. "Sure!" she said. Then when they reached the exit, Riley said, "See you tonight, Zach. I''m looking forward to it." Zach was sure that the two guards positioned at the entrance had heard, but they didn''t seem to react. What he would give to have their stoicism¡­
Zach was waiting in the sparsely populated common room when Riley entered. She was wearing a knee-length tan dress with short black sleeves. A line of large buttons ran up the front, and two pockets adorned the chest. The pockets didn''t look very useful, however, because the chest area was already pretty full. Unlike her frilly maid outfit, this dress revealed that she was quite well endowed. Zach tried not to stare as Riley approached. It was easy enough to focus on her freckled face and striking green eyes. Riley strode forward but when she was a few feet away, she got distracted by something. In the corner of the room, a woman was leaning over the table to whisper to a man, and her already short skirt had pulled up several inches to reveal long, slender legs. Riley stared at the woman for a couple seconds, then turned back to see that Zach had been staring too. "Ah, you like legs too? I like a man with good taste." Needless to say, Zach was confused. Was Riley attracted to everyone, regardless of type, or even gender? Or did she just act like she was. And if so, why? Zach coughed and stood from his table. "Um, let''s head upstairs. I''d like to get to sleep ASAP." "Ay-sap? What''s that?" "Oh, sorry. It''s short for ''as soon as possible''. I keep slipping up and using terms from back home. My bad." Riley hurried to his side. "Ooh, got any fun ones for me? Naughty phrases, maybe?" Zach steeled himself. Riley was really beating that flirtatious drum hard, but she was also saving him 20 Harts. And her antics were somewhat fun. At least a little. "I do know a lot of dirty slang, but I''d rather get some actual sleep tonight, okay?" Riley pouted. "Fine. I suppose there''s always tomorrow, after we''ve grown even closer." She kept up the innuendo even after they were in the inn room. She looked at the small bed and said, "We''ll be nice and snug tonight, won''t we?" "Uh-huh." Zach took off his shoes and hung his jacket on a peg on the wall. "Just nestled so tightly together, skin against skin." "Yep." Zach took off his pants, standing in his boxers, or at least this world''s equivalent, and a white undershirt. Then he removed the undershirt, his face burning at the thought of showing Riley so much skin. Riley took notice of his body, but kept talking. "I must warn you, I''m a little grabby in bed." "That''s fine. We want to stay in contact all night, after all." It took everything he had to keep his voice calm and level. Then he pulled on a light blue sleep shirt and matching pants. "Aww, you''re covering up?" Riley whined. She sounded sad, but she actually looked relieved. Zach, then stepped over to the bed and pulled back the covers, then looked up at Riley. "And you''re still fully clothed. Are you going to sleep like that?" Then he finished climbing into bed. "N-no. I just, uh, wanted to give you a show. So now that you''re settled, um, please, uh, watch¡­" Zach watched and waited as Riley attempted the slowest and most awkward undressing he''d ever seen. The Princess had been spot on when she''d said that Riley was all bark and no bite. She''d talked a big game, and now that she actually needed to undress in front of a man, she was literally quaking with nervousness. And now Zach knew what he looked like when people surprised him: all nerves and no grace. She hadn''t even removed a single article of clothing and he couldn''t bear to watch her suffer any more. He said, "You''re beautiful, Riley, and you''re confident and fun, but I can tell you''re pushing yourself on this. You can change in the dark, or wear everything to bed, I don''t care. But I do need to get to sleep eventually." Then he rolled over so he was facing the wall. "Let me know if there''s anything I can do to help. For now I''ll look away." A small voice replied, "Thanks." Half a minute later, the light went out and the mattress shifted as Riley joined him. She bumped into his back and immediately pulled away, then slowly inched her way back into contact with the back of his shirt. "Give me your hand," she whispered, sounding only slightly more sure of herself. "I''ll tie our hands together the way we do with the Princess. We found a good way that is comfortable, yet reliable, at least as long as you use a good material. I''ve got a silk handkerchief here, which is part of the maid uniform so I carry it with me everywh¡ª" "You''re rambling, Riley." "I am. Sorry." Then she was quiet while she tied their hands together. "Would it help if you talked about why? Why you flirt so much?" "It''s just how I am, I don''t know why. I flirt with the other maids, the male staff too, I can''t help it." "But you never go this far with it?" he guessed. "No, I do. I''ve gone much further, even. With women. Never with a man. I mean, I like men just fine, the broad shoulders and hard muscles and strong jawlines." Her voice wavered with a hint of desire. Then it went flat and she added, "I just don''t have any, you know, experience." "Then this will be a little bit of experience for you." "Y-yeah, I guess so. I''m in bed with a guy. That''s a step in the right direction. And you''re sure it''s okay that I''m not, you know, following through on the things I implied earlier?" "It''s fine. I mean, just the other night, I paid a Companion to not have sex with me. I never wanted those things. Err, well, I''m not not interested in them, but not right now. Not like this." Zach realized that he was the one rambling now. "You get what I mean." "I do. One last thing, then we''ll sleep." "Sure." "I slipped up and made a huge mistake. I revealed that I''ve¡­ done things¡­ with women. Aren''t you bothered by that?" "Nope. I wasn''t raised to worry about what gender other people find attractive, or what consenting adults do in private. Does same-gender attraction cause problems here?" Zach avoided using words like homosexuality that probably weren''t known in New Albion. "It does. But we can talk about that later. I''ll let you sleep." "Okay. Goodnight, Riley." "Goodnight, Zach." 20. A New Dawn Zach dreamed of humans and elves, of wars that raged for decades at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives. The battlefields stretched for miles, scattered across the forests, fields, and river valleys of what would have been the northeastern United States. Humankind had the advantage in numbers, but the elves wielded terrifying magic like it was an extension of themselves. A single elven sorcerer was capable of cutting down a dozen armed soldiers with a sweep of an arm and the resulting chain lightning spell. Electricity arced from man to man, leaving nothing but charred bodies in its wake. Mankind had little defense against such destructive power. Zach awoke feeling exhausted and out of sorts. If that was what invocation magic could do, he finally understood why the Princess had cautiously interrogated him about it. What he didn''t understand was why the humans and elves had been fighting in the first place. And had that war occurred in the past, or was it a vision of the future? As Zach came to, something felt entirely off. It took him a moment to realize what it was: he was still in the same bed he had gone to sleep in. For the first time in over two weeks, Zach hadn''t flipped in the night. Something else was strange as well. It was to be expected that his right hand was wrapped in silk and couldn''t move freely, but he couldn''t move his body either. He was lying on his stomach, pinned down by a weight on his back. He turned his head to the right and encountered a wall of orange, lit by the sunlight streaming in from the window. Ah, I think that''s Riley''s hair. Which means that the weight on my back is also Riley. She wasn''t kidding about being clingy in bed. She''s literally laying on top of me! "Hey, Riley? Are you awake?" "Hmmm, wha?" she mumbled, directly into Zach''s ear. "Can you get off me? I''m kind of stuck." "Yeah, one sec," she said through a yawn. She sat up and tried to stretch, but her hand was still attached to Zach''s. She untied the handkerchief, then finished her stretch. Only when she had finished did she look down. Riley was straddling Zach''s hips, wearing just her underthings. Zach was laying face-down, but that was the only thing keeping it from being an incredibly indecent position. She leapt away with a high-pitched squeak, taking the covers with her. She knelt at the foot of the bed, wrapped in the blanket, and said, "Um, sorry about that." "Nah, it''s fine," he said as he turned over and sat up, facing her. "In fact, I''m incredibly grateful to you for staying with me." He reached out and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you, Riley." "Y-you''re welcome, but I''m not wearing much under this blanket, so can you¡­" "Wah, sorry!" he said as he scrambled away to the other end of the bed. He stared into the corner of the room and said, "I''ll look away while you get dressed." While Zach''s thoughts kept trying to drift to the beautiful woman getting dressed behind him, he forced his focus onto the fact that he had successfully controlled the flipping. This was a huge development that could affect his future. He could stay a few days in a row to work on larger business deals, or just to take a break from having to return to his own world. After about a minute, Riley said he could turn around. He turned and saw her in that tan and black dress again, short and sporty. Her hair was a bit messy, but she still looked well rested and put together. Zach said, "I don''t have a proper brush, but I have a comb in my bag, and you can use the inn''s guest bathroom to clean up, or even take a shower if you want. It''s at the end of the hall." "Just the comb is fine. I prefer the baths at the castle, anyway." She took the offered comb once he dug it out of his bag, then said, "I''ll be right back." While she was gone, Zach changed into clean clothes and got ready for the day. He planned to go shave after Riley got back from the bathroom. Coordinating all these morning activities should have been awkward like the events of the night before, but for some reason it wasn''t. It was like Zach and Riley had used up all their embarrassment and didn''t have any left for the little things. At least for now. They had time to eat a quick breakfast together, which Zach gladly paid for since Riley had saved him some major money, before setting off for the castle. Zach was eager to share the news that he''d successfully stayed in New Albion, but he was soon disappointed. They found out from another maid in the castle that the Princess wouldn''t be available until nearly 11.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Riley shrugged. "Want to wait with me and Beebee in the Princess''s room?" Zach hesitated, then said, "Uh, if that won''t distract you from your duties." "My main duties are to tend to the Princess and her guests," she said, pointing at Zach as she said ''guests''. "And Beebee''s the same, except she''s even less likely to get roped into other work. She can be a handful." That aligned with Zach''s impression of the girl. "Alright. I actually wanted to talk to Beebee about something, so this is convenient." Riley raised an eyebrow. "She''s a little young for you, Zach." "It''s not like that," he sputtered. Riley grinned. "Oh, I know that. I''m more your type, right?" Zach faced away, a feeble attempt to hide his red face. "Let''s just head up to the tower, okay?" "Fine," Riley said as she started moving. "You know, I thought it''d get boring, teasing someone who never fights back, but your reactions sure are fun." Damnit, Zach thought, Another world, another Erin teasing me. But in that same moment, he felt happy. Teasing or not, he couldn''t deny that he''d made a close friend.
Riley opened the door to the Princess''s room and a loud crash immediately answered. The cause was Beebee, who was now sprawled across the floor next to a toppled chair. "Uh, what was that about?" Riley asked, already approaching to help the girl. Beebee got to her feet, brushed her maid''s dress down, then said, "Oh, I was leaning back in the chair, counting the gems on the ceiling, when the opening door startled me and I fell backwards. I would ask you to knock in the future, but that probably would''ve startled me just as much." "O¡­kay?" Riley said, puzzled by Beebee''s explanation. "Are you alright?" Meanwhile, Zach was distracted by the ceiling of the room, which he''d never really looked at before. There was a mural of a star-filled sky there, and each star was represented by a bright gemstone, glimmering against the dark painted background. It clearly depicted the Milky Way, the same one from his world, and he found the thought comforting. The two worlds weren''t all that different, at least in a physical sense. Magic had changed the creatures and the way society had advanced, but the physical details were all the same. Zach was wondering whether mountains, caves, and mineral deposits were the same between the two worlds when a cheerful face appeared mere inches from his own. "Zach! Don''t think I forgot about your promise to go to the equinox festival with me!" "Uh, ''promise'' is a strong word, but¡ª" Beebee was already pouting, her lower lip sticking out pitifully. "¡ªI actually wanted to talk to you about that," he finished. "I''m going to be running a vendor stall, and I wanted your help. Riley''s too." Riley finished righting the fallen chair and said, "Oh? You''re taking me up on my offer?" Beebee said, "What offer? What are you selling? Ooh, I wanna help!" Zach nodded at Riley first, handling one question at a time. "Yes, I''d like to hire you to keep the coffee cold." "Coffee!?" Beebee was literally bouncing left and right, her wide black and white dress swishing and bumping into the furniture. Then she stopped abruptly. "Wait¡­ Cold? I thought coffee was hot?" Zach said, "The way I like it, and the way I hope people here will like, is chilled with milk and sugar in it. I bought the cane sugar from the same merchant that had the coffee, and the sugar was far cheaper than I''d expected." Riley said, "Why would you expect it to be expensive? Sugar is the main export of the Southlands. I heard they can grow sugarcane year round, and it''s just one or two bridges to get it here." "There''s that word again," Zach said with a look of confusion. "People keep saying ''bridge'' like it means something other than a road over a river." Riley''s face took on a similar confused look. "Wait, you don''t know?" "Know what?" Beebee giggled. "He actually doesn''t know! He really is from another world!" Zach glared at the girls. He usually knew at least something about common topics, and he didn''t like being out of the loop. "Just tell me already. What in the world is a ''bridge''?" Riley said, "You know how Riders are important for getting people and supplies across land?" Zach nodded. "Bridges are special casters that do the same for water, only even faster. They can cast a spell that lets a boat travel instantly to any water-connected location, as long as the Bridge has been there first. It''s a form of connection magic." Beebee jumped in. "It''s amazing. A big window appears on the water, and the boat just has to sail through, and BAM! they arrive where they were going. It''s really expensive through. I''ve only been through a bridge once, when my family moved here from Okwata, but I was too little to remember it." Then Beebee went uncharacteristically still and a sad look appeared on her face. She added, "I don''t remember Okwata either." Zach thought he had heard the name Okwata somewhere, and he could assume it was another city in the kingdom. But he had no idea why Beebee got so sad when she thought about it. Riley cleared her throat and continued, "Yeah, so that''s why Bridges are so important. Ever since the bridge spell was invented 200 years ago, it''s changed the way humanity lives in a huge way." "Wait," Zach started. "The magic spell is called ''bridge'', the portal it makes is called a ''bridge'', and the person who casts it is called a ''Bridge''? And there are still bridges that go over rivers and stuff? That''s really confusing. Don''t you have trouble understanding what people are trying to say?" Riley shrugged. "Not really. Just use context to figure out which one they mean." Zach rubbed his forehead. "If you say so¡­" Then he lowered his hand. "Anyway, before we got derailed, I was saying I wanted to hire both of you for the festival on the 22nd, the day after tomorrow. Are you in?" "Derailed?" mumbled Riley, unfamiliar with the term, since trains didn''t exist in her world. "Nevermind. Yeah, I''m in. I had the day off anyway." "Me too!" Beebee cheered. "Wonderful. I guess while we wait for the Princess, I can go over my plans for the festival, and what I''ll need the two of you to do¡­" 21. Still Learning Zach finished unveiling his festival plans to Riley and Beebee, then they filled their remaining time with light conversation. Beebee was in the middle of telling a story about her first day on the job, just two months ago, when the tower door opened. Her story cut off mid-sentence. The two maids jumped to their feet and bowed as the Princess entered, leaving only Zach still sitting down. He wondered if he should stand and bow too, but Evelyn seemed to like it when he treated her more casually. "Hello, Zach," Evelyn said with a smile. "Since you''re here today, I take it that you and Riley were successful?" The Princess was wearing a thin gold tiara, shaped like a chain of small leaves, and a shimmery blue dress that nearly touched the floor. It was sleeveless, but she wore a small white sweater to keep her shoulders warm now that summer was on its way out. "Hello, Evelyn. And yes, it worked out perfectly. It was a little weird waking up in the same bed I went to sleep in, after all that flipping." "I''d imagine." She sat down at the small table across from Zach, then turned to Riley who was standing at attention. "How about you, Riley? You were treated well?" Riley went a little pink in the face as she answered, "Yes, Zach was a perfect gentleman." Beebee was glancing from Riley to Zach and back again. "Wait¡­ did you two sleep together last night?" Riley''s face became a deeper shade of red. "Yes, but only like we do for the Princess." "Oh, okay," Beebee said, seemingly satisfied. Then she turned to Zach and said, "So you can stay here every night now, right? That''s wonderful!" Zach couldn''t help but smile. "It is indeed wonderful, but I don''t think I''ll stay every night. I still have things I need to do in my own world." He tried not to think too much about all his ties and responsibilities there. He still wasn''t sure how he would handle that side of things¡­ He took a breath, then addressed Evelyn, "I would like to stay in New Albion from time to time, and since I can''t really tell anyone else about my strange situation, could I maybe¡­" He trailed off, unsure how to ask for such an unusual favor from the Princess and her maids. Evelyn nodded. "I would like you to keep your connection to the other world secret, so I offer you my support whenever you need to prevent your flipping. Riley, are you willing to lend your hand again?" "For such a handsome gentleman, I''m both willing and eager," Riley responded. Zach coughed a little in surprise, then tilted his head in thought. That was the first innuendo Riley''s said in Beebee''s presence. Maybe she tries to tone it down around the younger girl? "On a related note," Riley continued, "I still need to visit the baths. May I depart, Princess?" Evelyn nodded. "Sure thing. And take Beebee with you. She was supposed to clean the steam room this morning, but I don''t think she did." "Sorry, Princess!" Beebee said, bowing apologetically. "I forgot." As the two maids left the room, Zach couldn''t help but think that Alexia never would have let him be alone with the Princess. It was nice that everyone else seemed to trust him, at least. What kind of mission could Alexia be on, anyway? he wondered. He was curious, but not enough to ask about it. Evelyn said, "I''m glad my tip worked for you, and I hope you don''t mind me taking interest in your situation. I''d still like to understand the flipping phenomenon and you''re my only source of information." "I don''t mind at all. And I''m happy to have your support." He paused for a moment as he gathered his thoughts, then he said, "Without your help, I''d be blind and alone and at the mercy of the flipping." Evelyn smiled. "Happy to help." "Um, on a different topic¡­ what''s the deal with Okwata? Beebee got really sad when she mentioned it." "Ah. That''s not a happy subject for me either, but I''ll explain. Okwata was a city far to the southeast that used to be part of the Kingdom of New Albion. It''s located near your world''s New Orleans, and it was a major port of trade for the Kingdom." She took a breath, then added, "It was destroyed in 2005. A massive hurricane struck the city, flooding the streets, wiping buildings off the map, and destroying the city''s protective walls. My mother and much of Beebee''s extended family died in the storm and its aftermath." The statement hung heavy in the air for a moment before she continued. "In addition to the destruction and disease from the water, monsters got in through the ruined walls. My father ordered everyone to withdraw from the area and he officially abandoned the territory. The borders of New Albion were redefined to something similar to eastern Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri. Nothing downstream of where the Arkansas River meets the Mississippi River is part of the Kingdom anymore." It was nice to hear all the familiar names, and Zach had just enough geographical knowledge to be able to picture the area she was describing. And given the importance of Bridges, it made sense that rivers would be used to define the borders.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Zach raised a finger and asked, "Did that storm happen to hit in August?" He was thinking of Hurricane Katrina, which had devastated much of the American Southeast, and New Orleans in particular. "It did indeed. I know what you''re thinking and I agree that it was probably the same hurricane. I can''t easily confirm it, but I believe that major weather events affect both of our worlds, even if daily weather isn''t always synced. I''d bet that earthquakes and volcano eruptions match too." Zach leaned back in his chair, processing all that information. Since he still had the ability to flip back and forth between the worlds, there had to be ways to utilize the two worlds'' similarities. He thought, I could warn the people here of severe storms that my world is tracking, though that''s less of an issue this far inland. Oh right, I was already thinking that geological features are probably the same. I could find minerals that have already been mined in my world, but have yet to be tapped here. He made a mental note to research the locations of significant mines online, once he was back in his own world. Gold seemed the easiest to find information about and to sell, so he planned to focus on gold mines first. He could wait to research rarer materials that New Albion had less use for. "Thank you for answering my questions, Evelyn. Did you have any for me?" She shook her head. "Not right now, and I''m sure you''re eager to get back to your festival preparations." Zach jolted. "You know about that?" A smug smile appeared on Evelyn''s face. "I know everything my maids know." Then she added, "Well, almost everything. I try not to pry into their private time."
Zach let himself out of the castle, making his way through the now-familiar staff hallways. He had seen only a tiny bit of the other halls, the ones for royalty and dignitaries and other people of importance, the halls with beautiful decorations instead of drab gray stone. I wonder if Evelyn or one of the maids would give me a tour if I asked¡­ His thoughts shifted to something more urgent. The festival is so close now, the day after tomorrow. I''ll need to get all the business deals finalized today. He had already made contact with all his suppliers, but he wanted to check back in with each of them, just in case. If a single part of the plan failed, Zach would be stuck with a lot of useless supplies and rental equipment. Zach started with the importer. His name was Altro, and he focused on imports from the Southlands, which Zach guessed meant South America. Altro''s shop was just a few blocks north of the castle, near the docks at the confluence of the Red and Righ rivers. Over the years, people had widened the channel into a small reservoir to support all the docked ships. And now that Zach knew what Bridges were, he understood how goods could make it all the way to New Albion from another continent. In some cases, the trip was faster than modern technology could have managed. When he also considered that Conjurers could easily keep goods refrigerated, he was quite impressed by the magic world''s ability to transport perishable foods long distances. Zach entered the shop and searched for Altro. Crates of grains, fruits, and vegetables filled the warehouse-like building, stacked into tall aisles. The fruits and other spoilable goods would likely be shipped off that morning, to restaurants and vendor stands around the city, but the long-keeping goods might take weeks to sell. Zach finally spotted the short, dark-haired man near the back door, bringing in a bulky burlap bag. "Altro!" he called out. "Want some help with that?" "Zach!" the man shouted back. "I''m fine, but you have good timing. These are your beans. Just arrived from Okwata, and the Southlands before that." Zach continued his approach, weaving through the aisles lined with crates. "Okwata? I didn''t realize people still lived there." Altro set the heavy bag on the floor. He was wearing leather overalls and a plain short-sleeve shirt. His arms were surprisingly muscular for his short stature. He''d been a porter before he started a business of his own and he still did much of the physical labor himself. He answered, "Some people do, but they aren''t part of the Kingdom anymore. Trading with them means steep taxes and giving middlemen a cut of the profits, but we don''t have much alternative; there just aren''t a lot of Bridges willing to travel direct from New Albion to the other kingdoms." "Oh," Zach said. It made sense, but the existence of other kingdoms was something Zach knew nothing about. He changed the topic. "If those are my beans, can I pick them up today? I''d like to go get them roasted." Altro looked up at Zach from under thick eyebrows and curly hair. "If you want them roasted, I can do that myself. Just don''t tell anyone it was me, since the Albyne House funded the roaster and doesn''t want anyone else using it. I roast all their beans before delivering." "Albyne House? Is that the snooty club near Nevin''s map shop?" Zach guessed. "That''s the one. You''re getting to know your way around New Albion pretty well, Zach." Zach blushed at the praise. "I suppose so. I just like to wander and talk to other merchants, and I have a good memory." "Wait!" Zach blurted. He just remembered that coffee beans were best used within 24 hours of being roasted. "If you can roast them, can you wait until tomorrow evening to do it? I''ll come pick up the roasted beans and sugar the next morning." "Sure, I can do that. How does six Harts sound for the roasting?" Zach thought, $30 to roast that many beans? That''s not bad at all. He smiled and offered his hand. "Sounds great. See you around eight?" Altro clasped Zach''s wrist. "Eight it is. You can pay in full then, right?" Zach nodded. "Of course. Thanks in advance, Altro." He left the shop and made his way to the next stop on his list: equipment rental. The rental place was a large and cluttered warehouse with several men and women on staff. Zach had never interacted with any single employee enough to form a professional relationship, but the business was organized enough that it hadn''t caused any trouble. He waited at the front desk for someone to help him, then confirmed with the woman that they''d have all the equipment ready for pickup on Saturday morning. She had him sign a ''writ'', a legal promise that he''d pay the agreed upon amount, and he moved on to his next destination. Zach continued down his list, checking on his milk order, the horse and cart rental, and a custom-made sign. The sign was the only one he had to pay for in advance, but it only cost eight Harts. Like everything else, it would be ready for pickup on Saturday morning. Just two days away, and I won''t even be in this world for one of them¡­ Zach''s mind was racing around in circles, debating whether he should run back to the castle to find Riley, so he could stay the night in New Albion for more time to work on the festival. But if I stay tonight and something goes wrong the next night and I end up flipping¡­ I''d be stuck in the wrong world during the festival. My entire plan would fall apart. And because of the business deals and writs, I''d be financially ruined. Zach shook his head as he continued towards the Hard Fought Rest. No, it isn''t worth the risk. I''ll just flip tonight and get up early on the 22nd. I wonder if I can request a 7am wake-up from the innkeeper? 22. Loose Ends Zach awoke on Friday morning in his Denver apartment, already full of nervous energy. In the ''real'' world, there wasn''t much he could do about the rapidly approaching equinox festival, so he focused on his morning routine. Is it still a routine if I do it less than half the time? he wondered. Zach showered, got dressed, and went to the kitchen. He opened the fridge, hoping his roommates hadn''t messed with his little experiment while he was gone. Sure enough, a half gallon of sludgy brown liquid was right where he left it at the back of the fridge. He grabbed the container, full of coarse-ground coffee steeping in water, and set it on the counter. He filtered it through two coffee filters into another half-gallon jar and tossed the coffee grounds in the trash. Then he poured about four ounces of the dark black liquid into a thermos. To that he added four ounces of milk and two tablespoons of sugar. Zach twisted the lid onto the thermos and shook it thoroughly, then opened it and took a cautious sip. He was pretty sure such a simple recipe would turn out fine, but cold brew coffee normally only needed to steep for eight to 16 hours, not 36. "Whoo, that''s strong," he muttered when the bitter and rich flavor hit his tongue. "But pretty tasty." He added a couple ice cubes to the thermos to keep it cold and water it down a little, then stored the rest of the cold brew concentrate in the fridge. He''d used up his breakfast time messing with coffee, so he grabbed a granola bar to eat on the bike ride to the university. Before he left the apartment, he debated whether to give Matt the October rent check in advance, just in case. After all, Zach had the money for it in his college fund, also known as his dad''s life insurance payout. He shook his head. Even if he did end up staying a few nights in New Albion, it was only the 21st and he''d have plenty of time to write the rent check later. As Zach pedaled toward campus, his thoughts moved to the topic of college. He felt more than a little guilty about screwing things up, but it wasn''t like he had a choice due to the flipping. And he reasoned that his dad would have wanted him to pursue his passion. His mom would probably agree too, but he wasn''t going to bring it up with her just yet. She was probably halfway around the world for work anyway. She''d always loved traveling, so of course she ended up with a job that kept her on the move all the time.
"Hey, Erin," Zach said as he sat down in the empty seat to her left. The lecture hall was mostly empty, but that was standard for niche economics classes. The university had a solid Econ program, but it didn''t get many enrollees compared to a dedicated business school. "Zach! Nice to see you again. Doing alright?" She looked a little concerned and the lack of teasing proved it. Her short blonde hair was back in a tiny ponytail, looking youthful and summery. To Zach, it was yet another reminder that the end of summer and the equinox festival were fast approaching. "I''m alright, thanks," he said, and it was true. Sure, he had a lot on his shoulders and some monumental decisions looming ahead of him, like whether to drop from college. But he was doing okay. In any case, he definitely wasn''t going to make any major changes until after his festival venture panned out. He was also wary of saying anything that might catch Erin''s curiosity. He didn''t want to cause her any more worry, and he didn''t trust himself to keep all the crazy magic stuff a secret if she really pressed the issue. He''d never been a good liar. "Did I miss anything important yesterday?" he asked, glancing Erin''s way. She met his glance, her blue eyes surprisingly bright behind her glasses. "Nothing I didn''t already text you. I know you weren''t keen on me sending you daily updates, but I don''t want my study partner failing out."Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Zach shook his head, embarrassed. "No, it''s fine. I appreciate it, I just didn''t want to be a burden on you." "If it''s for you, it''s not a burden," she said. Zach didn''t know what to make of that. He stared at Erin for a moment, but she was busy digging through her backpack for something. "Thanks," he said. Then he got out his own textbook and tried to focus on the lecture.
Zach spent every spare minute between classes catching up on missed assignments and studying future chapters. But when he returned home, he poured himself a glass of cold brew and milk, then switched gears to something more interesting. He started with some basic internet searches to narrow down his approach before he really delved deep into the details. He was looking for famous Rocky Mountain gold mines from the gold rush era, preferably near Denver. He figured if random prospectors in the mid-1800''s could get rich off them, so could he. Of the hundreds of gold mines scattered throughout the Colorado Rocky Mountains, two locations stood out to Zach: Idaho Springs and Cripple Creek. The Idaho Springs area had been home to dozens of high yield mines, and it was only 40 miles straight west from Denver and New Albion. On the other hand, Cripple Creek was just southwest of Pike''s Peak. While it was a lot further from New Albion, its proximity to Colorado Springs and its magical equivalent of Grotto could be lucrative. Online maps said that the mines were each a 12 hour walk from their respective cities, at least with modern roads. Zach decided that a funded expedition in the ''magic world'' should be able to reach them pretty easily, even if some trailblazing was involved. With his targets selected, Zach put his excellent memory to use and memorized dozens of important details for each site, like the location relative to physical landmarks, the clues that had lead to the initial discovery, and the mine''s early gold yield. There wasn''t much sense in including what they obtained using modern excavation and chemical extraction methods after the easy gold had been exhausted. The returns on that seemed pretty terrible anyway, often just one gram of gold per ton of ore. Zach was no geologist, so he didn''t fully understand all the terms he encountered, like ''telluride minerals'' and ''sulfide ores'', but his hope was that New Albion''s Purifiers could use magic to extract gold from those things. At the very least, Zach''s crew could focus on the easier gold veins, like the first miners did back during the gold rush. My crew, huh? he thought. He doubted he''d actually play a major role in the mining expedition, other than providing information and funding, but it was really exciting to think that he''d be doing something so monumental. All the research and memorization took Zach''s entire evening, and he couldn''t afford to stay up too late. He needed to get a good night''s sleep for the long day ahead. He had paid the Hard Fought Rest''s innkeeper for a wakeup call at 7am and he wanted to be well rested when it came. Busy day tomorrow. And an important day, he thought as he climbed into bed. For all the stress and uncertainty, Zach was smiling as he fell asleep just after 11pm.
The final bell of the night rang out across the eastern edge of New Albion, marking 8pm. A hooded figure slipped out of the front door of the Hard Fought Rest. The person was tall, slim, and covered from head to toe in utilitarian leather clothes of impressive craftsmanship. Their hood covered most of their face but the bit of exposed skin seemed to shimmer in the moonlight. The mysterious figure moved quickly and quietly down the street, rounded a corner, then ducked into a tight alleyway, far from prying eyes or ears. Then they spoke, seemingly to no one. In a soft voice with a hint of an unplaceable accent, they whispered, "I just investigated the target''s last known whereabouts and he was nowhere in the building. I gathered some useful information but I cannot afford to stay any longer. Too many guards are in town for the festival, and this disguise isn''t perfect." There was a moment of utter silence, then the figure nodded and said, "Acknowledged. I''m returning to headquarters on foot. I should arrive by sunrise." They exited the alleyway and turned east. It was a short walk down sparsely populated streets to the east gate. The person gave a friendly wave to the guard on duty and the guard waved back; given the chilly night air, wearing a hood wasn''t uncommon. Then they continued down the dusty country road until the guard was out of sight. The figure placed their hands on their thighs and there was a flash of pale blue light. Then they resumed walking, gradually building to a jog, then a full out run. Every footfall was silent even as they sped up to an impossible pace, covering a dozen feet with every stride. Within minutes, the figure was gone over the eastern horizon. 23. Preparations BANG! BANG! "Hey! Wake up!" Zach jolted awake, flailing and tangled in linen bed sheets. "I''m awake!" he called back. Then a second later, he added, "Thanks!" Zach was a little annoyed at the rude awakening, but he''d paid for a wakeup call because he needed to be up and alert, and the grumpy innkeeper had certainly succeeded at that. With no time to waste, Zach grabbed his nice clothes from a hook on the wall and got dressed as fast as he could. The orange sunrise was barely illuminating the room, but it was enough to see by. He grabbed his backpack, stowed nearly all of his money in the inner pocket, then tucked one remaining Crown under the mattress. If the festival was a complete bust, that Crown was all Zach would have left, the equivalent of $100 to make a fresh start with. Zach shook his head to clear that unpleasant thought, then combed his hair and ran downstairs. A single sausage and a biscuit were waiting for him at the bar, something he''d had the foresight to pay for in advance when he had scheduled the wakeup call. He grabbed one in each hand, wishing this world had paper towels, then took off out the inn''s front door.
First, Zach visited some nearby stables for his rented cart and horse, and a hired handler. Zach paid 22 Harts for the whole set, including the return trip the next morning. The handler''s name was Jay and he seemed nice enough, if a little sleepy. He was a tall and lanky man with deep set eyes and short curly brown hair. He wore plain cotton clothes weathered with labor and he smelled like horses, but not offensively so. "We''re headed for the docks next," Zach told him as he climbed onto the back of the little wooden cart. "Altro''s Imports, then Whitewall Equipment Rental." "You got it," Jay replied. With a gentle flick of the reins, he got the horse and cart moving. The sounds of hooves and wagon wheels on cobblestone broke the silence as they made their way down the nearly empty streets. As they approached the docks, that changed. Porters were already shouting and carrying crates from building to building and from ship to shore. Their motto was ''If there''s light, there''s work'', and they took it seriously. In really busy seasons, they''d hire Conjurers to keep the entire area lit all night long. Altro was ready and waiting with Zach''s sugar and his coffee beans, pre-roasted and smelling delicious. The warm scent flooded Zach''s nose and woke him up a little. He paid Altro 98 Harts, reluctantly parting with his rare Evy coin as 50 of them, then loaded the heavy burlap bags onto the cart. Next was the equipment rental place, where Zach paid 30 Harts total for the use of 16 five-gallon tanks, a single ten-gallon tank, a large table, a tent, a simple coffee grinder, a spring scale, and two dozen tin cups. The bulky table and tin tanks filled up most of the cart, leaving Zach sitting with his legs off the back during the short ride to the Norwood Dairy. For the price of 18 Harts, the men at the dairy filled up eight of Zach''s tanks with fresh milk and helped him load them back on his cart. For a few chips, the workers even helped him fill the other eight small tanks with pure water from the municipal pump just outside. At first, Zach had been suspicious of the drinking water in this world, but he quickly realized it was better than any tap water back home. Thanks to the power of purifying magic, the water in New Albion might have even been superior to the best bottled water in the US. Zach had paid a sign-maker in advance for a large sign to explain the product and attract attention, and that shop was the final stop. The sign looked great, with vibrant paint on smooth wood explaining the product and the price: one Hart per eight ounce cup. It also asked customers to stay nearby while they drank it and to return the tin cup to be washed and reused. Now that the cart was loaded up with all Zach''s equipment and materials, including some smaller items he''d purchased and kept in his backpack, he and Jay made their way to the festival grounds. The event would take place in the large gardens to the south of the castle, amongst stone statues, towering hedges, and carefully tended flowerbeds. Two guards stood at the gate where the gardens met the main road. One waved and called out as Zach''s cart approached, so Jay brought it to a stop. The blond man stepped up and said, "Good day. I assume you''re here to set up for the festival?" Unlike the other guards Zach had seen on duty, these ones weren''t wearing their helmets. It did make them a little less intimidating, which was probably the point. It wouldn''t do to spook the festival-goers, after all. "That''s right," Zach replied, then he pulled out his vendor badge, assuming the guard would want to see it. He held the carved wooden shield toward the guard. "Here''s my vendor badge." The guard nodded. "Perfect. The stall numbers start at ''one'' nearest this gate, then increase in a spiral toward the center of the garden. Find a guard if you have questions." Then he stepped out of the way, bowed his head slightly, and waved them through the gate. As the cart rumbled forward, passing under a vine-covered archway, Jay turned to Zach. He asked, "What''s your stall number anyway?" "Thirteen," Zach answered while he looked out at the impressive gardens around him. Only a couple other vendors had started setting up so early, leaving a clear view of all the beautiful landscaping. Colorful ribbons draped over green hedges and white marble pillars. The spiral-shaped path had small clearings off both sides, and it circled a much larger grass clearing that could easily hold two-thousand people. "Ooh, lucky!" Jay said, more enthusiastic than Zach had seen him all morning. "Lucky? Why?" Zach had been expecting the exact opposite, given the number''s connotations in his world. Jay gave Zach a strange look, but answered the question. "Thirteen''s a lucky number, especially when mana is involved, and you can''t get much more mana-involved than the equinox." "Ah. I thought for a second that you knew it was a good spot for a stall." Jay glanced to the side of the path as they passed an empty lot between two stone pillars. The spot was marked with a small sign with the number five on it. "Nah, by the looks of it, thirteen is gonna be on the far side of the garden, and I''d bet that the stalls nearest the gate get the most sales." Sure enough, Zach''s spot was pretty far from the gate, and it wasn''t particularly close to any of the straight paths that connected inner and outer parts of the spiral. Foot traffic would probably be light, so Zach would need to attract attention other ways. But at least the spot was on the spacious outer edge of the ring, giving more than enough room for all of his equipment. Zach and Jay set the sturdy wooden table next to the main path, then put up the canvas tent behind that. It was nearly 9am by the time they had the tent staked into the ground and fully upright. The tent was seven feet tall and dyed with eye-catching blue and white stripes, but it had more purpose than that. "Let''s put all the tanks in there," Zach said, pointing at the tent. "My Conjurer is going to keep them cold inside." Late September didn''t usually get too hot, but if the clear sky and calm breeze were any indication, it could get warm later. Zach climbed up on the cart and passed a heavy tank of milk down to Jay. When he looked back up, he noticed someone with fiery red hair approaching, the Conjurer he''d just mentioned. "Speak of the devil," he said. "Speak of the what?" Jay asked.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. "Nevermind. My hired hands have arrived. They can help us unload the rest of this, then you''re clear to head out." Zach waved to Riley and to Beebee, who was following behind her, moving slowly and gawking at the decorations. When they got close, he said, "Thanks for coming, you two. It''s a huge help." "No problem," Riley said, grinning. "You''re paying us, after all." Then she turned and poked Beebee in the shoulder. "Stop acting like you''ve never seen the royal gardens before. I know you''ve been out here for work, and you go to this festival every year." "But I''ve never seen it when it''s all decorated and empty like this!" Beebee spun around with her arms out, causing her vibrant orange dress to flare outward. Riley just smiled and shook her head. Contrasting with Beebee''s outfit, Riley was wearing a more muted dark blue dress, with short sleeves and a deep v-neck. Zach pulled his attention away from that v-neck and said, "Um, you''re both alright with me paying you tomorrow morning, right? I''m a bit tight on money at the moment." He had offered to pay Beebee two Harts per hour and Riley three for her magical skills, and they had agreed. That was basically just minimum wage back home, but it would still add up to a whopping 110 Harts by the time this very long day was over. "Of course," the girls answered in near unison. Beebee probably would have done it for free, just to be involved in the festival, and Riley might have offered her services just to see Zach''s reactions to her teasing. With Beebee around, she was a bit more restrained on that front, so she''d have to settle with the money and spending time with a new friend.
"After you''ve measured the beans, grind them coarsely and dump them in one of the five-gallon water tanks," Zach explained, letting Beebee do the actual motions. Beebee carefully tipped the grinder''s contents into a water can, then looked at him expectantly. "Then what?" "GIve it a good stir with that spatula, then pass it to Riley to keep chilled. Oh, and once the festival starts, I''d like to do any remaining prep work in the tent, so we aren''t showing everyone our technique. If we''re successful tonight, I bet we get some copycats and I''d rather not make it easy for them." Beebee nodded eagerly, her bobbed hair bouncing. At first she''d been confused whenever Zach used strange words like ''copycat'' and immediately asked for explanations, but she was getting better at figuring out his meaning through context. "Then it just sits for eight hours?" Riley asked. She had already spent several minutes using magic to bring the tanks in the tent to near-freezing. As long as she refreshed it every fifteen minutes or so, the milk would keep fresh and the cold brew would stay in the ideal range for steeping. "Yep. I figure we can start all eight batches now, then later we''ll filter one through cheesecloth when we need a batch to serve. The batches that steeped longer will be really strong, but that''s probably to our advantage." Those eight tanks would result in 800 servings, and assuming they all sold, Zach stood to triple his investment. With that, the conversation died out and they all set to work around the big table. Grinding the roasted beans by hand was slow work, but the wonderful smell they released was a nice reward. Zach did most of the heavy tank lifting while Beebee measured and Riley kept the tent chilled, and they all took turns using the grinder, which quickly tired the operator''s arms. After all eight batches were steeping in the tent, with the oldest ones near the front to be used first, Beebee ran off to explore the area. More vendors had started setting up, but the festival grounds wouldn''t be open to the public for over six hours. Riley was leaning against the table and Zach joined her. He gathered his thoughts for a moment, then said, "Um, we never did get back to the things you said the other night, before bed. Did you want to talk about it?" He was referring to the fact that Riley had revealed that she''d slept with other women, and that such a thing was taboo in New Albion. Zach had been more than a little surprised at that, because the religions of his world didn''t seem to exist in this one. What else would drive people to hate homosexuality so much? Riley shook her head. "I don''t want to risk saying anything out here. But thank you for thinking about me." Then she smiled at him. "How about next time we''re in bed together?" There it was, Riley''s extreme flirtation. It was several times more lewd than the way Erin flirted, and Zach had little defense against it. His face grew hot as he stuttered, "U-um, I assume you mean, uh, for the flipping thing. Um, sure." As Zach was pondering how Riley somehow had an an easier time dropping innuendo in public than she had talking about her sexuality in private, some other vendors approached the table. They must have been taking a break from their own setup and came to check out the competition. A short man with curly red hair glanced at the table, then the tent, then at the two young people manning the stand. "Whatcha selling here?" he said. Zach hadn''t put up the sign just yet, so stall 13 really was a bit of a mystery. The man''s partner was a stern looking woman of similar height and hair color, perhaps his sister. She craned her neck and peered around, trying to get a peek into the tent without crossing the boundary set by the table. Zach smiled his friendliest smile, then launched into a pitch he''d been working on. "We''re selling Equinox Coffee, a smooth, rich, and sweet drink that will wake you up and let you enjoy the festival to the fullest." His face took on an apologetic frown and he added, "It isn''t ready yet, but if you come back after the festival starts, you can have a cup of coffee for free." He grabbed a handwritten note out of his pocket and handed it to the man. In big clear lettering it said, ''Return this note for a complimentary Equinox Coffee. If you enjoy the drink, please recommend it to your own customers.'' Then in small text on the back, it said, ''Valid for festival vendors only. While supplies last. Valid only during the 2018 Fall Equinox Festival.'' The man squinted at it for several seconds, then passed it to his ever-curious partner. She took it and scrutinized it even more closely. The man said, "Huh, alright. Thankya," then they left, looking rather puzzled by the whole experience. Zach turned to Riley. "Can you watch the stand while I make a quick circuit and hand out some of these coupons?" "Sure thing. Beebee will probably be back soon anyway." After he left, Riley blinked a couple times, then shook her head. She muttered, "He really has some strange ideas¡­"
Zach made a pass around the spiral path, handing out coupons and noting down in his notebook which stands he had visited. About half the vendor spots were still empty, but he wasn''t sure whether they would stay that way. Vendors with quick setup times could certainly afford to wait another couple hours to arrive. He ran into a couple merchants who he''d already met, like Eleanor the leatherworker. She thanked him for the free coffee, and again for the term ''backpack'' he had introduced to her. Her festival stand was mostly selling smaller items like bracelets and belts, but she did have a couple backpacks on display, complete with signs using the new term. "You''re welcome, Eleanor. It would wonderful if you could mention my Equinox Coffee to your customers, especially anyone that wants help staying awake." "You got it, Zach. May mana protect you." "And you," he replied in stride. He had started to notice the distinct ways people talked about mana in New Albion. People from outside the wall literally worshipped it and called upon its name frequently, while inside the safe city it was mentioned less often, perhaps even taken for granted. But on a special day like the equinox, everyone treated it with a bit more respect. Of course, Zach still didn''t know exactly what mana was. It was definitely the power source behind magic, but he had no idea how it worked, if it actually had any will of its own, or if it could affect change without a mage channeling it. He supposed he could ask Riley about it, during in the dozen or so hours they''d be spending together. Zach finished his circuit of the festival grounds, having handed out about 20 coupons, and returned to find Beebee braiding Riley''s long red hair. Beebee looked somehow even happier than her default cheery self, leading Zach to say, "You''re looking especially happy, Beebee." Beebee smiled at him, but her hands kept working intuitively. "I''ve always loved working with hair. The feel of it, and the ability to change someone''s appearance completely. I like to help women be beautiful." Then she went quiet and frowned. "What''s wrong, Beebee?" Zach asked. Riley glanced at him and looked like she had something to say, then thought better of it and looked away. It seemed it wasn''t her place to speak. Beebee took a deep breath, paused her braiding, then waved Zach over. When he was very close, she leaned over and whispered, "I like women, but apparently that''s wrong." Zach shook his head firmly, then whispered back. "It isn''t wrong. I believe that strongly, since my country is finally fixing our mistakes on that, our mistakes on gay rights." "Gay?" she asked, still quiet. "Oh, that''s a word from my world for people that are attracted to the same gender." There were other words that were slightly more accurate to Beebee''s situation, like ''lesbian'', but Zach didn''t feel the need to get into that. "The same word that means happy? That''s nice. I like that." She smiled, and Zach felt a lump in his throat. Beebee was too young and innocent to have to deal with something so unjust, to be treated poorly because of something she couldn''t change. Zach patted her gently on the back, then said, "I''m happy to listen if you ever need to talk. I haven''t experienced your trouble first-hand, but I''ve seen a lot of people who made it through. As they like to say back home, ''It gets better.''" Beebee nodded and said, "Thanks," then went back to braiding Riley''s hair in silence. Riley had kept quiet during the whispered exchange, but she shot Zach a smile that suggested that she approved of how he''d handled it. Zach couldn''t help but notice that both Riley and Beebee liked women, and he remembered that Eloise disliked men, so she might have been gay as well. That was an unusually high concentration within the Princess''s maids, beyond mere coincidence. He wanted to ask the Princess about it, but he had no idea how to do it without sounding rude. In any case, the inspector would be arriving soon and the festival was starting shortly after that. He pushed those thoughts aside and went back to work. 24. The Equinox Festival The festival inspector arrived a few minutes late for his 5pm appointment, looking haggard and overworked. His short brown hair was a tousled mess and his face was bristly with a couple days of beard growth. He approached the stand and said, "I''m the health inspector, Grecc. I heard you''re selling a drink?" Zach stepped forward, already holding the paper the event planner had giving him. "That''s right. I''m Zach, and we''re selling Equinox Coffee, a cold drink with milk, sugar, and coffee of course." He gestured to Beebee, who quickly started filling a tin cup with pre-mixed coffee. "Would you like one, free of charge?" The man nodded slowly and took the piece of paper and the offered cup, but he didn¡¯t drink. "Thanks. Can I see how you''re storing the beverage?" "Yes, right this way." Zach waved him around the table and led the way into the tent. Inside, Riley was kneeling and had her hands pressed to two of the tanks, channeling mana into the liquid inside. Frost was forming on the metal nearest her hands. Zach said, "As you can see, Riley is a Conjurer, and she''s keeping all our milk and mixed product nice and cold, just above freezing." Riley smiled up at the inspector and he nodded back. Then the man said, "Where''d you get the water?" Zach was a little surprised at the question, but he supposed it made some sense. "We got all our water from the municipal spout by the Norwood Dairy, where we bought the milk." "That''s good," he said, then he finally sipped from his coffee. "Tastes good, too." Grecc left the tent, so Zach and Riley followed. When he reached the table, he downed the entire cup of coffee in a few gulps, then set the cup down. In a flat tone, he said, "Make sure you clean those cups properly before serving them again. There is a safe water supply you can use behind stall number four." "Thank you," Zach said. Thanks to Riley, Zach had already known about that water spout and had planned to use it for washing the cups, but it was nice to hear that it was formally allowed. After all, the woman at the health inspection office had originally said that no water would be provided. Grecc nodded, then walked off, heading toward another stall. Once he was out of earshot, Riley stepped close to Zach''s side and whispered, "Did you catch his odd phrasing on the water supply?" "Yeah," Zach replied. "It made it sound like some of the water in the city isn''t safe. Any idea what that''s about?" Movement off to the left caught his eye. Beebee was standing by the table with hands clasped behind her back and her whole body squirming. Zach asked, "Are you alright, Beebee?" "I''m fine." "Then what''s with the wiggling?" Riley asked. "I can''t say," Beebee answered. Zach raised an eyebrow. "You can''t say why you''re wiggling? That doesn''t make any sense." Beebee turned to face him, an intense look on her youthful face. "I can''t talk about the answer to your water question, so I''m trying not to talk about it. It''s hard." Riley and Zach shared a glance, then Riley said, "Then let''s all just forget about it. You don''t need to say anything. Customers should be arriving soon anyway."
Zach was terrified. Fire and lightning arced through the sky, followed by earth-rumbling thunder. It was as if the entire world was ending in a chain-reaction of reality-shattering detonations. Zach''s knees gave out and he fell backwards, landing hard on the grass. "Zach? Are you okay?" Riley asked, kneeling next to him with her hand on his shoulder. Above their heads, the cacophony continued, explosion after explosion, blue-white lightning leaving afterimages in Zach''s eyes. The entire festival grounds were bathed in colored light and radiating heat. Zach''s first thought was that some sort of magical war was being waged overhead, like the ones from his dreams, the ones where hundreds of men were slaughtered in seconds by terrifying spells. His second thought was that he was just far too close to a massive fireworks display, like the big municipal shows every 4th of July. "Oh," he said, his voice weak. "This is part of the festival?" He could barely hear his own voice over the noise of the magical explosions. "Yep!" Beebee cheered. "It''s my favorite part! Well, aside from the food and people and staying up all night." Riley helped Zach to his feet. "Sorry, I should have warned you. They always start the festival off with a big magical display. The King recalls his best mages from the wilderness, since monsters don''t attack during the equinox, and they put on quite the show." Zach''s eyes followed a jagged bolt of lightning back to its source and saw distant robed figures on the top of the Gwendolyn wall. He gestured weakly at the sky, still filled with fireballs and now what looked like a giant bird made of lightning, flying from the east to the west. "This is normal?" he asked. Riley nodded. "Very normal. Mana is basically limitless right now, so the mages can go all out and show the people the full strength of our defenders. It makes the citizens feel safe." "Safe¡­" Zach said. It made sense, once he wasn''t misinterpreting it as the end of the world. It was like a military parade and fireworks display all in one. Zach brushed some dirt and grass off the seat of his pants, then busied himself with a final check of the table. The sign was propped up on the left side of the table, clearly advertising Equinox Coffee for one Hart per cup. All the tin cups were stacked in a pyramid and a ten gallon tank of the prepared drink stood ready. Customers were flooding into the festival grounds and they''d reach Zach''s stall soon. "Um, Beebee? Can you handle the first customers?" Zach asked. He was still feeling a bit shaken and not quite ready to deal with the public. "Of course!" Beebee said, her grin illuminated by the glowing orbs of magic that floated over the entire area. Zach liked the silent sources of light much more than the fire and lightning from the magic show. Hiring Beebee turned out to be one of Zach''s best decisions. Her cheerful attitude was contagious and the sound of her laughter carried far. Soon the number of people waiting to purchase an Equinox Coffee had grown into a crowd that threatened to block the main path. Zach stepped in with a solution. He whispered a plan to Riley and Beebee, then waited off to the side of the table in the large grass-filled clearing. Beebee climbed on the table, being careful to keep her dress from flipping up, and waved to get everyone''s attention. Her bright orange outfit definitely helped. "Hi everyone! Having a good time?" Cheers answered her, coming from peasant and noble alike. While some people were slightly annoyed at the wait to get the strange drink they''d been hearing about, everyone was genuinely having fun at the festival. In addition to all the vendor stalls, some of which sold alcohol, there were performers in the center clearing who were singing, dancing, and even juggling fire. Beebee called back, "That''s great to hear! Now don''t worry, we''ve got more than enough Equinox Coffee for everyone, but this crowd is getting in the way of the footpath. If you''re waiting to buy coffee, can you please move to my right, where my friends will help you form an orderly line?" Riley waved a hand over her head to show everyone where to go, and people started moving her way. She also cast seductive glances at a few of the men that met her eyes. Within a minute, Zach and Riley successfully corralled everyone into a simple queue that started at the table, ran behind the tent, and looped back around to rejoin the path. From then on, whenever Riley wasn''t busy inside the tent keeping the drinks chilled, she walked along the line, flirting lightly and nudging people as needed to keep the line straight. Meanwhile, Zach and Beebee worked the table, pouring drinks, taking money, and keeping tabs on the rented tin cups. Whenever the clean cups started to run low, one of the three ran off with an armful of dirty ones to wash them at the water spout. Originally, Zach had been a little worried about interacting with the public, having to be a salesman and trying to draw attention to the stand. But once things got rolling, he was too busy to worry as he worked furiously to serve the drink that was basically selling itself. When the festival first started at sundown, few people had wanted coffee, but by 11pm the demand was clear.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. As the customers kept coming, Zach overheard a lot of conversations and talked with some strangers, and he learned that a disproportionate number of the attendees were off-duty guards. They had returned from monster duty for the holiday, one of only four times a year that they could truly relax. From a talkative older woman, Zach heard that the festival was a celebration of mana and the sun, the life that they both brought to the world, and the peace that came with every solstice and equinox. The celebrations were an old and important tradition that predated New Albion. In fact, such traditions were some of the reason why New Albion''s ancestors had been chased from the Old Kingdom, formerly known as England. The ''mad king'' had hated magic above all else, and three hundred years ago, he''d exiled anyone who practiced or worshipped it. Just before midnight, the line for coffee dwindled away almost entirely, leading Zach to ask, "What''s going on? Where''s everyone going?" "Ooh, the King must be doing his presentation soon!" Beebee said. Riley nodded in agreement. "You don''t want to miss that, Zach. Go with Beebee to check it out. I''ll watch the stall."
In the center clearing, surrounded by a ring of guards, stood a tall man. He had wavy brown hair that grazed the tops of his shoulders, and he wore black pants and a blue dress shirt like a merchant might wear. Only the golden crown on his head gave any indication that he was a king. Unlike the delicate tiara that Evelyn sometimes wore, the King''s crown was elaborate, solid, and decorated with bright blue and red gemstones. And Zach recognized its shape from every Crown coin he''d seen. "So that''s Evelyn''s father?" Zach whispered to Beebee. They were both standing on a stone bench so they could see over the crowd. "Yep. King Gildahart is a good man, and he''s very friendly, even to the castle staff." The King pressed his palms to his neck for a moment, then spoke, his voice far louder than any natural voice. "Hello, everyone! I''m happy to be here with you for yet another wonderful equinox celebration. Tonight, in a precious moment of peace, we celebrate magic and all it has given us. But no less important, we celebrate our community and our defenders." He waved an arm, pointing at all the guards around him. "These young men and women, along with thousands more Guards throughout the kingdom, fight against the monsters of the wilds so that the rest of us can know peace. On this equinox, they are able to return home to friends and family, and many have joined us at this very festival. Please keep them in your hearts as you enjoy the celebration, and as you return to your daily lives tomorrow." Near the center of the clearing, several small children were inching closer and closer to the King''s guards, as if expecting something. The King noticed them and smiled, then said, "It seems some of you are eager for the next part of the festivities, so I''ll move this along." He waved a hand over his head, causing small sparks of white light to shoot into the air. They flew a dozen or so feet in random directions before fizzling out. He took a deep breath and said, "Magic can be a spectacle, but we mustn''t forget that it is also our savior. When the Old Kingdom exiled our people to this continent, only the timely invention of Rider magic carried us safely through the wild Elven woods to this fair land. The combat magic of Mages defended us against monsters, Elves, and Lizardfolk. And Healers and Purifiers kept our people healthy and comfortable. Magic has given us those things and many more, and we must never forget that." Then King Gildahart went to one knee and pressed a fist to his forehead. Many in the audience followed suit. Zach and Beebee couldn''t really kneel where they were standing on a bench, so they just mimicked the fist-to-forehead part. Then the King said, "May mana protect us all." The audience echoed the same words at a low murmur, then the festival grounds grew quiet. The King broke the silence by saying, "Alright children, you''ve waited long enough. Gather around now." The young kids who had been creeping closer, along with dozens more from the crowd, all ran forward giggling and shouting. The guards let them through and the children clustered around the King, not the least bit intimidated by the regal man. He waded through the swarming kids to a marble statue upon a pillar, one of many scattered around the gardens. This statue was of a horse rearing back on its hind legs and it was perhaps four feet tall. King Gildahart pressed a hand to the side of the horse and closed his eyes in concentration, then the ground started to rumble. About twenty feet away in an empty clearing that was ringed by guards, the earth split open. Dirt and grass fell away as something pushed its way up from beneath: a column that was dark brown and textured like a tree''s bark, yet slightly shiny like polished wood. It grew and grew, reaching twenty feet tall in seconds, then the top fractured and branched out like a tree in every direction. All along the various branches, small buds appeared, hundreds in total. They grew rapidly, becoming tiny figures, miniature replicas of the horse statue in the same rearing pose. "Wow!" yelled one of the children, and much of the audience echoed the sentiment, including adults. Even with broader vocabularies, there weren''t many other words to describe the odd situation. Then the four-inch-tall horses started to drop from the strange ''tree'', landing safely on the soft grass below. Before anyone could react, the King proclaimed, "Please take one horse figure each, children. Any left over should go to parents to give to other children who couldn''t make it tonight, or already fell asleep." Then the gathered kids stampeded toward the tree and the guards scrambled to get out of their way. It was definitely chaos, but a joyous kind. "See? He''s a good man," Beebee said, smiling broadly. Zach was slow to react. He was a little stunned by the impressive display of what he assumed was physical augmentation magic. Though at that scale, a name like ''creation magic'' seemed more apt. He eventually said, "That was amazing. Does he do that every year?" "No, but he always creates something and always invites the kids to see it up close. You saw that he can make lights and change his voice with magic, but his speciality is definitely building. Last year he made all the marble pillars around the garden that the statues are on now." Beebee paused to watch the children play with their new souvenirs, then added, "This is the first time he made toys." "Maybe he''s feeling nostalgic about kids, now that his daughter''s back?" Zach mused. Then he said, "Wait, where is Evelyn? Wouldn''t it make sense for her to be here with the King?" Beebee shook her head. "Sorry, but I can''t tell you." Zach was more than a little curious and he guessed it could have been related to the thing with the water earlier, but he didn''t pry. Instead, he asked, "Shall we head back to the stall? People are going to be drifting back that way, and we shouldn''t leave Riley to deal with them all alone." "Oh, yes. Let''s hurry!" Beebee said, right back to her normal attitude.
The crowds thinned as the hours passed, but Zach''s Equinox Coffee kept selling steadily. Repeat customers came back for another pick-me-up and new customers visited as they got tired. By 3am, the stand was down to the last 10 gallon batch, and it was going fast. Of course, Zach, Riley, and Beebee had been drinking some themselves, because they really needed the caffeine to keep up with the festival crowds. "Here you go," Riley said as she held out some wooden skewers of grilled meat and vegetables toward Zach and Beebee. "I know it''s the same thing we had for dinner, but it''s one of the only food stalls still open." Zach took a skewer and shook his head. "It''s fine. These are tasty. Thanks for getting the food for us." "No problem. I''d rather not send Beebee out there anyway. The drunks are getting a little grabby." Indeed, some of the festival goers had been drinking for up to nine hours straight, and the guards couldn''t be everywhere all the time. The festival was intended to be family friendly, but very few families actually stayed all twelve hours until sunrise. The people that did stick around tended to get a little wilder as the morning went on. Beebee didn''t react to the comment about her, so she might not have heard. She absentmindedly thanked Riley for the food, then went back to selling coffee. For how hyperactive she could be, she really was good about staying focused on her task. Zach would have to mention it to Evelyn sometime. The trio ate their kabobs and returned to the now-familiar coffee selling routine for three more hours, until the coffee finally sold out around 6am. "Sorry sir," Beebee said to the last man in line after serving the person before him. "That was the last of our coffee." "Aww, alright. I''ve already had two cups, so I''m not too bothered," he said, then he wandered off, carrying a leather bag over his shoulder, filled with various souvenirs. Zach tipped the booth''s sign over and laid it flat on the table, then turned to Beebee and Riley. "Great work, you two. Now all that''s left is to get everything packed up, then I''ll pay you and you can head home." "You got it, boss," Beebee said. She still sounded cheerful, but her weary eyes showed how tired she really was. Together, they cleaned up their area, broke down the tent, and stacked everything for when Jay returned with his cart. Zach had scheduled that for 7am, which was fifteen minutes after sunrise and the formal end of the festival. Zach untied his backpack from the table leg, where it had been acting as the cashbox for the night. When he tried to lift it he almost fell over. It turned out that nearly 770 Harts weighed a lot. Some of it was in Crowns, but more customers had paid in Chips, putting the total number of coins back up over 800. For their 22 hours of labor, Zach counted out 44 Harts for Beebee and 66 for Riley and put them in small leather pouches. "Here you go. Thanks again for all your hard work," he said as he held out the bags. "The sun is up and I''m sure you''re tired and want some sleep, so I won''t keep you any longer." "You''re the one we should be thanking, Zach," Riley said. "This is a lot of money for a day''s work. Even the Guard doesn''t pay this well unless you''re a full-fledged Mage." Zach smiled. "That may be, but you earned this fair and square. Now get out of here, and be careful on the walk home." Beebee giggled. "We both live right there," she said, pointing at the massive castle that was directly connected to the gardens. Zach blinked sleepily. "Oh, I guess I never realized you actually lived in the castle. Oops." "''Fair and square'' and ''oops''? You have some strange sayings, Zach," Riley said. "And you still owe me some slang." "''Slang''? Is that a naughty thing, Riley? The Princess asked you to rein that in, remember?" Riley chuckled. "I got the impression that slang just means regional terminology. Is that right, Zach?" Zach scrunched his face in thought. "Close. What you said is closer to ''lingo''. Slang is really informal and sometimes rude. You probably wouldn''t want to use slang around your boss or an authority figure. And yes, a lot of it is naughty." Beebee smiled smugly up at Riley, not saying anything. Riley doubled down and said, "Excellent. Then I want you to teach me some really naughty slang." Then before Zach or Beebee could react, she waved and started away towards the non-public gate that connected to the castle. "I better go too. See you later, Zach!" Beebee said as she skipped off in the same direction. Jay arrived with his horse and cart shortly after. Zach and Jay worked together to get everything loaded on the cart, then they left the gardens through the main gate. It took another hour to return all the rented equipment and get back to the Hard Fought Rest. Zach shuffled through the common room, past a few people eating breakfast, and climbed the stairs to his room. He stepped inside, locked the door, then shed his clothes and sat on the bed. He checked that his hefty coin pouch was safe in his backpack and added all his previous money, including the extra Crown he had hidden away the day before. In total, he thought he had just over 800 Harts to his name, a nice increase over the 400 he''d received from Shen. I did it, he thought, I made it as a merchant in this new world. I''ve got a real future here. Satisfied, Zach tied the backpack closed and flopped over onto the bed sheets. The moment his head hit the pillow, he was out like a light and he instantly flipped to Denver. 25. Moving On On Sunday, it was mid-afternoon before Zach finally awoke. He had anticipated the need to sleep in after the all-night festival, so he turned off his alarm before going to New Albion. He sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. It worked, he thought. My business venture really worked. I have enough money in New Albion now to make meaningful investments, starting with funding a gold-mining expedition. But his success didn¡¯t make the upcoming decision any easier. Zach had a big call to make, but he couldn¡¯t handle it just yet. He procrastinated instead. He whipped up a simple meal in the kitchen and drank some of his prototype Equinox Coffee, even though he¡¯d started to tire of the taste after having so much at the festival. The coffee beans in this world were better, but the milk and sugar in New Albion were top notch. He put a note on the bottle of cold-brew concentrate saying that his roommates could have the rest. Then he studied for the upcoming week¡¯s lessons. He was reading a section of his Econ book about commodity futures when his train of thought went off on a tangent. The ¡®real¡¯ world¡¯s economy was vast, complicated, and dominated by major players like corporations. Zach could work his entire life as an economist or a day trader or anything else and never have a noticeable impact on it. Maybe he could help a company outpace its competitors or maybe he could get independently wealthy and live comfortably. Either way, history was unlikely to take note. But in New Albion, Zach had a chance to change the world. There¡¯s was an immature yet thriving economy where some concepts as simple as coupons had never taken off. There was just so much they¡¯d never tried, so many places Zach could have an impact. With his outside perspective and all of human history just a flip and a web search away, Zach could do more than make himself rich. He could make a difference. He could make that world a better place for the people there. And to do that, he just needed to put his life in this world on hold. He quickly clarified that thought. Not leave it behind entirely, but¡­ dial it back a bit. Maybe start spending one day a week here. Maybe drop from school, so I can stop stressing about it and spending so much time studying. And just like that, the decision was made. Zach would start moving on from this life, and focus on his other one. He put the textbook away and got out his checkbook. He wrote up three months¡¯ rent checks, paid for by his dad¡¯s life insurance payout, and put them in an envelope with a note to Matt. Then he texted his roommates that he¡¯d be going out of town a lot while he worked some things out. The harder parts came next. He dug deep into the university website until he found the page on deferring enrollment. Unlike dropping out, deferment would let him re-enroll easily in the future. He submitted a deferment request online, and since he was over 18 and paying the university directly himself, he didn¡¯t need parent permission. It had been a little painful when he checked the box that said, ¡°I acknowledge that I will be withdrawn from all current courses without credit or reimbursement. Upon resuming attendance, any required courses that were dropped will need to be retaken in full.¡± He texted Erin next, saying, ¡°I¡¯m dropping out for a while to deal with the same stuff that¡¯s been messing with my school schedule. You¡¯ll need a new study partner. I¡¯m sorry. We can still chat, but I¡¯ll be slow to respond to texts.¡± In the back of his mind, he had a feeling that Erin would be quite upset at him dropping out, and the way he handled it. There was more he wanted to say to her, about how she was a great friend and he felt like he was letting her down, but he couldn¡¯t find the words. Zach pushed those thoughts aside and checked his email for his mom¡¯s latest ¡®Where in the world is Jan Pike?¡¯ email. That was her playful way of keeping him posted on her international travel. It revealed that she was flying to Singapore for business, and she¡¯d just departed an hour ago. Since a phone call wasn¡¯t an option, he wrote her an email. It said, ¡°Hi mom, I hope you¡¯re well and having fun. I was going to call you, but I saw that you¡¯re on a plane again. I¡¯m sorry for not talking to you about this sooner, but I¡¯m going to defer my college enrollment for a semester or so while I deal with something that¡¯s been bothering me. I¡¯ve been too distracted to keep up with my classes anyway. There¡¯s something I feel I have to do. I can¡¯t really explain the whole situation, but I guess it¡¯s a sort of wanderlust. I figure you of all people would understand that. I¡¯ll be out of cell range most of the time, but I promise to check in with you at least every two weeks.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Love, Zach¡± He sent it, then cleaned up his room and turned off his various electronic devices. He climbed into bed and eventually fell asleep, unsure when he¡¯d return.
When Zach awoke in New Albion, he already knew what he needed to do. Before going to learn more about Bridges and other magic, before checking in with the Princess and telling her his new plans, and even before before investing in a gold mining expedition, Zach had to repay a debt. On his first day in this world, when he still thought it was a dream, he had borrowed clothes from a farmhouse family. That was 20 days ago, a long time for potentially poor people to go without a full set of clothing. Zach felt guilty for taking so long, but he never could bring himself to repay them until he could afford to do it right. He packed his backpack with the borrowed shirt, pants, and underwear, but the socks had been destroyed long ago. They¡¯d been hand washed and folded since the day he bought his own clothes. Then he tucked four coins into the bag¡¯s inner pocket. The rest of his money would stay safe in the inn. He was heading outside the walls, beyond the protection of the Guard, and he had no idea how risky it would be. Thieves definitely existed in this world, a fact he¡¯d learned from Nevin the mapmaker on his second day in New Albion. Zach cleaned up in the bathroom, got dressed in his nice clothes, and set out for the East Gate. It was just a short walk from the Hard Fought Rest to the gate and it wasn¡¯t long before he¡¯d crossed over from the city¡¯s cobblestone streets to the dusty dirt roads of the countryside. It looked just like it had three weeks ago. Wild grass that was more tan than green covered the low hills and moved with the light breeze in rippling waves. Occasional trees, mostly cottonwoods and pines, dotted the horizon and clustered around the rare stream or pond. Morning sunlight lit the scene in a warm orange that contrasted with the pale blue sky, clear of clouds. The only signs of humanity were the dirt road under Zach¡¯s feet and a fence in the distance. With Zach¡¯s updated knowledge, he could guess that the fence defined the edge of a cattle pasture, maybe even one belonging to the cousin that Eleanor the leatherworker had mentioned. He retraced the path that he had followed into town on his first day, keeping an eye out for anyone he could ask for directions. He brought¡¯d a Hart to give the woman who shared her apples with him, but he had no idea where she lived. Zach , so hefigured he could describe her to anyone he met and hopefully find his way to her. He reached the familiar farmhouse before spotting any other travelers. The garden plants had grown a bit and there weren¡¯t any clothes hanging on the line, but the house was definitely the same one. It was hard to mistake the pile of red flagstones that Zach had hidden behind to get dressed in stolen clothes. As he knocked on the weathered wood door, he thought, It¡¯s not a problem that I didn¡¯t see anyone on the way over. I¡¯ll just ask these people about her. The door opened and that thought was blown away entirely. A woman with sandy blonde hair and rosy cheeks stood there. It was the woman from that first day, the very one who had given him an apple. And apparently it had been her family he¡¯d borrowed the clothes from. Her eyes flicked over Zach¡¯s form, then she asked, ¡°Hello. Can I help you?¡± Ah, she must not recognize me in these nice clothes, Zach thought. He smiled and said, ¡°You already have. You gave me an apple a few weeks ago when I really needed it.¡± Her brow furrowed in a cute way, then a look of recognition came over her. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the young man I passed on the road into the city!¡± Zach nodded. ¡°Yes, and I¡¯m very thankful for the apple you gave me. And since you live here, I have another thing to tell you. I¡¯m the one that swiped your family¡¯s clothes off the line.¡± The woman blinked several times, then said, ¡°Really? I¡¯d thought the clothes you were wearing looked familiar.¡± ¡°Yes, that was me and I am very sorry. I left a note promising to repay you, so here¡­¡± With that, he set his backpack on the doorstep and pulled out a bundle of cleaned and folded clothes. He also grabbed the coins from the hidden inner pocket while he was in there. He presented the clothes and said, ¡°The socks didn¡¯t last, but I hope the money makes up for that.¡± As she took the clothes from him, he placed four coins on top, a Hart and three Crowns. ¡°The Hart is a thank you for the apple, and the three Crowns are for the socks, any wear and tear I put on the other clothes, and the interest I promised.¡± The woman looked down at the money, back up at Zach, and down again. Then she sputtered, ¡°N-no, that¡¯s too much. I can¡¯t accept that. We could buy a hundred pairs of socks with that, or brand new outfits for each of us, almost as nice as the one you¡¯re wearing!¡± Zach smiled. ¡°Spend it however you want. I borrowed those clothes without asking, and that could have caused you serious hardship. I owe you at least that much.¡± He paused, then added, ¡°And before you ask, I can¡¯t really explain how I came to need those clothes, since I don¡¯t fully understand myself. But I¡¯m incredibly thankful to you and your family.¡± The overwhelmed woman met Zach¡¯s eyes for a moment, then seemed to have an idea that made her smile from ear to ear. ¡°On that note, you should meet my family! Come inside for tea, or breakfast if you haven¡¯t eaten. We eat early so that Russell can check on the animals,¡± she said, rambling a bit. ¡°Umm, I don¡¯t want to impose¡­¡± Zach said, feeling nervousness bubble up inside. ¡°Nonsense!¡± she cheered. ¡°Someone as honest and generous as you is always welcome in our home.¡± Before Zach could react, she was pulling him by the hand into the house. She was strong and her hands were calloused. If ¡®Russel¡¯ tended the animals, she must have done some other heavy chores herself. ¡°I suppose I can stay for tea,¡± he said, no longer resisting her pull. ¡°Oh, and my name is Zach. I¡¯m a merchant and I¡¯m new to New Albion.¡± 25.5 Bonus Content Section 1: Images: North America, by territory: Story Landmarks: Scale of New Albion, with some Denver landmarks Character Images (repost): To help with my own writing, I used a character creator to make images of the girls of Other Side of the Bed. Princess Evelyn Gildahart: Alexia Stewart, Head Maid: Harmony, the Companion: Beebee (Phoebe Beasley), Junior Maid: Bethany Woods, Senior Maid: Riley Roth, Junior Maid and Mage in Training: Eloise, Junior Maid and ?: Erin, Zach''s friend in Denver Section 2: Information New Albion''s Economy:
Coin Value Buying power Value Examples Description
Hart 1H or 20C $5 A cheap meal, a good beer, or 1/2 a night at a cheap inn. A quarter-sized silvery-gold coin. Stamped on both sides with the King¡¯s logo, a deer with large antlers.
Chip 1/20H $0.25 An apple, or a shoe shine. A nickel-sized lightweight coppery coin. Stamped with a mountain on both sides.
Crown 20H $100 4 hours of a Rider''s service, a night in a nice inn, or custom fit leather shoes. The largest coin. Rich gold color with a dense silver rim, with an image of a castle on one side and a crown on the other.
Evy 50H $250 A fancy handmade dress, a set of silverware, or a passenger seat on a Bridge''s boat. The purest gold coin, though not the largest. Created to celebrate Princess Evelyn¡¯s return. Has a profile of her as an adult on one side and a front shot of her as a child on the other. Enchanted to be nearly indestructible and unfakeable.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Zach''s understanding of Magic:
Magic Type Function Career
Invocation Channels mana into the world to control the elements. Conjurer, Mage
Life Augmentation Boosts or modifies natural bodily functions, acting as magical stimulant or healing. Rider, Healer, ?
Physical Augmentation Creates simple matter out of mana, or separates different materials. Builder, Purifier
Connection Brings two people, places, or things together. Bridge, ??
Zach''s understanding of his "flipping" condition: At some point each night while he¡¯s asleep, he flips to the other world. If he doesn¡¯t sleep one night, it kicks in instantly the next time he sleeps. Every non-living thing attached to him leaves the world too. Only his body makes the jump all the way, with his other stuff held in limbo. If he¡¯s attached to another person when the flip would happen, the flip is fully canceled for the night. Zach guessed that this is because it can¡¯t pull another person with him, so it gives up. 26. Sabotaged Alexia walked down a grungy alleyway as she headed north from the riverbank that ran along the southern wall. Her leather boots were heavy with clinging muck and she left muddy footprints in her wake. She would have taken more effort to cover her tracks except they were lost amongst the thick weeds and rotting scraps that littered the disused alley. She took a high step onto a wooden deck, weathered and bare of paint except for a few stubborn flakes still holding on. The deck creaked under her weight but held steady; it had been built strong and wasn''t as old as it looked. Then she pressed her right palm on the center of the equally weathered door before her. She heard a faint click as the lock shifted, then she gently touched the door handle. With the magical trap and lock disabled, it turned smoothly under her fingers and she stepped through the doorway. She closed the door behind herself and the lock reengaged automatically. The inside of the small safe-house was pristine, if a bit plain. High windows covered by white curtains let in diffused sunlight that illuminated a large dresser, four utilitarian chairs, and a low table. A door on the left led to a kitchen stocked with preserved food, firewood, and sealed tanks of fresh water. To the right was a bathroom, and that was what Alexia was interested in. She hurried in that direction. There was a floor to ceiling mirror next to the sink and Alexia cringed when she saw herself in it. Her heavy leather work clothes, once a warm tan color, were now splattered with blackish muck from head to toe. Her hair was tucked up under a soft black cap with a short bill, just enough to hide her eyes. Smears of grease paint on her face made her look even dirtier, and had been carefully placed to make her face appear more masculine. She looked like a young man who''d just spent a long day dredging out sewers. Unfortunately, the second part was true. Alexia happily shed her foul-smelling clothes and dropped them unceremoniously in a wicker basket in the corner. Then she climbed into the porcelain tub that filled one end of the room. She turned a metal knob and magically pre-heated water poured in around her. The water was almost too hot, but it was the perfect temperature for her aching joints and muscles. It took a lot of scrubbing and soap, but she soon felt clean again, herself again. She wanted to keep soaking, to relax for the first time in days, but there was no time. She extracted herself from the tub, let it drain, and toweled herself off. Standing naked in the bathroom, Alexia carefully brushed and styled her still damp blonde hair into twin braids. The arid climate would serve to dry her hair the rest of the way. Then she took some supplies from a basket by the sink and did her makeup, mostly to hide the dark circles under her eyes. She stepped over her own muddy footprints to exit the bathroom and approached the long dresser that covered one wall of the main room. Each drawer held a pre-prepared outfit, underwear included, and all the ones on the bottom row were her size. She got dressed in a knee-length blue dress, with tall socks and a pair of low-top boots. A green leather jacket finished off the outfit, which made her look like the daughter of a merchant, more interested in casual fashion than elegance. The low table was covered with notes and other scraps of evidence, safely tucked away in pouches of waterproof oilcloth. There were glass vials of water, both clear and muddy, as well as maps, sketches, and a small jar containing a hacked-up piece of lung. Alexia had already used the clues in her investigation, but they might still have value. She gathered them all up in a leather bag, then hurried to the door. She spared a glance back at the mess she''d made of the safe-house: muddy boot prints on the floor, grime all over the bathroom''s nice porcelain surfaces, cosmetics still scattered near the sink. She hated leaving it like that, but she had more urgent matters to attend to. She needed to report on the results of her investigation of a terrifying incident with New Albion''s water supply. Hundreds of people had fallen ill, but most had been able to be healed by magic. Six people died, all very old or very young, before Alexia and the Guard finally tracked down the cause. After chasing every possible lead, they discovered two dead bodies inside two different water mains, suspended by heavy ropes in the current between the purification facility and the public. The bodies had both been guards, and they''d been poisoned with something potent enough that it had leached into the water and affected others, even before the bodies could decay. Alexia closed the door to the safe-house, making a mental note to send a trustworthy maid to clean it up, and pressed on towards the castle.
Alexia knocked on the door then entered the Princess''s chamber. Inside, she saw Princess Evelyn reclining on her bed in pale blue pajamas while Beebee stood upright by the bathroom door, patting out wrinkles from her apron. To use a term from the other world, it appeared that Beebee had been hanging out with the Princess before Alexia had arrived, likely lounging on the bed with her. Alexia didn''t fault Beebee for slacking. The Princess surely needed the company while confined to the innermost castle for several days during the poison investigation. The King didn''t dare let her outside while such a threat was rampant, even if quick action from the Guard and municipal health inspectors had managed to minimize the damage. They had also done an impressive job of keeping the whole ordeal under wraps which allowed the equinox festival to go off without a hitch. Evelyn sat up slowly and calmly, but her face bore evidence of conflicting emotions: happiness at seeing Alexia safe, and dread for the news she brought. Beebee''s interest in Alexia''s message was also obvious. Her brown eyes were wide and eager and she smiled at Alexia, up until Evelyn spoke. "Beebee, please wait at the bottom of the stairs while I speak to Alexia alone." Beebee visibly wilted, but she didn''t protest. "Yes, Princess," she said as she gathered her dress in her hands and skittered out the door. Once they were alone, Alexia tried to speak. "Princess Evelyn, uh, I¡­" Her voice caught in her throat. She knew what she needed to say, but that didn''t make it any easier. Running on nothing but adrenaline and fear during the days-long investigation, she''d witnessed some horrible things. Now that she stood before the Princess, exhausted and disheartened, she couldn''t find the words. "Take your time, Alexia," Evelyn said, gesturing for Alexia to sit at the table. She was always so patient, so kind. Alexia was again reminded of her fortune in being chosen by the Princess, on the brink of her forced retirement from the Guard. She''d been saved from a life of powerless frustration, destined to occupy the bed of a man she could never love, all so she could do her part and bear children for humanity''s future. Alexia started speaking again and the words came to her like a rising storm, a trickle that became a flood that she had fight to hold back. She said that six people had died from drinking poisoned water, revealed how she had tracked down the tainted water mains, and how she''d discovered the two dead soldiers deep under the city. She mentioned that she''d nearly lost another when he tried to grab a poisoned body with his bare hands. She''d barely stopped him in time. The poison definitely would have been fatal at that level of exposure.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. "I think it was the elves," she said, finally pausing for a breath. "I don''t have any proof, but I suppose the complete lack of any trace of the killer might be proof enough. No human could erase their tracks so perfectly." Even as Alexia said it, she doubted her words. No elves had been confirmed in the city for decades. That reclusive and hostile people had never been interested in diplomacy and did not send envoys of their own. The last time a human diplomat had been sent to elvish lands was 10 years prior, and his dead body had appeared one night in the middle of a fringe-territory Guard camp. A note had been pinned through his right eye that said to never send any humans into elvish lands again. Evelyn just nodded in understanding, then said, "Even if you aren''t sure who did it, you should report what you know to my father immediately. The King can decide what actions to take, like whether to go public about what happened with the poisoned water, and what to do for the families of the dead, civilians and guards both." "Yes, Princess," Alexia replied, standing up quickly. Too quickly. The world shrank away from her and her legs gave out as a sudden bout of lightheadedness overtook her. How long had it been since she''d eaten? Since she''d slept? When the blackness faded, Evelyn was at Alexia''s side, arms wrapped around her. Evelyn said, "You need to remember to take care of yourself." "It''s nothing. Just me being clumsy, " Alexia protested, but Evelyn didn''t let go. Alexia eventually yielded and accepted the warm embrace, knowing that it was one of love, just not the kind she desired most.
The next day, after Alexia had given her report to the King and got some much needed rest, she found herself alone with Princess Evelyn in her chambers. Evelyn sat at her table dressed in regal finery, having just come from a meeting with a wealthy merchant from the Gatehouse. The magic-hoarding organization remained as secretive as always, but royalty had a way of overriding their defenses. Evelyn propped her chin on her knuckles and said, "I''ve been thinking about Okwata lately. I want to visit the place my mother loved. The place she died." Alexia felt her throat tighten. Such a trip outside the capital would put the Princess in no small amount of danger. Even if they used a Bridge to travel the distance, the destination was a dangerous place. But Alexia had to admit that New Albion wasn''t particularly safe either. Whoever was behind the poisoning threat could strike again. Alexia swallowed those thoughts. She wanted to support the Princess, not sequester her like her father did. She said, "If you''re sure. I''m sure the kingdom would get diplomatic value out of it as well. News of your return will have reached all of Okwata by now, and the people there would love to see you, their connection to New Albion." Alexia remembered being told that twenty years ago, it had been cause for celebration when King Gildahart had taken the hand of Gwendolyn Tidestone in marriage and united Okwata and New Albion under the same banner. Later, after the visiting Queen had perished in the same storm that devastated her homeland, the people of Okwata had hoped that the passionate blood that ran on in the veins of her daughter could keep that connection strong. Their hopes had been dashed as the grieving King withdrew from the area entirely and left the shattered community to fend for itself. Alexia also knew that the Princess had been too young to remember the last time she''d visited the city of her mother''s birth, and that was before the storm. Would she like what she saw there now? Evelyn sat up straight, invigorated. "Father should be between meetings. Will you come with me to speak to him?" Pushing her mixed feelings aside, Alexia smiled. "Of course." They walked together through the castle to the royal hall. It was a massive room of white marble and dark polished wood. At the back was a raised dais and a throne made of bright gold and red silk. Dozens of towering pillars fanned outward before the throne with long benches in between, almost like a play-hall. The room had been designed to allow large numbers of the public to see the King as he attended to royal duties, such as hearing petitions or signing laws and treaties. At that moment, the royal hall held Alexia, the Princess, and the King, along with several figures hiding in the shadows and standing attention at the doors, the ever-present Vigil Regalis. Those masked guardsmen were the most elite soldiers plucked from the main Guard, and they had pledged to give their lives to defend the King from any threat. Alexia knew that some had made good on that promise. Alexia respected them, but she also hated them. She had been a top soldier during her time in the guard, and she could have been a Vigil Regalis¡­ if she''d been born a man. At 23 years old, her time in the guard had run out and she''d been expected to settle down and bear children. A woman''s life wasn''t her own again until her youngest child turned 16. As the Princess approached, the King stood from his throne, and set aside a book he''d been reading. He wore a heavy mantle of wolf fur and velvet, and of course his golden crown. "Evy! To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you today?" Evelyn blushed in embarrassment. "Father¡­ me visiting isn''t that rare." "Perhaps not, but it makes my day nonetheless." He approached and put an arm around Evelyn''s shoulders, squeezing tight. He was several inches taller than her, but the family resemblance was undeniable, particularly in their deep brown hair color and the shape of their noses, broad at the top and slightly pointed. Then he nodded at Alexia and said, "And Alexia as well. You''re looking better." Alexia gave a curtsey and said, "Yes, Your Highness. I''m feeling refreshed after some rest." That was a bit of an understatement. She''d been so exhausted after giving her report to the King that she''d immediately retreated to her quarters and slept nearly 12 hours. King Gildahart turned his warm brown eyes back to Evelyn. "So, what is it you want?" he asked, his tone warm and friendly. "Am I so transparent? Maybe I''m just here to visit," she said, but the King just chuckled in response. She admitted, "Fine, I do want something. I want to travel to Okwata." His eyes narrowed. "Why?" "To see the city that Mother loved, and to visit as a diplomat for New Albion," she answered. Then she started into a speech that sounded rehearsed, or at least had been on her mind for some time, "We need to keep a positive relationship with the people of Okwata. They grow more important to our economy every year, and our people would suffer if the official relationship took a turn for the worse. We''ve come to rely on all the sugar, fruit, and fish that come through their ports." And the coffee, Alexia thought. She''d heard about Zach''s successful business venture, and considering his connection to the other world, she expected him to have more successes like it in the future. Like it or not, Zach seemed to be here to stay. "And, like the kobolds who have helped us so much over the years by sharing their resources and knowledge, we should always be looking for more allies. Just in case¡­" Evelyn left unsaid the threat of the elves, but Alexia knew the Vigil Regalis guards in the room had the clearance to know of Alexia''s report. One had even been present when she''d given her report to the King. Evelyn continued with her argument, "Now is the among best times to visit as well. Autumn and winter are the safest times to go to Okwata, because the lizardfolk of the swamps will be less active. And the city rebuilt their walls long ago, so they are quite safe from monsters." When it was clear that she''d finished her impassioned plea, the King hummed in thought, then said, "I will think about it for the next day or two. In any case, you are only going if Alexia is there to protect you." Alexia twitched at that. Her importance had been recognized by the King, but that meant that the responsibility for the Princess''s safety would fall squarely on Alexia''s shoulders. It was a heavy burden to bear. Evelyn smiled. "Of course. I''d planned for her to come all along." She and her father both knew she''d need at least one maid with her to keep her from flipping, but they didn''t say it aloud. Even the Vigil Regalis weren''t permitted to know of the Princess''s situation. Knowledge of her magical condition had been kept to her personal maids only, and until Zach''s arrival even the maids hadn''t known the details. Alexia still didn''t understand the reason for Zach''s sudden appearance from the other world, but she couldn''t deny that it was bringing about change. Alexia considered it her duty to make sure that change wasn''t catastrophic. 27. Investment "So what do you think?" Zach asked as he set his leather-bound notebook back down on the small table. Inside were pages of notes and several rough maps related to his gold mining plans, all drawn from memory. He''d just given the Princess a quick presentation of his next financial venture so he could get her impression of it. He didn''t have anyone else to go to, since Evelyn was the only person who really understood where he was getting his otherworldly information. Evelyn let out a slow breath. "Well, I think it''s a solid idea, better than anything I''ve thought up since I came over. I don''t have easy access to information from the other side like you do." "But?" Zach asked. He could tell by her tone of voice and the way she started with ''well'' that she was about to reveal a problem with his plan. He wasn''t worried. He could adapt the plan to overcome a snag or two. "But you missed an important detail: in New Albion, all raw gold is owned by the kingdom. It''s to keep people from being able to counterfeit coins. If you go out and dig up that gold yourself, the Guard will seize it from you." "Oh." That was no minor snag. He had never considered that the King could just claim ownership of an entire natural resource. It made some sense now that he thought about it, but hindsight couldn''t return all his spent time and effort. "Damn," he said, his face falling into a deep frown. It wasn''t quite despair he was feeling, since he wasn''t financially ruined or anything, but his dark mood was obvious nonetheless. "Hold on," Evelyn said as she reached across the table and put her hand on Zach''s. "Don''t throw in the towel just yet. I had more to tell you." "Huh? What is it?" "If you go through the proper channels and coordinate with the kingdom, the government will buy your entire gold mine. New Albion needs the gold to mint more coins and they occasionally use it to barter with other kingdoms. A shipful of pure gold can buy much-needed allies in times of conflict." Zach was visibly relieved. "Alright, I''m feeling a bit better now. But what are those ''proper channels''?" "Well, they aren''t something just anyone can interact with." Evelyn''s lips formed a smug smile. "But I happen to know the kingdom''s expedition leader, the guy that picks all the new mine locations. I can put in a good word for you, if you want." "That''s wonderful! Thank you, Evelyn!" Zach said, jumping to his feet. Then he froze, one leg still bent. "Wait. You want something out of me in exchange, don''t you?" "Yep!" She smiled wider. "You''ll owe me a favor, to be cashed in on a future date." Of course, Zach thought, Evelyn''s been helping me a lot since I came here, but it''s not just out of kindness. She helped me control my flipping so that she could learn more about her own condition, and she''ll help me with my gold mining plan if I help her in return. Zach sat back down and said, "Fine, you''ve got a deal. When do you think I can meet with that expedition leader?" Evelyn hummed in thought for a moment, then said, "I should be able to talk to him this morning, if I''m quick. Then it''s all dependent on his schedule. You might be able to meet with him as early as this afternoon, but tomorrow is more likely. Can you be here tomorrow?" "As long as Riley can help me stay the night. I, uh, wrapped things up back home, so I can stay as often as needed." Evelyn nodded. "Sounds good. Return to the castle at two and a maid will let you know your meeting time."
When Zach approached the castle''s servant entrance just before two in the afternoon, he wasn''t feeling great. He''d spent the last few hours rehearsing his pitch and testing his memory of all the important details, just in case the meeting was that day. The stress upset his stomach too much to eat, so he''d skipped lunch. He rounded the corner and saw a familiar face awaiting him with wide brown eyes and a wider smile. "Hello, Zach!" Beebee cheered. "How have you been?" Her smile was contagious and Zach felt some of his nervousness fade away. He was still worried about the upcoming meeting, but it was a little better now. "Good, thanks. How about you? Spent any of your earnings yet?" "Nah, I''m saving that for the future." Then she lowered her voice and said, "I want to open a hair-styling business someday." "Oh, very nice. Sorry to cut to the chase, but do you have any news for me about the expedition leader?" "Ah, of course, sorry! He''s ready to meet you now." Zach blinked. "Like, right now?" He''d been expecting it to be later in the afternoon, or more likely the next day. "Yep! Follow me." Beebee led Zach to a meeting room near the municipal side of the castle complex. He assumed it was close from how far they''d walked and the sound of a fountain somewhere in the distance. The room was warm and intimate, lit by magical lamps high on the windowless walls. It held four plush chairs, a polished wood table with an inlaid granite surface, and a fully stocked liquor cabinet in the corner. It felt like the kind of room where serious matters were handled with casual ease by powerful people. Zach found it intimidating. Already seated in one of the chairs with a glass of dark liquid in one hand was a tall, burly man. He had a huge brown beard and wild curly hair that clashed with his well-tailored slacks and dress jacket. "Good luck!" Beebee said quietly. Then she closed the door behind herself, sealing Zach in with the imposing man. Zach strode forward with as much confidence as he could muster and the man stood up. The man was even bigger than he''d first appeared with nearly a foot of height over Zach. "You must be Zach Pike," the man said in a deep voice and light accent. It sounded vaguely Scandinavian, but not in any specific way Zach could pick out. Zach also noticed that the man knew Zach''s last name, which he hadn''t told to many. The people of New Albion didn''t seem to include their last names in first introductions and Zach unconsciously followed suit. "I am. It''s nice to meet you, um¡­" "The name''s Stal, and I''m the kingdom''s expedition leader," the man said as he reached out and grabbed Zach''s offered wrist. Stal''s hand was just as big as the rest of him and it completely dwarfed Zach''s. "Good to meet you. Now I understand you''ve got an idea to sell me, and it''s even got the Princess''s support." Stal sat back down in his chair, which creaked under his weight, then said, "Sit down, pour yourself a drink if you fancy, and tell me this idea." He gestured at a bottle of dark coppery liquid in the center of the table. Zach picked the chair directly across from Stal and sat. He eyed the bottle and wondered if he should indulge. It might calm his nerves and help him loosen up, but it could also make him sloppy or forgetful, and he had no idea how strong the liquor was. I''ll just try a little bit. Since it''s in this fancy room in the royal castle, it must be good stuff, Zach told himself as he poured just a little of the drink into a glass. Stal watched Zach''s actions closely, but his face was unreadable.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Zach lifted the glass to his lips and took a cautious sip. It smelled like old oak and campfire smoke, but it tasted like rich caramel and burning fire. He fought back the urge to cough and said, "Whew, that''s strong stuff." Stal burst into laughter. "Hahaha, yeah it is! But it''s my favorite. I respect any human that can drink it straight like that. Good on you, Zach." Zach''s face scrunched up in visible confusion. "Human?" "Ah, I''ve got jotun blood in my veins, a few generations back. Gives me some advantages, particularly in the cold of the mountains, but it costs me a fortune every time I want to get drunk." As Zach was about to ask what exactly a jotun was, Stal added, "Sorry about the distraction. Go ahead and tell me your idea. If it''s as good as I hope, I want to get an expedition rolling sooner than later." "Oh, of course. Well, I know of a place about 40 miles straight west of here where there should be a lot of gold. There are flakes of it in the rivers, but the real value is in massive veins of gold ore not far underground. I want to sell the information to the kingdom. That''s how it works, right?" Stal nodded slowly. His facial expression was neutral, but his blue eyes were sparkling. "Yeah, if I like your idea, we''ll investigate it and pay you based on the findings. I''ve headed dozens of mining and exploration expeditions, but never in that particular area. Can you tell me anything else about how you know of this place?" Now the hard part. Thankfully the Princess told me what to say, Zach thought, then he said, "I got the information with magic. I can''t go into specifics, but Princess Evelyn can vouch for my methods." "So you''ve never been there yourself?" Zach shook his head. "No, I haven''t." "Have you seen any gold mined from there?" "No." Stal sighed. "I know the Princess endorsed you, but I have to weigh that against my budget and the safety of my men, you know. You really can''t give me any more information?" "I can draw a map for you, or point it out on one, and I can show you the best places to mine, down to the yard." That got Stal''s attention. He reached under the table and withdrew a long leather tube from a large leather bag. The tube looked a lot like Zach''s map case except much higher quality. Compared to this one Zach''s was obviously made by an amateur. Stal uncapped it and pulled out a map which he unfurled on the table. "Can you point out your place for me?" he said. Zach was slow to respond as he took in the unusual map. Unlike the maps Zach had bought for himself, the mountains on this one had a surprising amount of detail, as much as a digital topographical map from back home. He searched for New Albion to get his bearings, but that was complicated by the fact that all the text was in a strange language Zach didn''t recognize. "Sorry, it''s taking me a bit to read this map. What language is this?" "Kobold," Stal grunted. "Very few humans have learned it, but the kobolds who visit us manage to learn King''s Speech well enough. And they like to pick out new names that are easy for us to say, nature words like Pine or Cliff." "Ahh," Zach replied as he searched for recognizable landmarks. He wanted to know more about the kobolds, but he needed to focus on the map. "Aha, here we go," he said once he found Clear Creek, the river that connected the Idaho Springs area to Denver. In Zach''s world it also provided the route for Interstate 70, all the way up to the Continental Divide. From there, it was easy to find the valley site of his mining claim. The landscape was exactly as Zach expected and it perfectly matched the details he''d memorized. He pointed with one finger and said, "Right here. This is the main area, but there are more veins a bit further north in Cen¡ª I mean in this other valley." Stal said, "You should thank mana, Zach, because your mine site is within human territory. Much further west and it would be in kobold domain, which would be too inconvenient to justify the expedition. The kobolds don''t care much about gold, but they require mines to have minimal impact on the surface wildlife and they demand any interesting ores found on their land, which drags the gold-mining process to a halt." Stal leaned back in his chair, took another swig of his powerful liquor, and said, "As for why they want ''em, rumor has it their metalworking skill is so far beyond ours it makes our best smiths look like children banging rocks together." Zach kept quiet about that. He was pretty sure his world was even further progressed. Modern metal refining would be unbelievable to the people of this world, superior even to their actual magic. He took another sip of his drink, then immediately regretted it. The alcohol content must have been well over 100 proof. After he could breathe again, Zach said, "So, are you interested? Like I said, I can give you specific locations of some gold veins, including depth from the surface." "Hmm, it''s certainly tempting. But if you''re wrong, I''m down a lot of Harts. It isn''t cheap, paying for guards to accompany the digging crew to protect us from monsters." It looked like Zach wasn''t going to convince Stal without risking something in return. He said, "I can fund the expedition, at least in part. I can put up to 700 Harts on the line." Stal smiled. "Not bad at all. If we do strike gold the kingdom will buy the mine from you for a nice price, at least ten times that investment, if the mine''s just a little one." "What if it''s bigger?" Zach asked. The original Idaho Springs discovery was no average gold mine; it was an entire region of densely packed gold veins. It had effectively started the entire Colorado gold rush, and the area continued to output gold ore for well over 100 years. "If it''s bigger, well, I can approve at most 20,000 Harts up front. And if the mine ends up producing a particularly high volume, we''ll pay you residual payments based on what we actually mine from it. No sense paying a fortune for gold we never manage to dig up." Zach''s heart was pounding. The initial estimate of 7,000 Harts could fund Zach for a few years if he was thrifty, but 20,000 was almost too much to comprehend. At $5 per Hart, that was $100,000 US dollars. With that kind of money, he could start his own company, or buy a major stake in an existing one. "Um, not to be untrusting, but do we sign a contract or something?" Stal nodded firmly. "Of course. This map is a copy, so we can mark up your claim on the front and write up our terms on the back. I''m in this line of work for the adventure, not the money, so the terms will be fair." Then Stal pulled a pen and ink from his bag under the table and offered them to Zach. "I assume you are able to mark out your claim right now?" Zach nodded. He had his notes with him to reference, and he had written them when the details had been freshest in his memory. For the next 30 minutes, Zach carefully labeled several points on the front of the map, then added specific details like depth and distance from landmarks on the back. He also made sure to mark the outer boundary of his claim such that it included the entire Central City area, a place that had been nicknamed ''The Richest Square Mile on Earth''. The nickname was well deserved too; in its first 100 years of operation, the area had produced over 200 tons of refined gold. When he was done Zach had detailed five specific mines all ordered in estimated value. He knew of many more mines within his claimed area, but he could refresh his information about them on a future day after this plan succeeded. If it succeeded. He still wasn''t 100% sure that the ore deposits would match up. The two worlds were clearly parallel, but with key differences. If the presence of mana had somehow changed the way that volcanic forces had formed the Rocky Mountains without changing their outward appearance then Zach was about to waste most of his money. Stal wrote up a contract with less legal jargon than Zach had expected, and they both signed it. For the price of 700 Harts it granted Zach payment rights to the gold mined within his claim, but it didn''t give him actual ownership of the gold or any rights to the surface. The land was still considered un-homesteaded land within the kingdom of New Albion. Unexpected mining costs could be deducted from his earnings, but a nice perk of doing business directly with the government was that Zach wouldn''t pay any taxes on the payment he received. Zach and Stal raised a toast to the business deal, then Stal said, "I''ll get this filed with the Land and Resource department. Your first payment will be after we confirm the presence of gold, in a month or two." Zach''s alcohol-assisted grin faded as Stal''s words sunk in. "Really? That long?" Stal nodded. "Yeah, winter is approaching, so we''ll need extra time to prepare for the journey, in case we get caught in a storm. The good news is that labor is cheaper this time of year. Even the mages and purifiers we''ll need are short on work." "Ah, of course," Zach said. He had already paid Stal the promised sum, leaving Zach with less than 100 Harts to his name. At two Harts a night, his inn costs alone could burn through that before the first payment came in. Zach''s thoughts were elsewhere as he said goodbye to Stal and left the room. He got lost in the halls for a bit until he stumbled upon the big fountain with its four marble figures in the center. The last time he''d seen it, he''d had no idea who the dog-like people were, but now he would bet money they were kobolds. If he had any money to bet, that is. New Albion seemed to have a really good relationship with the kobolds, but he still hadn''t seen one in person. Stal, with his jotun ancestry, was the closest thing to a non-human Zach had encountered. For a fantasy world, there really isn''t that much fantastic stuff happening. I''ve seen conjurers light lamps, and that magic display at the festival scared the crap out of me, but that''s it. That line of thought was soon overpowered by Zach''s concern for his financial future. He needed to find another way to make money, and selling coffee again wasn''t an option. He didn''t have a festival to bring people to his stand or the money to fund it. He passed the fountain and left through the public exit, but he didn''t head for the Hard Fought Rest. He made his way around the outside of the castle back to the servant entrance. The path Beebee had taken him on would have been faster, but he didn''t think he was allowed to travel those halls unattended, and he wasn''t sure he remembered the way. Zach had decided to return to the Princess while he figured out his next financial venture. He would tell her how the meeting went, and ask for advice on what to do next, even if it did mean owing her another favor. 28. Invitation Zach walked the familiar path in a daze. He''d been reasonably wealthy for a few days, but after investing most of his money in that gold mining expedition, he had less than 100 Harts to his name. He needed another source of income to get him through the month or two until the investment paid off. If it paid off¡­ Before he knew it, he was within sight of the castle''s servant entrance. He approached the two guards standing by the door at the end of the alleyway. "Ah, it''s you again," said one with a deep, gravelly voice. "I''ll go find a maid." The man went through the castle''s heavy door, leaving Zach alone with the other guard. Up close like that, Zach could just barely make out eyes through the guard''s helmet. Sparkling green, with long eyelashes, Zach thought. Is this guard a woman? It''s always so hard to tell through their bulky armor. "What''s your deal, anyway?" the guard suddenly asked. The voice was definitely feminine. "Oh, sorry for staring like that¡­" "No, I mean, why do you keep visiting three times a week? And you always meet with the Princess''s private maids," she said, her voice light and curious. Zach blinked at her while he thought. She must have been stationed at this door often, to have noticed the patterns. "Ah, well¡­ Sorry, but I don''t think I can answer that," he started, then he got an idea. "But you can ask Alexia. She''d know what I''m allowed to share." "Alexia," the guard said. "She''s doing alright for herself, given her¡­ issues." "What issues? You mean how harsh she always is?" Zach thought that her harshness was actually an asset in her position. She had a lot of responsibility on her shoulders, protecting the Princess against possible threats. "I mean her skew. Everyone in the unit suspected she wasn''t normal, but it never got in the way of her work. Then instead of retiring and settling down, she went and caused an uproar. She''s lucky she wasn''t exiled." "Retiring? Isn''t she our age?" The woman looked Zach up and down. "You''re what, 18? I''m 20, so I''ve got a couple more years in the Guard to find a good man. At 23, Alexia should¡ª" She cut off mid sentence as the heavy door creaked open again. The other guard had returned, along with Beebee. "Hello again, Zach!" Beebee cheered. "How''d your meeting go with Stal? Sorry I didn''t wait around. I was needed elsewhere." "Hi, Beebee. It went well, but I need to talk to the Princess, if that''s alright." "Sure. She''s in her room. Come on up." With a come-along gesture, Beebee turned back inside the castle. Zach gave a little wave to the guard he''d been chatting with, then followed Beebee inside. As the door closed behind them, he overheard the other guard say, "What was that wave about, Jen?"
"Good afternoon, Princess," Zach said as he entered the Princess''s tower room. Like always, the entire space was decorated with expensive luxuries and everything was perfectly organized and pristine. Beebee followed in after, then waited by the doorway. "Just call me Evelyn, please," Evelyn responded from where she sat on the foot of her bed. She wore a cerulean dress with long lace-trimmed sleeves. Her vibrant brown hair was up in a complex weave held by numerous pearl hairpins, except for long strands framing her face. "And good afternoon to you, too. I hope your meeting with Stal went well?" Zach took a seat at the empty tea table and said, "As good as it could have gone, I think. It will take a month or two to pay dividends, so I was actually hoping to talk to you for advice on what to do next." Evelyn twirled a lock of hair around a finger. "Hmm, I''m sorry to say this, but I really don''t have any advice to give you. I''ve never lived as a regular person here in New Albion, and I don''t have many general skills either. I never got to attend any college classes, remember?"You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. "Ah, right. You just seem to have everything under control, so I thought¡­" "My maids have everything under control. I''m just fortunate to have them around." At that, Beebee smiled wide and bounced on her toes. She was always a pretty cheerful person, but being praised by Evelyn made her absolutely giddy. Then Evelyn said, "I actually have something I need to tell you, Zach. I''m going to be traveling soon, leaving town for several weeks. I''ll be visiting Okwata on a diplomatic mission, to strengthen our alliance with them. We need allies now more than ever with the city under attack." "What?! We''re under attack?!" Zach blurted so loud it echoed back down from the high ceiling. Evelyn leaned forward. "Quiet. It''s not to leave this room, but someone killed two guards and poisoned two water mains. A lot of people got sick, and six more died." Zach turned to look at Beebee. He thought back to the equinox festival, when she refused to talk about the water supply or where Alexia was. Beebee winced. "Sorry I couldn''t explain earlier." Evelyn said, "Wait, she said something about the investigation? Beebee¡­" Zach quickly said, "No, not at all. The health inspector at the festival said some strange things regarding water, but Beebee refused to tell us anything." "Hmm, alright," the Princess said, but she could guess that Beebee had let something slip through her body language. Evelyn looked at her and said, "Good work, Beebee. It wasn''t your fault you overheard talk of the attack, so thank you for keeping it secret." Just then, they heard the sound of footsteps outside in the stairway. The door opened and Alexia stepped inside. She wore a frilly black and white maid outfit and looked annoyed, even more than usual. "Don''t mind me," she said. "I just need to get away from people for a few minutes. I tried the bath, but Riley of all people was in¡ª" She went silent as she noticed Zach for the first time. He was sitting in plain sight in the middle of the room, so Alexia must have been really out of sorts to have missed him. "Ah. You''re here," Alexia said flatly. "Sorry," Zach said. "I can leave if you want." Evelyn shook her head. "No, stay." She turned to Alexia and said, "We were talking about my plans to go to Okwata." Alexia nodded, then sat down in a rocking chair in the corner, as far from the others as possible. She looked pretty frazzled and Zach wondered if it was related to the poison attack on New Albion. Given her absence the last several days, it seemed safe to assume she had been helping with the investigation. Evelyn said, "I wanted to tell you my plans, Zach, since my absence could affect your ability to stay in this world. I can arrange in advance for a maid to stay with you, if needed." "Oh, thank you. That''s very thoughtful of you. But I have a question¡­" He paused while he decided on the phrasing to use, then said, "Are you traveling with an entourage? It seems like royalty would always travel with guards and officials and¡ª" Alexia interrupted, "You want to come along?" Zach felt his face grow hot, "Only if it isn''t an inconvenience. I do want to see more of the world, and make new business connections. Maybe there''s opportunity waiting for me in Okwata¡­" Alexia crossed her arms and said, "Good. I was going to ask you to come regardless." The other three people in the room all stared at her in disbelief. Zach in particular was stunned and gaping, since Alexia seemed to hate him. "Huh?" he started. "Why would you want me to come along?" She answered, "If Princess Evelyn insists on going to Okwata, the more trustworthy people with us the better. And I want you around so that if Evelyn ever flips to your world, whether on accident or to escape capture, you can follow and find her there." Zach blinked a few times. Alexia''s reasoning was certainly well thought out, but he was still surprised to hear her call him trustworthy. Alexia fixed him with a piercing gaze. "If you agree to flip on my command, you can come. And we''ll fund the entire trip. I doubt you could afford it otherwise." "Why do you say that, Alexia?" Beebee asked. "Zach made a lot of money at the equinox festival. We were really successful!" Alexia scoffed. "Then he went and spent it all on funding a gold-mining expedition. By my estimate, he can afford his room at the inn for a while but not much else." Zach swallowed. Alexia was making it clear that she knew everything that went on in the castle and that he couldn''t hide anything from her. She was scary, but also the kind of person he wanted on his side. He smiled and said, "I agree to your terms. The Princess''s safety is important to me too." Alexia gave him a strange look, wavering between accusation and satisfaction, then nodded. Evelyn smiled as she said, "Wonderful! I still need to finalize the list of guards and other diplomats who will be traveling with us, but we should be leaving the day after tomorrow. Be sure to wrap up anything here in New Albion, because we won''t be back for a couple weeks at the minimum." "You got it," Zach said. Now that he thought about it, he didn''t really have many loose ends to worry about. He would just need to let Stal know that he''d be out of town for a while, then check out of his room at the Hard Fought Rest. Other than that, his only close connections were Evelyn and her maids, and he assumed they''d all be coming along too. "Oh, how long will it take to travel there?" he asked. Assuming Okwata was in the same spot as New Orleans, it was 1,300 miles from New Albion. During the trip Zach and Evelyn would need to make sure to sleep on solid ground, in case they accidentally flipped. It would terrible to fall asleep on a boat, then return the next night to the same spot over a raging river. Evelyn smiled. "Faster than the TSA line at the airport. We''ll be taking a Bridge." 29. New Horizons "You called for me, Princess?" Riley asked as she stepped into the Princess''s tower room. She''d just finished a wonderful midday visit to the steam baths and her hair was still wet. She would have liked it if Alexia had joined her in the bath for some conversation, or if Riley was lucky and Alexia finally loosened up, for some fooling around. At least the solitary relaxation was nice and now Riley felt renewed and ready for her evening work shift. "That''s right," Princess Evelyn said with a nod that sent the twin strands of hair that framed her face swinging. The hairstyle looked great on her and Riley wondered if Beebee had styled it. "I have a request for you, and I apologize in advance for how inconvenient it will be." Riley smiled. Evelyn really was kind, always asking and apologizing when she could just order people around. "Oh, I''m sure it won''t be a problem. What would you like?" "I''m leaving on a trip to Okwata soon, and I''d like you to come along. Zach will be joining us, and you''d be staying with him at night to keep him from flipping." Riley blinked, then opened her mouth, then closed it. She spent a second to gather her thoughts then said, "Don''t take this wrong, but¡­ why me over the other maids?" Evelyn answered, "Alexia will be by my side, Bethany needs to stay here to manage the other castle staff, and Eloise has an important task that will keep her here in the castle. That just leaves you and Beebee. I invited her too, but she declined, saying she wasn''t in a good mental state to visit her birthplace right now." "Ah." Riley could understand Beebee''s choice. All the maids were careful not to bring up the subject around Beebee, since she was still so affected by what happened. The poor girl had been only three years old when the hurricane took her home and much of her extended family. Riley swallowed, tried to ignore the heat in her cheeks, and said, "Alright, I''ll accompany you and Zach. It will be fun to spend more time with him." Her face got even hotter and she quickly added, "I just mean as a friend. He''s a good friend." It wasn''t like Riley didn''t find him handsome, but the thought of any intimacy with a man was a little overwhelming. She couldn''t fully understand what her heart wanted, but she was sure that running from it wasn''t going to help. "Thanks, Riley," Evelyn said with a smile. "We''re leaving by Bridge the day after tomorrow. Oh, and if you wanted to bring any library books along to keep up your magic studies, let me know." The Grand Library didn''t normally allow citizens to borrow books for more than a week and it definitely didn''t let them take books outside the city, but the Princess was an exception. She''d used her privileges to borrow books for Riley in the past, yet another way the Princess showed her kindness.
Everyone in the departing group had two days to prepare for the journey. Some needed that time more than others. Zach decided to visit Denver, since it might be weeks before he''d be able to flip without affecting the Princess''s travel schedule. When he awoke in his apartment, he was tempted to try to visit his friend Erin but she was surely busy with school, and he got a sickly, guilty feeling in his gut whenever he thought about seeing her in person. Instead he spent the morning inside doing some internet research on New Orleans and its history. He had the ability to get information from this world and bring it to the other, so he figured he might as well use it. It didn''t take long to figure out why New Orleans had been so devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Not only had some of the city been built below sea level, but almost all of it was below the level of the neighboring Mississippi River. Even with modern man-made levees, heavy rainfall and rising waters were significant dangers to the city. The location of Okwata wasn''t exactly the same and the people of that world likely hadn''t drained swampland to build below sea level, but the storm had devastated the city just the same. After growing bored of the depressing research, Zach rode around town on his bike, enjoyed some junky fast food while sitting in the park, then watched a movie in his bedroom. Anything to keep from thinking to hard about the half of his life he''d chosen to leave behind. All in all, it was normal day for a normal person, but it would be Zach''s last one for a while. He was pretty sure he was okay with that. He turned in just after sunset so he could wake up early in New Albion and finish preparing for the trip. Back in New Albion, things had not been so calm. Throughout the castle, the royal guard was busy mobilizing the unit that would accompany the Princess, and her maids frantically gathered the clothes and jewelry Evelyn would need to wear during her stay. It was considered impolite for someone so wealthy to wear the same attire to multiple social events close together, so they packed over a dozen full outfits. As the Princess''s personal assistant, Alexia would need to dress up for those events as well. While she wasn''t the type to desire elegant clothes for herself, she was was no stranger to dressing the part during missions. She packed her own bags with several dresses and a half dozen sets of jewelry. If she included hairstyle variations, she''d have plenty of unique outfits to wear. Then she went to check in on the royal guard. She wanted to personally review the list of accompanying guards to ensure it contained only men and women she could trust. A high ranking guard captain named Randolph had hand-picked the guards, but when it came to the Princess''s safety, Alexia outranked him and had the final say. "Who is this?" Alexia asked the guard-captain, pointing to the tenth and final name on the scroll. "Jen Willowby?" Randolph was a tall man with short cropped black hair and thick eyebrows. Handsome, but slightly intimidating. He said, "She is assigned to the castle, working the servant entrance. I believe she was in your unit during your final year in the Guard." "Ah, I remember her now," Alexia said. If Jen had been in Alexia''s unit, that meant she knew about Alexia''s graceless exit from the Guard. There was a chance that it would affect Jen''s respect for Alexia, but their shared history made Jen a safer choice than a complete unknown. Alexia rolled up the scroll and handed it back to the captain. "This list is good. Please have the team packed and ready at 10AM. We''ll travel by escorted carriage to the docks and depart the city at noon." Out of habit, Randolph''s hand snapped up toward his brow to salute, but he stopped partway. Alexia wasn''t quite his superior and she was no longer in the guard, so he wasn''t sure what the correct response was. Alexia cracked a small smile and said, "No need to salute, but it''s nice to see I can still inspire that reaction in people." He lowered the hand and said, "Of course. I''ll personally see that the group is ready on time. Have a good night, Alexia." "You too, Randolph." He was one of the good ones, a guard that cared about the people and a job well done more than the petty jockeying for power that plagued the Guard. Alexia had tried to fight against it, but the male-dominated infrastructure of the Guard had strongly opposed her. She''d lost the battle, almost lost everything, but it had drawn the attention of the newly returned Princess. Alexia was the first woman selected by Evelyn to be one of her maids, and Alexia had then sought out the others. At Evelyn''s request, Alexia gathered women who didn''t fit society''s mold, who deviated a bit too far from their expected roles, and she gave them a home and a purpose. To what end, Alexia didn''t fully know, but she was eternally thankful to Evelyn nonetheless.
Zach felt out of place in about ten different ways. He was dressed like a middle-class merchant in a crowd of armored guards, maids in frilly dresses, and diplomats in silk and velvet. And in the middle of that crowd was the Princess, dressed more regally than he had ever seen and sparkling in the sunlight. It was the first time he''d ever seen her outdoors, and her hair shone beautifully, like it absorbed the sun and returned it infused with the taste of milk chocolate.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Zach shook his head to clear that strange thought, likely caused by his hunger. He really should have eaten lunch before coming to the docks, but he had been too worried about making it on time. He checked in with Alexia and was told to wait within line of sight while the ferry-like ship was loaded with cargo. Tax evaluators would review the value of the shipment, then passengers would board after that. So, he stood in the shade cast by a tall warehouse and he watched the guards work. They loaded crates of food, dozens of trunks of clothing, and one metal safe so heavy it took four men to pull it across level ground. As Zach was wondering how they''d get it up the ramp onto the ship, a large crane swung into view. The guards and some dockhands secured the safe to the crane, then gave the signal to lift it into the air. It moved slowly, with two men guiding it, then was lowered into the ship''s hold through a hatch in the deck. Once the crane had been unfastened and withdrawn and a man in a stuffy-looking doublet vest had finished his inspection, a guard whistled loudly and announced, "Cargo loading is complete. Passenger boarding begins now. Line up by me." Zach joined the loose line of guards and servants, and he noticed that Alexia was standing at the front next to the guard who had been calling the shots. It seemed that no one was allowed on the ship until both Alexia and the guard-captain approved of their presence. The line moved quickly and soon Zach was at the front. "This is Zach Pike," Alexia told the guard captain, "Friend of the Princess." The man nodded and checked off a line on a scroll, then Alexia turned to Zach and said, "You''ll be sitting by Riley in the rear section. Seat 22." "Oh, okay. Thanks," Zach said clumsily, then he climbed the long wooden ramp and set foot on the ship. He''d never been on such a large boat before, and definitely none quite like this. It looked a bit like a stereotypical pirate ship with its masts removed, or like a modern ferry with a raised cabin and helm stuck on top. Since it had no sails, Zach assumed it was powered by magic. He quickly found the stairs down to the passenger seating and was surprised by how much like an airplane cabin it felt. Rows of cushioned chairs filled the space, all pointing toward the front of the ship, and there were numbers carved into the wooden armrests to indicate the assigned seats. Zach found seat 22 in the back corner of the room, two seats from the far wall. He sat down, then noticed something underneath him and stood up again. "You''re going to want to fasten that strap across your lap," Riley said behind him. She had been a few people back in the boarding line and now she was right behind him. "You''ll want it tight so you can''t get left behind when the boat goes through the Bridge." Zach moved the seat belt-like strap out from under him and secured it across his lap and into a slot on the chair. "Thanks for the help, Riley. This is all pretty new to me. Back home we have something like it, but it''s also really different." "It''s new to me too, you know," she said as she sat down in the seat to Zach''s right. "This will be my first time traveling by Bridge." As Zach and Riley spoke, guards and others from the Princess''s entourage filed in and took seats nearby, but most seats remained open. For tighter security, the King had booked the entire ship for the Princess''s group. Given what little Zach knew about Bridges, buying that many seats must have cost a small fortune. "Nervous?" Zach asked Riley. He certainly was, as irrational as that was. He had flown in a metal tube propelled by jet fuel to speeds of 500 miles per hour while thousands of feet in the air. A quick trip through a magic portal in a sturdy boat should have felt safer than that. "A little," she said. "But I''m excited too." Before she could say any more, two people approached their row of seats. "Sorry, but we need to get past you." Zach and Riley both turned to see Alexia with Princess Evelyn. Zach pulled his knees in to make room and mumbled, "Oh, no problem." He was honestly surprised to see the Princess down with the other passengers. He''d expected her to ride in first class, or some fantasy equivalent. The two women scooted by and Evelyn''s luxurious silk dress brushed against Zach''s legs. Alexia passed next and he felt her knee bump into his. "Sorr¡ª," he started, but he cut off when Alexia sat down in the seat next to him. Even if she did seem to trust him more, he wasn''t looking forward to being stuck in such close quarters with her. Alexia looked him in the eye. "Don''t worry. It won''t be for long," she said, as if she''d read his mind. "We''ll be departing momentarily, if the Bridge is having a good day." "Huh? Why would having a good day matter?" Alexia lowered her voice to avoid spooking the other passengers, then said, "It requires immense focus to keep the portal open long enough for an entire ship to go through. A mistake could bring catastrophe, with the ship cut in half and sinking in two different ports." "A-ah, I see," Zach said slowly, terror plain on his face. Alexia sat back in her chair looking perfectly relaxed. "So we don''t depart until the Bridge is good and ready. Sometimes the trip gets rescheduled rather than risk it." Then she smiled and added, "Sorry for scaring you. I forgot how easily you startle." "It''s okay. I appreciate the information," he said, unsure if Alexia was trying to be friendly or just poking fun at Zach''s overreactions. Two loud knocks echoed through the wooden ship, then a magically amplified voice said, "We are departing in two minutes. Everyone must sit down and secure themselves with the waist strap. Once you are secure, check that the passengers to your left and right have done the same. This is not optional. Failure to secure yourself during transit through the Bridge can result in death." The look of terror returned and Alexia had to stifle a giggle. She patted Zach''s left knee and said, "It''s fine. No one has actually died that way. Worst case, you get dropped in the water. There''s a shore crew waiting outside just in case." Zach glanced to his right and saw a worried look on Riley''s face. She''d heard what Alexia had said about the ship getting cut in half and was looking a bit spooked by it. He offered a hand and Riley quickly grabbed it. "Thanks," she whispered. Then the boat bobbed and a low hum filled the room. When Zach was about to ask if that was from the Bridge spell, a bright light appeared ahead of them. The portal filled the room from floor to ceiling like a glass window filled with neon blue light. The ripple of pure mana moved smoothly over the cargo and empty seats, then it swept over Zach''s row. It flowed through his body, feeling familiar and welcome and distant, like the memory of the embrace of a family member. It reminded him of the dreams he''d had since he was a child, the ones about New Albion. But it brought to mind one particular memory that he had mostly forgotten. Now it was back and perfectly clear, playing in his head as vivid as a dream. Zach had been standing in a field of green grass, wearing a t-shirt and jean shorts. A young girl in a too-large hoodie was holding his hand. She was crying and she looked scared. She kept trying to speak, but she was too emotional to get many words out. Zach was just a child himself and didn''t know what to do, so he just hugged her. She seemed comforted and she hugged him back, her small arms tight around his back. Then he felt a wave of warmth flow through him, familiar yet unlike anything he''d ever felt before. He nerves tingled with the energy, then it passed. Zach held the girl until he heard a voice calling for him. He gently pulled loose of her grasp and said, "Sorry, but I have to go. I hope you feel better soon." The girl frowned, but she didn''t resist. She glanced down at the grey hoodie she wore, then back up at Zach. "What about this garment?" she said, the first full sentence she''d managed to say since they met. Zach smiled. "You can keep it. My dad has a bunch just like it." The hoodie had a screen-printed logo on the front that said ''Pike''s Bikes''. Behind the text was a bright green silhouette of a mountain bike over an orange sunset. The girl nodded, but she still looked lost and worried. Zach felt bad about leaving her, but he needed to get back to his mom before she got upset. They were going to go to Zach''s favorite restaurant that night, and he didn''t want to give his parents an excuse to cancel. He didn''t understand why they didn''t like going to Casa Bonita; it was like an amusement park and restaurant all in one, with caves and mines and even an arcade! "Bye!" Zach said as he ran off in the direction of his mother''s voice. He hoped he''d see the girl again, but he never did get her name.
"Princess Evelyn! Something''s wrong with Zach!" It was Riley''s voice, frantic. Something''s wrong with me? Zach thought, but the words were slow in his head and he couldn''t see anything. He tried to open his eyes, but he couldn''t make heads or tails of what he saw. Everything was a kaleidoscope of overlapping light and faces. "Zach? Are you okay? Talk to me," Evelyn said. She sounded worried. Zach was lost in a fog of thoughts and blurry images. He felt warm pressure on both of his hands. Comforting. He tried to reply, but time slipped through his grasp. It felt like hours passed before the outside world broke through again. "I brought the Bridge." That was Alexia''s voice. Hands grabbed Zach''s cheeks and an unfamiliar face got too close. Zach tried to flee but he couldn''t get his muscles to cooperate. After a couple seconds, the face pulled back. That let more light into Zach''s overwhelmed eyes and he winced in pain. A gruff voice said, "Ah, this happens to some first-time travelers. Give him a few minutes and he''ll be fine." Zach''s head lolled from side to side and he couldn''t get his eyes to focus. "Sir, you''re sure this isn''t a problem?" Alexia said. Was that worry in her voice? "Yes, I''m sure. It''s just link sickness, rare but harmless. I see a case of it every month or so, and I felt it myself the first time I took a Bridge. Link sickness does have a silver lining: affected people turn out to be better than average at connection magic. With training, of course." Evelyn said, "Oh, now that you mention it, I think this happened to me as a child. I''d completely forgotten." The man said, "Oh, that''s exciting, Princess. Have you considered talking to the Gatehouse? I''m sure they''d let you in." Zach finally focused his eyes enough to see Evelyn''s knowing smile as she said, "I''ve thought about it." 30. Desolation "Ugh, sorry about that," Zach mumbled as Riley helped him walk on unsteady legs. She had to hold much of his weight as he climbed the stairs out of the ship''s passenger area, but at least he could finally focus his eyes and think straight. "It''s not your fault," Riley replied. "Link sickness just happens to some people. From what that Bridge said, it''s because you have a strong affinity for connection magic. That''s a cool thing, right?" Zach smiled at her awkward use of ''cool''. He''d spent enough time around the Princess''s maids that they''d picked up some of his modern-world lingo. The Princess had learned a lot of it during her years in the other world, but she''d been far more careful with her speech since her return and hadn''t propagated any slang, at least as far as Zach knew. He said, "Yeah, it is pretty cool. Since I got to this world, I''ve wondered in the back of my mind if I would be able to do magic, but I wasn''t confident enough to look into it. But now that I''ve got proof that I could be good at it, maybe I will." Riley smiled, then said, "Don''t go thinking it''d be easy though. It takes extensive training to do magic well. I even brought some books on this trip so I can keep up my studies and stay on track to being a mage someday." "Oh, you''re not satisfied with being a conjurer forever?" Zach asked with a grin. "Making ice and lighting up lamps for the rest of my life? No thanks. I want to be an adventurer, defending the edges of civilization against monsters." "Whoa, that''s exciting. How come you never mentioned this before?" Riley shrugged. "It didn''t seem like a reasonable dream. But now that I''ve traveled thousands of miles outside of the kingdom like this¡­ that dream feels possible now." Zach opened his mouth to reply then closed it when he saw his surroundings. They had reached the deck of the ship and Zach could finally see the city of Okwata. He stood about 15 feet above the waterline and had a clear view of the city, but he would definitely not describe the view as ''good''. From the far riverbank to a massive lake in the distance, Zach saw nothing but ruin, just brick walls and wooden beams jutting out of the vibrant green swamp. Vines and small trees had grown on the old structures and reclaimed them for nature. Many of the buildings had once been painted white but most of the paint had chipped and weathered away, revealing the raw red brick beneath. Stagnant water was visible between the buildings, where roads had once been. "Oh damn," Zach breathed. Riley''s reaction was similar. "People still live here?!" "Yes. They had nowhere else to go," Alexia said as she stepped up to Zach''s side. "But it''s not as bad as it looks. You''re looking at northern Okwata. The portion they rebuilt is behind you." Zach spun around and faced what he assumed was south. On this side of the river, the city looked much different. Some streets were still flooded and old buildings lay in ruin at the fringes, but new construction stood out prominently. Entire houses and multi-story buildings had been constructed over the old wreckage, built on solid stone platforms too massive to have been placed without magic. Stone bridges connected the raised structures, providing travel over the swampy land below. Zach could see people walking from building to building or paddling small boats through the flooded alleyways. The sun was bright overhead but puddles on the high ground and dark clouds in the distance suggested that it had recently rained quite heavily and the city''s current flooded state wasn''t necessarily the norm. Beyond the rebuilt city, a grey stone wall at least four stories tall ran from the river to the sea, protecting the city from land-based threats. It was smaller than the Gwendolyn Wall back in New Albion but it was nonetheless an impressive feat of magic or engineering. Zach needed help again to get down the long ramp to the dock, but Riley seemed happy to help. By the time they reached level ground, the Princess had joined them. Now she had a simple shawl covering up her regal dress. "This way," Alexia said, pointing down the boardwalk. "We''re staying in the Grand Hotel in the new city center, a short walk from here. A carriage would draw too much attention to us, so our luggage will be moved in later." Princess Evelyn seemed equally shocked by the terrible state of Okwata, but she was better at hiding it than Zach and Riley. She smiled and said, "I''ve been told the city center is very nice." Zach and Riley nodded and followed Alexia and the Princess. Four guards in muted leather armor wordlessly fell in behind. The rest of the guards had already accompanied the other diplomats and their servants while Zach had been suffering from link sickness. The road from the dock followed a natural ridgeline of raised earth as long as possible, then rose up on a stonework bridge twenty feet wide. Beggars and passersby stared at the group of visitors but none of them recognized Princess Evelyn. While the Evy coins that featured her face were sometimes used in trades outside of New Albion, these people were far too poor to have ever seen one. As they got deeper into the city, the architecture changed. Simple square brick buildings gave way to brightly painted towers with rounded corners and terracotta shingle rooftops. Zach thought the walls looked like poured concrete, but it was hard to tell under all the paint.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Alexia pointed to a massive building that sat squat and pretentious in the path of the main road, forcing it to divert around. A crowd of hundreds of people and carts filled the road as it arced around the structure. "That''s the Grand Hotel. There''s a street market just outside, but I advise against eating anything outside the hotel. And watch your valuables." "The lady''s got some good advice." Alexia spun around to face a robed stranger standing in their midst. He had greasy black hair and a pointed goatee and his eyes were dark and sunken. He was tall, muscled, and did not look friendly at all. Where''d this guy come from? And how''d he get past the guards? Zach thought as he glanced around, looking for their guard escort. He saw them fifteen feet away, being swarmed by dozens of beggars dressed in rags and asking for money. The man spoke again, "But I''ve got even better advice. Give me your valuables, so I don''t hafta kill ya." He grinned, showing a mouth missing several teeth. The ones that remained were dark and crooked. Then he lifted a hand from under his robes, holding a glinting dagger nearly ten inches long. He thought the group of three women and a scrawny man would be easy marks. He was dead wrong. In the blink of an eye and with a sickening crack, the man''s wrist was limp and twisted in an unnatural way and Alexia had the dagger pressed to his throat. To Zach''s left, Riley stepped between the man and Evelyn, then dropped into a combat stance. Like all the Princess''s maids, she had trained with Alexia for situations just like this one. "Did you pay those beggars to distract our guards?" Alexia hissed into the man''s ear. "Answer me now, or you bleed out on the cobblestones." "Ah! Yes, I paid them! Who the hell are you?!" the man cried, clearly in great pain. Alexia didn''t care in the least. She pressed the knife closer to his neck while she repositioned and wrenched the man''s unbroken arm up behind his back. She had him fully incapacitated, despite the hundred pounds and a half-foot of height he had over her. Alexia turned to Zach and said, "Get our guards over here. Kick the beggars in the face if you have to. They accepted the risk when they took this cretin''s offer." "Yes ma''am!" Zach replied automatically, even though he had no idea what exactly he would need to do. He turned and ran toward the guards. Thankfully, he found the beggars already scattering. They must have seen that the mugging attempt had failed. Zach returned with the four guards seconds later. One of the guards said, "I apologize for the lapse in our protection. I''ll take full responsi¡ª" Alexia cut him off. "Apologize later. All four of you, take this man to the guard barracks three blocks east. Watch your backs in case he has friends." Once the man was safely held by the guards, she glanced at Zach and Riley and said, "Let''s move."
Back in New Albion, Eloise sat alone in the Princess''s bedroom. On the table before her was a notebook open to a blank page and a pen at the ready. She tapped one foot on the floor and twirled a long black curl of hair around one finger. She was fretting. The Princess should have contacted her by now. "Eloise? Can you hear me?" The voice sounded like it was right behind her, but it was actually in her head. It was the product of the Farspeak spell, the most basic of connection magic. It used a personal bond between people to send the user''s voice to another, regardless of distance. However, it only worked if both participants knew the spell, and due to the Gatehouse''s monopoly on connection magic, very few had the knowledge. "Yes, I can hear you!" Eloise blurted, then lowered her voice and said, "Sorry, Princess. That was probably painful." From 1300 miles away, Evelyn whispered, "It''s okay. I''m the one who should be apologizing. I must have worried you." Eloise let out a breath and felt herself relaxing, at least a little. "But you''re safe? That''s what matters." She couldn''t live with herself if the Princess came to harm on this mission after Eloise helped convince the King to allow it. Her ability to keep in touch with Evelyn was crucial to the King''s decision to let the Princess leave the kingdom. "Yes. We had a bit of a scare with an attempted mugging, but Alexia handled it. Uh, don''t mention that to Father if you can¡­" Eloise felt her pulse quicken at that, but she trusted Princess Evelyn. If she said she was okay, she was okay. "Alright, but if you come to any actual harm, I have to tell him." "Of course. I guess I''ll deliver my report now," Evelyn said. "We''re safely checked in at the Grand Hotel and their private security force will be coordinating with our guards so we have 24 hour coverage. All members of the entourage are accounted for and booked into adjacent rooms on the private top floor." Eloise jotted that down in her notebook, then asked, "And have you made contact with their diplomats?" "Not yet. A messenger was sent to the governor''s palace, but we haven''t heard back yet." "Governor? That''s what they have instead of a king?" Eloise asked. "That''s right. The citizens elected him two years ago. I''ve heard nothing but good things about him." "As if they''d let a foreign ruler hear anything else," Eloise grumbled. "Eloise¡­ remember to watch your tone." "Yes, my apologies, Princess." Evelyn chuckled. "I don''t mind it, but I worry that you''ll get yourself into trouble again." Again. The word pricked at Eloise, as if it was her own fault that that terrible man had ruined her life. He''d been a monster, a tyrant. Standing up to him was the right thing to do, and sugar-coating her words wouldn''t have saved her career in the Gatehouse. She shook her head and soldiered on. "Of course, Princess. Do you have anything else to report?" "No. I''ll check in again at sunrise, which I guess will be even earlier for you." "Huh? What do you mean?" Eloise asked. "Hmm, I don''t know this world''s words for it, but I''ll try to explain. Because I''m further east now, I''m closer to the sunrise so I''ll see it about an hour before you." "Ah, I think I understand." It was surely something Eloise would''ve already learned, if she''d been allowed to continue her magic education. Instead, she''d been thrown on the streets and banned from ever working as a Gatehouse-sanctioned Farspeaker, let alone as a Bridge. Her dream had been crushed and her reputation destroyed forever. All for refusing a marriage proposal from a man who treated her like his property, like a gemstone to be polished, paraded, and possessed. Eloise felt her jaw tighten at the memory. Once, she would have felt sorrow. Now only fury remained. But the Princess gave Eloise a chance and hired her as a maid, and even found a way to put her unlicensed Farspeaker skills to use. Evelyn had used her status as Princess to force the Gatehouse to teach her the spell, so she could communicate with Eloise anytime, anywhere. They spoke often that way, when Evelyn couldn''t sleep or while Eloise was doing mindless chores. Eloise was actually smiling for once as she said, "Have a good night, Princess, and make sure to enjoy yourself." "I will, especially if I can convince Alexia to let me see one of Okwata''s famous musical plays. Good night, Eloise." 31. Connections The day after their arrival, the Princess and her entourage set to work. They traveled together to the governor''s mansion, where the other diplomats split off to work with lower-level government officials. Princess Evelyn, Zach, Riley, and Alexia went to meet directly with the governor, a man named Barrus. "Welcome to my office, Your Highness," Barrus said with a bow. He had thinning brown hair, deep set eyes, and broad shoulders. He had been strong and handsome in his youth, but he wore his years hard. "Please have a seat, and your companions as well." Evelyn nodded, then turned to her left. "These are Riley and Alexia, my personal maids." Then she gestured to the right. "And this is my economic advisor, Zach." Zach had not been expecting to be introduced at all, let alone as the Princess''s advisor. As his jaw dropped open, Evelyn made sure to draw attention off of him. As Evelyn took a seat, she said, "Your office has quite the comfortable atmosphere. I am impressed." The room was furnished with an elegant mix of light and dark wood, all polished to a sheen, with a half-dozen plush chairs arranged around the massive desk at the center. Zach took a seat to Evelyn''s right but Alexia and Evelyn just stood at attention by the door. They seemed used to it. Barrus smiled. "Agreed, but I can''t take credit. The previous governor had it decorated and I didn''t see any need to change it when I was elected. And besides, this room is downright unremarkable compared to your visit." Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "No need for flattery, Barrus." "I assure you it''s heartfelt, Princess. I''m very happy to meet you, and excited by what your visit could mean for our lands. I had the privilege of meeting your mother on one of her visits. She loved this city, and believed in its people." He paused for a second, a sad smile on his weathered face. "It''s been a hard climb, but we''ve come far since the storm." Evelyn said, "I can see that. But I don''t think you''ve reached the end of your city''s journey." "Ah, that''s too true. I visited New Albion a few years ago, when I was just another merchant instead of some big time governor. New Albion put Okwata to shame. Almost no crime and safety for all citizens, even beyond the city walls. I''d love to make Okwata as great, but¡­" He trailed off, perhaps unwilling to admit his country''s weaknesses to a foreign monarch. "Speak to me, Barrus. If you share your city''s problems, I may be able to help you solve them." Barrus chuckled. "You''re quite the clever negotiator, Princess. Even when I can see what you''re up to, I don''t mind your approach. It''s true that my city has problems that you might be able to help with, but I fear what you''d want in return. What can our struggling land possibly offer to New Albion?" "Nothing it couldn''t safely spare. New Albion wants to facilitate free trade between our countries. No more costly inspections, no more tariffs." Barrus furrowed his brow. "Much of my budget comes from those tariffs. I''d have to raise taxes on my citizens to compensate, and that''s a surefire way to lose the next election. Public opinion is a cruel master." Evelyn smiled. "We recognize that, and we''re prepared to cover all lost revenue with payments of gold." "Perhaps you''re too clever for me, Princess. I have no idea what you expect to gain from this." Evelyn leaned forward and lowered her voice. "Allies, brethren that we can count on. A port in a storm, so to speak. And you''d get the same from us." Barrus narrowed his eyes. "You want to buy an alliance? We''re a country of merchants, not mercenaries. And we aren''t soldiers." "Wars aren''t fought by soldiers alone. There''s a phrase I rather like: ''An army marches on its stomach''. It originally referred to the importance of food supply, but it can be applied to all forms of supplies. New Albion is landlocked and relies heavily on Okwata for trade. I want to make sure we can continue to rely on you in the future." Barrus rubbed his hands together nervously. "War on the horizon, hmm¡­ Alright. I guess I can work with this. You want to help me solve some problems? Here are some problems." Barrus proceeded to list off issues Okwata was trying to deal with, from muggings in the streets to merchants losing confidence in their trade deals with the Southlands. That one was particularly dangerous for Okwata, which dealt heavily in Southlands goods. "Perishable food is seen as too volatile a market. Good fruit rots on the docks waiting on the whims of nobles in New Albion or Abyssinia or Britannia." The Princess narrowed her eyes and leaned forward. With menace in her voice, she said, "Am I to understand that Okwata is actively trading with Britannia?" Barrus immediately bowed deeply until his forehead was nearly on the table. "I misspoke. Forgive me, Princess Evelyn, and allow me to explain." Evelyn leaned back and nodded for him to continue. With a relieved breath, Barrus said, "I assure you that the embargo against the Old Kingdom holds strong. We never trade directly with them. But we are subject to the ebb and flow of the world markets, and we cannot deny their impact." Evelyn visibly relaxed. "Very well. I already have some ideas in mind to solve your issues. Any concrete details you can provide to my advisor, such as figures and estimations, would be appreciated." "Of course. I can have a report delivered to your residence within 24 hours." He smiled and added, "On that note, I trust the Grand Hotel is living up to your expectations?" Evelyn smiled and stood up. "It''s quite amenable," she said, understating it a bit. The hotel rooms were nearly as nice as her royal chambers and the baths were comparable to those in the castle. Even the food was as diverse and delicious as the best the castle kitchens could offer. "Thank you for the hospitality. Now if you''ll excuse us, we have an afternoon show to attend. I''ve heard great things about Okwata''s theatre industry."
To Zach and Riley''s delight, they were invited along to the show. The walk to the theatre district was a little tense after the previous night''s robbery attempt, but Alexia insisted that hiring a carriage would draw too much attention. Horses were quite rare in Okwata compared to New Albion, likely due to the local transport industry favoring Bridges and boats over Riders and horses. The theatre was a massive and sturdy building that had made it through the great storm relatively unscathed. Alexia had already coordinated their arrival through a special side entrance and the four VIP guests were ushered to a private balcony that had a great view of the stage over the general seating below. Zach took a seat and immediately noticed that the audience was very diverse. Regular working-class peasants and dock workers filled out the general seats while people wearing impressive wealth sat in the other private balconies. In one such overlook was a group of four people with very dark skin, clad in numerous gold amulets and bracelets. Riley whispered to Alexia, "Who are they? And are they human?" The exotic group looked unlike anyone she''d ever seen before, with skin even darker than the deep tan of the Southlands. Alexia replied, "They''re human, just with naturally dark skin and hair. Based on their wealth, I''d guess they''re Abyssinians, but they could be from South Cape or Kongo. In any case, they''re almost certainly from the continent of Kemetha." Impressed, Riley said, "They came such a long way for this show." Zach leaned close and asked Evelyn, "Kemetha is Africa in this world?" "Yes. It''s even more dense with mana than North America, meaning more monsters and non-human races, and fewer humans. The three countries that Alexia listed are the only human settlements on the entire continent, and they''re all smaller than New Albion."Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. The show started not long after. It was a musical tragedy set in the early days of Okwata''s history, and it was about a teenage girl who fell for a sea captain and ran away to join his crew. She stowed away on his ship and remained undiscovered until they were too far from land to turn back. The captain was merciful and let her join the crew until the ship returned to Okwata. The ship faced many trials and tribulations at sea, including the crushing loss of the captain''s first mate to a monster attack. On the journey back, having proved herself as a capable crewmember, the girl confessed that she loved the captain. Then in a dramatic moment, the captain was revealed to be a woman in disguise. She had abandoned her old life after a bad marriage and took to the sea as a daring explorer of the uncharted world. The girl said she didn''t care that the captain was a woman. She loved her all the same. Zach was pulled from the immersive story by movement in the seats below. Several people had risen from their seats and left the theatre in a huff. He could make out a few heated words, including ''skew'', which seemed to be this world''s derogatory word for homosexuality. Within seconds, theatre employees in elegant suits and white gloves escorted the upset patrons from the theatre and Zach returned his attention to the stage. The girl and captain decided they would get married when they returned to port, but the girl''s father found out. As a battle-hardened mage, he had already disapproved of his daughter''s desire to abandon her magical training, but he was absolutely enraged to learn that she had been lead astray from the path of life. Mankind was at war with the monsters of the wilds and it was every woman''s sacred duty to bear children and keep humanity''s ranks filled. The girl''s father snapped. While the wedding ceremony took place on the captain''s ship, he conjured an impressive fire spell and attacked the ship, killing everyone on it. He was tried for the murder of the crew and wedding guests, but he was never charged for the death of his daughter. The court determined that he had been driven insane by her actions and the accumulated stress of his career as a monster-fighting mage. In any case, he was deemed too dangerous to imprison and was sentenced to death. When the play ended and the cast returned to the stage to bow, Evelyn was in tears. She made no effort to hide them. As she dabbed them away with a handkerchief, she whispered to Zach, "At least homosexuality is getting some representation in Okwata, even if it ends in tragedy. In New Albion, no one will even speak of it." Zach turned to see Alexia and Riley''s reactions. Riley looked lost in thought, an intense look of consideration on her face. Alexia was as stone faced as always, but she had one hand on Evelyn''s back, rubbing gently. They four didn''t speak about the play until they had returned to the Grand Hotel. Evelyn invited Riley and Zach to join her and Alexia in their room, and she requested dinner to be delivered there from the kitchens. When they were all seated around the room''s dining table and their meal had arrived, Evelyn cleared her throat, then said, "I think it''s about time that I explained something to the three of you. I''ll tell the other maids myself when I get home, or have Eloise relay my words." Riley looked puzzled, but Alexia sat up in rapt attention. Zach just nodded and waited to see where this was going. "As soon as I returned to this world, I realized something that upset me deeply, and not just because it affected me personally. People who don''t love the so-called ''correct'' gender are treated terribly in New Albion, even worse than they were where I grew up in Zach''s world." She took a deep breath, then continued, "But I also realized that I had the power to do something about it." Riley blurted, "You said it affected you too? You''re sk¡ª" She cut herself off, not daring to use such an offensive term to describe the Princess. "I''m gay," Evelyn said with a slight nod at Zach. She had heard about him teaching Beebee the word and she to approved. Then she smiled mischievously. "But that doesn''t mean I''m interested in your bathtime escapades, Riley. I can''t risk the rumors." Riley''s pale and freckled cheeks flushed pure red and she stammered, "P-Princess! I would never dare!" Zach was stunned, but it did make some sense, especially when he thought back to the letter from Evelyn''s roommate. Evelyn being true to herself would be difficult indeed. Meanwhile, Alexia was completely quiet. Had she already known? Evelyn resumed, "With my power as a Princess, I hired women who had run into trouble due to New Albion''s flawed expectations, including women who had refused to marry or bear children for other reasons. I needed allies on my side while I pondered how to somehow change the culture of an entire country." She looked at Zach. "Just like in your world, New Albion''s biggest opposition to homosexuality comes from tradition. Mankind has struggled for two-thousand years to survive monster attacks, losing lives with terrifying frequency. In the early days, they needed women to bear many children to keep the population steady. But now that isn''t nearly as necessary. In fact, if New Albion''s population kept growing at that early rate, we''d soon be unable to feed the kingdom with current farming technology." Zach nodded. "So what is your plan then? How are you going to overcome generations of tradition?" Evelyn''s eyes lit up. "That''s where our visit to Okwata comes in. Tradition has less sway here because the people are exposed to people and ideas from all over the world. Like that play we just saw. Its author knew that gay people exist and that their stories need to be told. I just need to bring that culture to New Albion." Alexia finally spoke, her voice soft and unusually unsure, "But you told Barrus we wanted reduced tariffs and allies in case of war." "I did, but both of those things support the blending of our cultures, much like my mother marrying my father had." Evelyn sat up straight and set her face in a firm expression. She looked every bit a Princess as she said, "I will use my power for good. I will change this world for the better."
The next morning, they gathered in Evelyn''s room again. Stacks of paper covered the table: information delivered by the governor''s assistants. Zach, Evelyn, Riley, and Alexia spent the day digging through it all. "If any of you have any ideas, let me know," Evelyn said. She looked at Zach and added, "You especially. Put your other-world economics knowledge to use." Zach nodded firmly. "You got it." He started by reviewing all the problems that Barrus had outlined. On top of the issues with muggings and Southland trades that Barrus had already shared, powerful merchants held monopolies over certain ports, because it was too risky for another Bridge to make the sea journey there, which was a requirement for the Bridge spell. That gave them power over prices on some goods, choking out fair competition. A related problem involved the prices of basic foods and necessities. Something as simple as a loaf of bread could vary in price by an order of magnitude, even within a single month. That prompted hoarding and panic from the populace, and created gaps for unscrupulous merchants to make huge profits. Additionally, fair merchants faced risk of ruin whenever they dealt in perishable goods. If the supply and demand didn''t align, good food would spoil by the ship-load, unable to find a buyer. Due to the price of Bridges, it wasn''t feasible to move it to another land where it could be sold. Zach said, "Hmm, I''ve definitely got some ideas, things that worked for the people of my world. Getting people to actually adopt them might be impossible, though." Evelyn grinned. "You underestimate the power of the ruling class in this world. The right spark from my hand can start a wildfire, so to speak. So what are your ideas?" "I don''t have any experience in law enforcement, so I''ll leave the mugging topic to Alexia, but for the other problems, there''s a single thing that could make a big impact: marine insurance." Riley and Alexia barely reacted, since they had no idea what that meant. Evelyn quirked an eyebrow and said, "I''ve heard the term, but I don''t know what it is." "It''s just like any other kind of insurance in my world. A bunch of people pay money into a pool, with the guarantee that if they run into disaster, the pool will cover the cost and save them from financial ruin. There''s always a risk of people trying to abuse it with false claims, but the positives outweigh the negatives. Back home, insurance companies provide a lot of stability, and still manage to make a profit. If we don''t want profit to be a motivator, the government could fund it." He continued, "Marine insurance would cover the loss of a ship due to weather or attack, or the loss of a shipment due to rot. With that protection, Bridges could justify traveling to other ports to break up those monopolies. And, the general reliability the insurance provides and the free market should stabilize the fluctuating prices. If that isn''t enough, Barrus could pass a law against profiteering on basic necessities." Evelyn blinked. "Wow, that''s some good stuff, Zach." Even Alexia looked impressed. She said, "And you said this worked for your world?" "Yep. Marine insurance has been around in some form for over 2,000 years, but it really took off in the 1600s. We didn''t have anything like Bridges, but people still transport goods by boat all the time without much worry." After that, Zach documented as many specifics as he could remember on how early marine insurance worked, with some modern improvements. While he worked, the girls came up with some ideas of their own to solve other problems. While the people of Okwata may have thought of similar things in the past, they''d never had the power or confidence to see them through to fruition. "How about a farming co-op?" Evelyn asked. "Lots of farmers can pool their goods and share the risk, so that a bad crop doesn''t ruin a farmer''s life. Zach''s world and New Albion both have things like that." Riley nodded. "I like that idea. On a related note, I was thinking about a food buying program, where the government will buy unsold food that would otherwise go bad, then use it to feed the poor." Zach looked up from his notebook and interjected. "Good idea. But instead of buying it, it could be a donation thing. The merchant donates all their unsold food and gets a tax credit from the government. Lower management costs that way, and harder to abuse." "Wow, you really do know a lot about this, Zach," Riley said with a flirty smile. "Only what I learned in school, and I wasn''t even close to finishing my degree when I dropped out." Riley leaned closer and put a hand on Zach''s. "Oh, is that like my mage classes? I don''t know much about your world. Can you tell me more?" Alexia saw where that was going and rolled her eyes. At least they''d finished a solid amount of work before Riley went all flirty and derailed everything. 32. Give It Time Zach spent another two weeks in Okwata, along with the Princess and her entire entourage. The group was focused on putting their new initiatives into effect to help the city, but they spared some time to relax and play tourist too. Their presence had become well known among the street merchants outside the Grand Hotel, who scrambled to be the first to sell their trinkets to the wealthy out-of-towners. As Zach and Evelyn traveled to meet with Barrus, a crowd of beggars approached them, drawn by their high class clothing. But as soon they noticed the guards that escorted the pair, several of the beggars hid their faces and slinked away into the shadows. Grifters and muggers had learned to stay away from these particular visitors, lest they be arrested in short order. In his office, Barrus reviewed Zach and Evelyn¡¯s final proposals, written out in several large portfolios. He wholeheartedly approved of the plans, but he warned that implementing them would take considerable time, especially if there was any public opposition. Barrus rubbed his stubbled chin as he said, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I can get the merchants on board thanks to the tariff cuts, but there¡¯s bound to be some resistance from the entrenched Bridges. They aren¡¯t going to be keen on losing their port monopolies.¡± Evelyn nodded. ¡°But I get the feeling you have a plan for that.¡± Barrus grinned broadly. ¡°I do indeed. With that new marine insurance thing reducing the risk, I think I can get them excited about new exploration. Or at least eager to expand their list of supported ports before their competition gets to it first. A little government funding can encourage somebody to take the initiative, and everyone else will follow.¡± Then he rose from his seat and offered a hand toward the Princess. ¡°You¡¯ve both done great work for Okwata, but I¡¯ll take it from here. I can¡¯t have foreign powers doing everything for me. It¡¯d hurt my chances of reelection.¡± Evelyn clasped his wrist and smiled. ¡°Of course. Happy to help an allied nation.¡± Barrus offered his hand to Zach next, to Zach¡¯s surprise and delight. As they shook, Barrus said, ¡°I don¡¯t fully understand how such young folk came up with such brilliant and detailed plans, but I recognize talent when I see it and I¡¯d be a fool to turn away quality.¡± ¡°Thank you, Barrus,¡± Zach said as formally as he could. Even after all his time with Evelyn, he still wasn¡¯t used being so close to such powerful people. Then Barrus turned back to the Princess and said, ¡°You¡¯re welcome to stay another week or so in the hotel, if you want. In either case, I¡¯ll be in touch via messengers.¡± Evelyn nodded. ¡°I believe I¡¯ll take you up on that offer. I¡¯ve fallen in love with Okwata¡¯s theater scene, and there are still several shows I haven¡¯t seen yet.¡±
That night after dinner, Zach, Evelyn, Riley, and Alexia were chatting in Evelyn¡¯s hotel room when Zach said something that killed the conversation instantly. ¡°I was thinking of returning to my world tonight. Just for one day.¡± All three women spoke at once, talking over each other. Zach couldn¡¯t make out everything, but he caught a few words. Alexia voiced concern about getting separated, Evelyn mentioned possible danger with flipping in Okwata, and Riley just wanted to know why. Zach held up his hands. ¡°Whoa, hold your horses. I have my reasons, and they¡¯re important to me. If you give me a second, I¡¯ll explain.¡± The women nodded and Zach started, ¡°First off, I promised my mother I¡¯d check in by email every few weeks.¡± He looked at Riley and Alexia and explained, ¡°It¡¯s a way of sending messages, kind of like your Farspeakers. Anyways, I left suddenly and I¡¯m sure she¡¯s worried. I¡¯d also like to research some concepts to potentially bring to this world, to help New Albion like we did with Okwata and to earn some money so I¡¯m not just leeching off you.¡± He didn¡¯t say it aloud, but Zach also wanted to make sure he could still return to his world. Evelyn had somehow become stuck in his world for ten years, and he secretly feared the same happening to him here. My mom and my friends¡­ if I got stuck and couldn¡¯t see them again¡­ Zach shook his head to clear his thoughts. ¡°So, is that alright?¡± he asked. ¡°We aren¡¯t going anywhere for a few days anyway.¡± Riley and Alexia wore their concern plain on their faces, but they looked to the Princess to make the call. Evelyn hummed in thought for a moment, then said, ¡°That¡¯s fine. Just be careful. Don¡¯t do anything that could prevent you from flipping back.¡± Riley said, ¡°Like hooking up with one of those wild co-ed girls.¡± Riley had been enjoying learning about Zach¡¯s world and his college life, and she loved using new slang terms even more. Zach felt his cheeks grow hot. He tried to ignore Riley¡¯s jab and answered the Princess. ¡°I promise. I¡¯ll be back the day after tomorrow, for sure.¡± Even with that matter settled, their dinnertime conversation never revived. They finished eating in silence, then Alexia left to request an additional bed from the hotel staff. ¡°You¡¯re sleeping in the temporary bed, Zach,¡± Riley said in a huff. ¡°I like the one we¡¯ve been sharing. It¡¯s comfortable.¡± ¡°Sure, that¡¯s fine,¡± Zach said, raising one eyebrow. He didn¡¯t understand why that mattered. At such a fancy hotel, even a rollaway bed was bound to be quite nice. Riley crossed her arms and looked away, seemingly unhappy with his response. Sitting a few feet away, Evelyn silently watched the exchange with an amused expression on her face.
It took Zach over an hour to get to sleep. After two weeks of sleeping with Riley¡¯s hand tied to his, it had become the new normal. And the bed felt cold without her body heat. When he awoke in his bedroom in Denver, he wasn¡¯t entirely sure whether he was dreaming. His college life of studying and classes and roommates just felt like so long ago, his memories of it growing fuzzy. The air in his bedroom was stuffy and there was a coating of dust on the desk and the back of his closed laptop. At least he could be pretty sure that no one had messed with his things. Zach didn¡¯t want to deal with the awkwardness of running into one of his roommates just yet, so he started by booting up his computer and checking his email. Scattered between two weeks of spam emails, there were a few emails from his mother and from Erin. He skimmed them, but couldn¡¯t bring himself to respond just yet. They were both clearly disappointed with Zach¡¯s sudden decision, but they at least pretended to understand. He was glad he had used the term wanderlust to describe his situation to his mom, since it had resonated with her. She was always on the go, traveling the world for business and even on her days off, so she couldn¡¯t criticise Zach¡¯s similar desire. Erin seemed to be the one most bothered by Zach dropping out. She¡¯s smart and strong-willed. She¡¯ll be fine, Zach told himself. She¡¯s a better student than me, and she can always find another study partner. Other than a few quick forays into the apartment¡¯s common spaces, avoiding contact with his roommates wherever possible, Zach stayed in his room all day. He put on his headphones, started a playlist of classic prog-rock, which he¡¯d sorely missed while in the other world, and focused on research. From refrigeration technology to early implementations of the stock market, Zach investigated all sorts of topics, keeping an open mind for things that could benefit New Albion or Okwata. He even briefly researched gunpowder and primitive firearms, until his conscience couldn¡¯t handle the weight of being the herald of something so dangerous. Even if it helped non-magical guards fight back against monsters, Zach was afraid of the collateral damage of suddenly introducing guns to a new world. The economy was Zach¡¯s specialty, so he tried to stick to that. He took notes on various forms of insurance, investment systems, and elegant tax solutions. They were all things that might help a society become more efficient, and if Zach was clever about it, he could secure his own finances in the process. He really wanted something that would provide a constant income so he could focus on other things while his investments covered his living expenses. There was still so much about that world he wanted to learn, if he could set aside the time.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Later, just before bed, Zach wrote a reply to his mother¡¯s emails. He told some half-truths and white lies about his travels, saying that he was visiting New Orleans with some new friends. He mentioned the plays they¡¯d watched and he barely stretched the truth when he said he did some freelance work for a local politician. He ended the email with, ¡°Thanks for understanding. I¡¯m happy and safe, and I feel like I¡¯m doing genuine good for the world. Love you.¡± When he tried to reply to Erin, he found it far more difficult to find the right words. After starting the entire email over three times, he opened up his sent emails, copied the core of the email to his mother, and pasted it into the one he was composing. He edited it a little, cut the ¡°Love you¡± at the end, and sent it. He felt a little guilty about the whole thing, but he told himself there was nothing to be done. ¡°It¡¯s not like I can just tell her that I go to another world whenever I sleep,¡± he said to the empty bedroom. ¡°And I definitely couldn¡¯t tell her I have to sleep with someone¡¯s hand tied to mine if I want to stay in one place¡­¡± Blushing and frustrated in a way he couldn¡¯t quite place, Zach shut down his computer and flopped onto his bed. It was pretty early to go to bed, but there was somewhere he wanted to be, and it wasn¡¯t here.
Zach awoke to an eyeful of bright orange hair. ¡°Riley?¡± he mumbled. ¡°Izzat you?¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked, her voice wavering. ¡°I tried to put the bed back in the same spot after housekeeping moved it, but I was so worried I¡¯d misremembered and you¡¯d get¡­¡± She trailed off, unable to finish the thought. He rubbed his eyes. ¡°Huh, I had wondered what would happen if I flipped in a field or something and someone built a house there before I returned. Probably pretty unpleasant.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I just said,¡± Riley grumbled, but she was smiling despite herself. She sat down on the edge of the bed. ¡°But you¡¯re safe, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I guess you never went through this with the Princess, since you never let her flip.¡± Riley nodded, then stared down at her hands which were fretting with the material of her dress. Her current outfit wasn¡¯t her standard black and white maid uniform, but a green and white dress that looked just as natural on her. Her voice was quiet as she started, ¡°Can I¡­ Can I say something? And you have to promise not to make fun of me for it.¡± Zach blinked and sat upright. He wasn¡¯t wearing a shirt, but he and Riley had gotten past that level of embarrassment long ago. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I was worried you wouldn¡¯t come back,¡± she blurted. Her voice wavered as she rambled, ¡°That you¡¯d get stuck over there like Princess Evelyn had. That you¡¯d leave m¡ª us.¡± Zach felt himself move before he knew what he was doing. He leaned over and wrapped his arms around Riley and held her tight. ¡°But I did come back. I¡¯m here now, and I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± Riley looked up at him, her green eyes glistening, her face mere inches from his. She moved slightly closer and he did the same. After so long together, after so many conversations and personal moments, often in their underwear, this was something new. But it felt right. Zach moved his lips closer to hers, his heart hammering away in his chest. He briefly worried about his morning breath, but even that thought was washed away by the moment. Then¡ª The door banged open as Alexia strode in, then she slammed it behind her. She was unfazed by the near kiss before her. ¡°Start packing, both of you. We need to return to New Albion immediately.¡± Riley jumped to her feet and stammered, ¡°W-what? Why?¡± Zach pulled the bed sheet over his chest and started scanning the room for his clothes. No matter how familiar he was with Riley, he wasn¡¯t comfortable with other women seeing him in his underwear. Alexia grabbed a shirt off the floor and threw it at Zach, then said, ¡°I can¡¯t say why. I¡¯ll just say that Princess Evelyn received a message from Eloise and we have to return immediately. Get packed and meet in the other room. And hurry, I want us on the very next Bridge.¡±
Most of Evelyn¡¯s original entourage remained behind, planning to take a later Bridge. Four guards followed as far as the docks, but only two of them boarded the ship, which was a small merchant vessel. It was more suited for transporting bags of grain than people, and the interior was far from comfortable. The Bridge that owned the ship had cleared space for six people along a wall, and Zach found himself in the middle between Riley and Evelyn. A coarse rope across their laps would keep them secured through the portal, or at least that was the hope. After a sizable amount of gold changed hands, the Bridge cast his spell and the boat started moving. Like before, Zach saw the shimmery magic portal approach. His gut clenched in dread at the thought of link sickness, but it never came. It seemed to be true that people only experienced it once. They passed through the portal uneventfully and arrived in New Albion before the sun had crested the Gwendolyn Wall. From there, the Princess and her companions were secreted to the castle in an unmarked carriage. They sped through town to the castle¡¯s carriage entrance where a dozen guards awaited. The armored guards surrounded Zach and the three women and escorted them inside. Once inside, Princess Evelyn and Alexia rushed off to the King¡¯s chambers, leaving Riley and Zach confused, exhausted, and more than a little terrified. They started walking through the servant halls, heading nowhere in particular. ¡°Any idea what happened? Or when they¡¯ll be back?¡± Zach asked. Riley shrugged. ¡°No clue. Something involving royalty, and probably national security. I wouldn¡¯t expect to see either of them until tomorrow.¡± Zach fidgeted for a moment, then said, ¡°Ah. I really needed to talk to the Princess about lodging. My gold mining investment hasn¡¯t made any money yet, so I, uh, can¡¯t really afford an inn.¡± Riley broke out her mischievous smile. ¡°No need for an inn. You can sleep with me.¡± Zach let out a startled gasp as he turned bright red. ¡°Um, uh, I don¡¯t¡­¡± Riley giggled and slapped Zach on the back. ¡°Calm down. We¡¯d just be sleeping in the same bed, just like we¡¯ve been doing for weeks now.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Of course. Sorry.¡± At barely a whisper, Riley added, ¡°Unless you want to do more.¡± Zach nearly tripped over his own feet, and Riley skipped ahead, laughing aloud at Zach¡¯s reaction.
The servant quarters were attached to the west side of the castle, and they had a similar construction to the Hard Fought Rest: hewn log rafters and wood plank walls. Riley¡¯s room was snug, but not too small; cozy. The walls were windowless with warm unpainted wood, and the room had a large bed, a stout chest of drawers with a mirror on top, and a desk with a simple chair. The bed was covered with a surprisingly soft down-filled comforter, embroidered with bright red roses with dark green leaves. The desktop was scattered with books and trinkets, such as a large seashell, a chunk of white quartz crystal, and wooden quill-holder. Zach thought the whole room really suited Riley, like she had made it her own in a hundred tiny ways he felt but couldn¡¯t name. Zach and Riley were getting ready for bed, and Zach had already washed up in the butler¡¯s restroom. Like everything else in the servant portions of the castle, the restroom was utilitarian, but clean and comfortable. Zach sat on the bed and cleared his throat, then asked, ¡°Um, what are we?¡± Riley raised one thin eyebrow. ¡°Uhh, judging by our short ears and lack of fur¡­ we¡¯re humans.¡± ¡°No, I mean our relationship. Is¡­ is it something?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s definitely something, since it isn¡¯t nothing.¡± Then she sat down next to him and her tone got more serious. ¡°Not sure what it is though.¡± Zach tried to meet her gaze. ¡°Um, what do you want it to be?¡± She thought for a moment that felt like forever to Zach, then said, ¡°I don¡¯t know, actually. I have desires, obviously, but they¡¯re secondary. As much fun as I have with you, keeping you from flipping is my job. Maybe I don¡¯t want to complicate that.¡± Zach nodded. ¡°And you still like women, right?¡± Riley blushed and looked away. ¡°That¡¯s different. That¡¯s just desire, like a craving for strawberry cake. I won¡¯t turn it down if it¡¯s on the menu, but I can live without strawberry cake.¡± Zach¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait. If you can live without that, what about¡ª¡± She cut him off by pressing a pillow to his face. ¡°I don¡¯t know, okay? I need time to think.¡± She jumped to her feet and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a bath. Don¡¯t follow me or the guards might arrest you. Men aren¡¯t supposed to be in this area after dark.¡± With that, she ran off in just her nightgown and socks. Zach returned the pillow to its place and sat on the bed, kicking his feet idly. He couldn¡¯t go to sleep alone or he¡¯d flip, so he needed to find a way to stay awake without leaving Riley¡¯s room. He glanced around the room. His eyes lingered briefly on the dresser that held all her clothes, then they settled on the desk. It was simple polished hardwood, and on top were several books with weathered covers and interesting titles like, ¡®Conjuring Basics¡¯ and ¡®Mana Channeling for Combat Applications¡¯. He crossed to it and sat down, then opened ¡®Conjuring Basics¡¯. For a book with ¡®basics¡¯ in the title, most of it was way over Zach¡¯s head. The first chapter seemed to focus almost entirely on how to properly channel mana without harming yourself. Zach had never considered that simple magic could be dangerous if done incorrectly, but he supposed it made sense. Driving a car was a standard and mundane thing in his world, but it was dangerous too. Zach had no idea what many of the words in the book meant, but the parts he could understand were interesting enough to keep his attention and keep him awake. Maybe I can do magic, if I train hard. From what that Bridge said about link sickness, I should be good at connection magic, at least. The reading was slow going, but when Zach finished the first chapter Riley still hadn¡¯t returned. His thoughts threatened to return to the topic of their relationship, asking himself questions like ¡®What do I want right now?¡¯ He pushed them aside and focused on the book again. He knew he was just procrastinating, but the alternative scared him. 33. Kobolds As Zach read, his eyes started to lose focus. The ''basic'' magic book was far too advanced for him, and he was tired after a long and hectic day. He had awoken to find Riley panicking, nearly kissed her, then learned that they needed to leave Okwata immediately. After some frantic packing and an impromptu Bridge trip, he was back in New Albion, in the castle''s maid living quarters. He was waiting in Riley''s bedroom for her to return from her bath, trying to stay awake without dwelling on her possible answer to his question: ''What do you want our relationship to be?'' Thankfully, Riley returned before Zach could fall asleep and flip back to Denver. She opened the door as little as possible and slipped through, then closed and locked it. Her damp hair was spread out over the towel on her shoulders, protecting her white cotton nightgown from getting wet. "Hi," she said flatly, standing by the door. Zach turned on his chair, putting his pajama-clad legs to the side. "Welcome back. Have a good bath?" "Yeah. You should visit the main baths some time, when they''re scheduled for men''s use. They''re very nice." Zach stalled for time while he tried to decide what he really wanted to say. "I browsed one of your magic books. I hope that''s okay. It was a bit beyond me, though." Riley shrugged and walked past Zach to her dresser. "That''s fine. They''re just library books. If you want, we can get you some beginner''s books." As she spoke, she dried her hair with the towel that had been around her shoulders. "Um, did you want to talk about¡­ us?" Riley stared down at her hands holding the towel. After a long pause, she shook her head. "Not just yet. I hope that''s okay." "That''s fine," Zach said, echoing her previous response. "Take your time." He rose from the desk, pushed the chair in, and started for the bed. "Ready for bed?" She pulled her damp hair back into a ponytail and secured it with a strip of leather, willing to let the dry climate finish drying it overnight, then said, "Yep." Zach got into bed first, then offered his right hand once Riley had joined him. Even in the dark, she easily tied their hands together with her familiar silk handkerchief. Then she rolled onto her left side, facing away from him. With his nose just inches from the back of her head, he couldn''t help but smell the floral scent in her hair. It smelled of lavender and something slightly sweet, like cherry blossoms. "Your hair smells nice," he said, feeling a little foolish for saying it. "Thanks," she replied. Then, "I''m chilly. Can I have some of your warmth?" "Uh, how?" "Just hold me. It''s barely different than how we normally sleep." He answered by scooting closer under the comforter and wrapping his right arm around her. "Like this?" In a satisfied whisper, she said, "Yeah, that''s nice." He could feel the shape of her body through their nightclothes, every soft swell and curve, but it wasn''t as distracting as he''d feared. Instead, the situation felt right. It felt warm and wholesome and soothing. They both fell asleep quickly.
"Thank you for joining us, Zach, Riley," Alexia said. She stood by the west window in the Princess''s tower bedroom, looking out over the city, the Gwendolyn Wall, and the mountains beyond that. "Oh, no problem," Zach said, still unsure what the sudden meeting was about. Zach and Riley had been eating breakfast in the staff kitchen, pointedly avoiding a certain topic of conversation, when they''d been summoned to Princess Evelyn''s quarters. Princess Evelyn sat at her table, a dour expression on her face. Answering his unspoken question, she said, "I wanted to tell you both why we had to leave Okwata so suddenly. I never meant to leave you in the dark, but it wasn''t safe to talk about outside the kingdom. Take a seat." Zach and Riley joined her at the table, then she started to explain. "I''m sure you guessed it was some sort of royal emergency. It is, and it''s related to the poison that Alexia was investigating not long ago. We had suspected that Elven assassins had infiltrated New Albion and poisoned those people, but we''d never found enough evidence to know for sure." Evelyn took a deep breath, then added, "Now someone found that evidence, but it wasn''t us. It was our Kobold allies who discovered it." "You say that like it''s a bad thing," Zach said. "It is. The Kobolds avoid political conflict at all costs. They agreed to trade with us and lend support in our battle against wild monsters, but if Elves are attacking New Albion, the Kobolds want out, and not just out of the city. There''s talk of them withdrawing from their trade deals and all other diplomatic agreements." Zach raised a hand. "Um, pardon my ignorance, but what deals do we have with them? I''ve never even seen a Kobold around, but I did see their statues in the big fountain downstairs." Alexia walked over from the window. She said, "Kobolds mostly keep to themselves, but they provide most of New Albion''s steel, which we use to outfit the Guard with weapons and armor. They also make the special alloyed wands that combat mages need to channel enough mana for large-scale spells. And of course, they allow New Albion to mine gold in their territory, in exchange for any exotic metals found." Evelyn sighed. "If word gets out that our allies are abandoning us, Okwata might want out as well." Riley glanced from Evelyn to Alexia and back. "So, were you able to do something? Did you talk them out of leaving?" Evelyn said, "The best I could do was convince them to leave one diplomat behind and to hold off on any official decisions for now. The rest of their visiting diplomats packed up and left the city last night." Riley frowned. "Oh." "Yeah¡­" Evelyn said dejectedly. "The diplomat''s name is Fern. I''ll be spending a lot of time talking to her for the next few weeks. I''ll let you two know if I need your help with anything." Then she turned and addressed Zach specifically, "Did you get a living situation worked out?" "Uh, um," Zach stuttered, his face growing hot. "He''s staying with me," Riley said simply. "So it would be nice if we can get official permission for him to be in the women''s quarters after hours." "Done," Alexia said. "I''ll go brief the guards now." "Oh, one more thing," the Princess said. "Please don''t tell anyone else any of this Kobold stuff, or speak of it outside the warded walls of the castle. It needs to stay between us, Eloise, and my father. And Fern of course, though I''d prefer if you leave her to me." "You got it," Zach and Riley said in unison. Evelyn raised an eyebrow at their synchronicity but said nothing.
A few hours later, Zach and Riley were eating lunch in the staff kitchen with Beebee and Bethany. With the topics of the Kobolds and his and Riley''s relationship status off limits, Zach was worried they wouldn''t have much to talk about, but he was wrong. Beebee leaned forward, her brown eyes wide. "Ooh, you had link sickness? I''m so jealous. I bet you could be a Bridge someday and make so much money." Zach frowned. "It was far from pleasant, you know. I was unconscious for hours and a worthless blob the rest of the day." Bethany brushed a lock of her strawberry-blonde hair behind her ear and said, "But it might be worth looking into becoming a Bridge. You could be a very effective trader that way, and that''s what you want, right?"Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Zach took a moment to finish chewing a bite of sandwich, then answered, "Hmm, maybe. I feel like I could do more for the world as something other than a traveling merchant, doing something more. But money is power, so maybe I should get wealthy first." Even though Beebee had been the one to bring up Bridges and money, she''d already bored of the topic. She asked, "How about the shows in Okwata? Were they as good as people say?" Zach thought, Wow, Beebee''s talking about Okwata without getting depressed. That''s good, I guess. Then he said, "They were great. Most of them were tragedies, but there was this one comedy that was hilarious. It was about three prostit¡ª I mean companions who kept meeting the strangest clients." He turned to Riley. "What was it called? ''Three Berries''?" "''We Three Cherries'', actually," she answered with a smile. "And I never thought I''d live to see the day: Alexia actually laughed." "Really?" Zach said. "I was too busy dying of laughter to notice." Beebee and Bethany were even more incredulous. Bethany narrowed her eyes and said, "Are you sure she wasn''t just acting?" Riley grinned from ear to ear. "If she''d been acting, I''m sure she would have chosen a more restrained laugh. Nope, that was genuine amusement." "Huh, alright then. The thought of Alexia laughing will be stuck in my head all afternoon," Bethany said. Then she gathered her lunch dishes and stood up. "Sorry, Beebee and I have work to do, but I''d like to hear more about your trip later." Beebee hopped to her feet. "Yep! I want to hear more about Okwata. Bye!" As the two maids left with their dirty dishes, Zach turned to Riley. "So, do you have work to do? I feel weird, monopolizing all your time." "Not really. My job is to watch over you at night and be on call for maid work during the day, but I get the feeling Bethany is tasking me only as a last resort. We could go wander the city if you want, as long as we aren''t gone too long." Zach blinked. Where''d she get that idea? I said I didn''t want to take all her time, so she suggests going somewhere together? Despite his internal confusion, he found himself nodding in agreement. It did sound nice. "Oh, sure. We can do that. Let me get my backpack." They returned their dirty dishes to the kitchen for the dedicated kitchen staff to clean, then started the trek to Riley''s room. The more familiar Zach became with the layout of the castle, the larger it seemed. There were servant hallways connecting every major section of the castle, in addition to the glamorous formal halls, and he''d learned there were massive spaces below ground, used as storage, emergency shelters, and even dungeons. "Hey," Riley started, interrupting Zach''s thoughts of the castle, "Did Bethany seem unusually pleasant to you back there?" Zach shook his head. "No, she''s always been like that around me. She''s the one who met me at the door the first few times I visited the castle on my own. Bethany and I bonded over complaining about Alexia''s attitude." "Huh, alright¡­" Riley said, suspicion in her voice. Then she suddenly straightened up and looked straight ahead. She elbowed Zach in the side and he looked forward. He saw a woman approaching down the hallway, but she definitely wasn''t human. She had light brown hair in a short A-line cut and perky triangular ears sticking up out of it. Her nose was dog-like, her mouth was more like a muzzle, and she had short brown fur covering all her skin, but her figure was very much humanoid. In fact, she had an amazing figure, with wide hips, a slim stomach, and large breasts contained in a fitted leather top. She had to be a Kobold, which meant she had to be Fern, the diplomat that Princess Evelyn had convinced to stay. Zach was already conflicted by his attraction to her usual beauty, especially due to his maybe-relationship with Riley, but this woman also happened to be someone special and important to the kingdom. He quickly decided to keep interactions with her professional and platonic. Riley bowed her head and stepped out of the way for the woman to pass. Zach did the same, happy for a reason to look away and stop staring. When she passed by, he noticed that below the beaded hem of her skirt, her feet were shoeless and paw-like, and she was walking on her tiptoes. Then the feet stopped, and turned. She was looking right at Zach. "Odd. I smell something unusual about you, mister," Fern said in a curious and excited tone. "And I''ve only smelled it once before." Zach and Riley cautiously raised their eyes. Zach found himself face to face with a genuine non-human. He''d met a part-Jotun, the expedition leader Stal, but he had just looked like a large human man and not supernatural at all. This woman looked like a canine-human hybrid, not far from some depictions of werewolves in Zach''s world. It seemed rude to not reply, so he said, "Oh? May I ask where?" Fern squinted and said, "Not a where. A who. The Princess. I need to talk to her." Zach glanced at Riley, then said, "I''m sure she can accommodate a meeting for you." Fern nodded and said, "You''re coming too. Let''s go!" With that, she grabbed Zach by the wrist and started pulling. As he was dragged away at a brisk pace, Zach looked back at Riley with a very worried expression. He knew how important Fern was to the kingdom, so he didn''t want to cause trouble, but the current situation didn''t seem great either. "Uh, a little help?" he asked. Riley leapt into action. She jogged to catch up with the fast-moving Fern and said, "As Zach said, the Princess will be happy to meet with you. Shall I lead the way?" Fern smiled. "No need. I know the way. Kobolds have excellent sense of direction, especially around this much stone," she said as she waved a hand at the stone walls of the servant hallway. The fur on the back of her hands was short and dense, almost as if she was wearing gloves, and her fingernails were thick and sharp like claws. "O-of course." Riley didn''t seem to have any better handle on the situation than Zach did. At least Fern seemed friendly, if a bit too excitable. Still nearly running to keep up, she said, "I''ll accompany you, then. I''m Riley, and I''m one of Princess Evelyn''s personal maids." When they reached the Princess''s door, Zach and Riley were panting from jogging up so many stairs, but Fern wasn''t winded at all. Riley knocked on the door and said, "Princess? Miss Fern is here to speak with you, urgently." "Riley?" came a reply. "Uh, sure, come in." As soon as Riley opened the door, Fern pulled Zach inside. Riley stepped through and closed the door, while Zach turned to the Princess to try to read her mood. She looked perplexed, but not entirely surprised. He also noticed that Alexia was in the room, watching intently. Evelyn smiled and said, "Welcome back, Fern. What would you like to speak about?" "This," Fern said as she pulled Zach forward and finally let go of his wrist. While he rubbed the sore skin, Fern continued, "I demand an explanation." Even though her wording was strong, her tone of voice was cheerful and friendly. Evelyn blinked several times, looked to Zach for clues and found none, then said, "This man is my financial advisor, Zach. I apologize, but I don''t understand exactly what you want me to explain." Fern''s ears perked up and she said, "Oh, silly me. You humans can''t smell mana." The four humans in the room just nodded. Even Riley, the mage in training, had never even considered that mana could have a scent. "Zach''s mana smells the same as the Princess''s," Fern said. "I''ve traveled most of the continent and met thousands of people, and I''ve never smelled anything anything else like it. When it was just the Princess, I thought it was strange, but now it''s two of you." Zach had an idea what Fern''s nose might be telling her, but he wasn''t about to reveal the fact that he and Evelyn had both traveled to another world. Evelyn was keeping their connection secret too. She said, "Well, we both got link sickness the first time we took a bridge. Maybe it''s that? Maybe you''re smelling our aptitude for connection magic?" Fern stepped closer to the Princess. "Incorrect! I''ve smelled a dozen Bridges who had link sickness in their youth. This is different." She paused for a second and sniffed the air. "But not too different. It''s related. Slightly." Evelyn glanced away, trying to think of something else it could be. Fern stepped closer, until she was almost nose-to-nose with the Princess. At a low tone, she said, "If you''re not going to be honest with me on this, I won''t be able to trust you, and I won''t be able to save our treaties. Please." As soon as Fern got so close, Alexia darted to the Princess''s side, but she didn''t take any action yet. Despite the Kobold''s lack of personal boundaries, she clearly meant no harm. Evelyn glanced to Alexia in wordless communication, and Alexia nodded back. Then Evelyn said, "Alright, because the Kobold people are treasured allies, I''ll trust you with this secret, but it must remain a secret. It''s still unknown to all but us, the King, and my closest maids." Fern showed her teeth, but it was her eyes that revealed the expression to be a smile and not a snarl. "Thank you, Princess." "Take a seat, everyone," Evelyn said as she sat down at the small round table in the center of the room. "This may take a while." Fern pulled a chair out from the table, flipped her tail out from under herself, and sat down. It was actually the first time Zach had noticed that she had a two-foot-long tail sticking through a window in the back of her skirt. It was the same light brown as the rest of her fur, and it looked very soft and fluffy. A tiny part of his mind wanted to reach out and touch it, but the rest of him was sure that would be a terrible idea. Zach and Riley awkwardly took the other two seats at the table, while Alexia sat on a plush chair nearby. Then Evelyn explained her and Zach''s connection to other world. She avoided any specific details of that world''s technology, but what she did reveal was enough to get Fern incredibly curious. After nearly an hour of explaining what they knew about ''flipping'' and the timeline of events so far, Evelyn said, "So, do you trust me?" Fern nodded happily. "Fully. You didn''t lie at all, and while I can tell you know more about that place, we can talk more later. We can, right?" Evelyn said, "Sure. Zach knows a bit more about that world, but we''re both available to talk, if it will help our countries'' relationship." "Of course, of course." Then Fern looked straight at Zach. "Also, I wouldn''t ask you to make the journey for me alone, but when the occasion arises I''d love to see this ''flip'' happen." She pointed to her black dog-like nose. "I might be able to sense something important about the phenomenon that could help you understand it more." Zach felt the gazes of four women on him, all waiting for his answer. "Uh, sure. I was thinking of flipping again in about two weeks, for one day. If that''s alright." Fern grabbed both his hands. "Wonderful! I will eagerly await the night." To Zach''s right, Riley''s jaw tightened. She was pretty sure Fern''s interest in Zach wasn''t romantic in the least, but that didn''t stop Riley''s feelings of jealousy. Maybe it was time to stop putting off that conversation about their relationship. 34. Evidence After the meeting with Princess Evelyn and the Kobold ambassador Fern, which Zach had been literally dragged to, he didn''t know what to do next. He started down the stairs with Riley at his side then remembered her suggestion from earlier, to go walking around the city. It sounded an awful lot like a date but Zach was okay with that. He liked spending time with Riley and he didn''t want that to change, no matter what she ended up deciding regarding their relationship. Once he and Riley had descended from the Princess''s tower and had a bit of privacy in an empty hallway, Zach asked, "Did you still want to go for a walk outside? We were on the way to get my backpack when Fern ambushed us." Riley''s face lit up. "Yes, that sounds great. I could use some fresh air." They detoured to Riley''s room to get Zach''s bag and Riley took the opportunity to change out of her work clothes. She kicked Zach out of the room while she got dressed, even though he''d already seen her in nothing but underwear dozens of times. Zach leaned against the wall outside her door and thought, I wonder if that''ll change if we start dating for real? The thought came with a mental image of Riley undressing, so he forced his thoughts to more mundane things like where they could walk to on their not-quite-a-date. He didn''t have much money which limited his options. Maybe we could climb the wall? The view of the sunset is probably amazing from up there, but it''s pretty exhausting to climb that many stairs. "Ready!" came a voice from Zach''s right. It was Riley, in an outfit he hadn''t seen before. She wore a leather underbust corset over a short-sleeved and short-skirted green dress, with tight black leggings below that, tucked into low-topped brushed leather boots that matched the corset. Her vibrant red hair was tied back in simple ponytail, giving a clear view of her smiling face. "Wow," Zach babbled, "You look great. Better than great, even. Wow." The outfit looked like something straight out of one of his world''s renaissance festivals, but in all the best ways. His clothes, on the other hand, looked like something a banker might wear in the old-timey west: stuffy and utilitarian and ill-fitting. Riley took the compliments in stride. "Thank you, Zach. I can tell it''s not just empty flattery, since you have no poker face at all." She smiled as she used the lingo from his world, then hooked her arm through his and said, "So, want to take the scenic route to the Grand Library? We can pick up a beginner''s magic book for you." "Sure. That sounds nice," he answered, making a mental note to visit a proper tailor as soon as his gold mine investment started paying out. Standing next to Riley while she looked so cute and put together made him feel like he was letting her down through his fashion choices. Riley led the way and they left the castle through the garden exit that he had seen at the equinox festival but never used. It connected the main banquet hall directly to the garden''s main path, a spiral that wrapped around the grassy clearing where the king had used impressive magic to grow miniature horse statues for the children. "Well, you weren''t kidding about taking the scenic route," Zach said as he looked around at the grounds, now empty of merchant''s booths and festival goers. The hedges and lawns were still vibrant green, but some of the aspen trees were starting to turn yellow and gold with the season. Zach had always liked autumn with its mellow temperatures and vibrant colors. Riley''s thoughts were on the season as well. She said, "It''s nice out, but it won''t be for much longer. I assume the weather''s the same where you''re from?" "Yeah, as far as I can tell. Back home, the first snow is usually in October, and the last one in April, with plenty of sunny days all throughout. They say we get 300 days of sun a year." Riley nodded. "That sounds right. I''ve never lived outside New Albion, so I don''t have anything to compare it to." The small talk fell off and they walked in a comfortable silence for a while. Zach''s legs were a bit longer, so he had to hold back to match Riley''s speed. The slower pace let him admire the scenery as they exited the castle gardens and walked through what seemed to be an upper-class residential neighborhood, judging by the large houses with elegant exteriors. Children played with a leather ball in the street, safe from cars and other dangers of Zach''s world, and an elderly couple reclined on their porch, shaded from the afternoon sun by a large evergreen tree. When Zach had first arrived in New Albion, he''d treated the city as a mystery to figure out, a puzzle to extract information from so that he could earn money. Now he found that he really enjoyed seeing the city in a new light, as a place where regular people lived and loved and raised families. He supposed Denver was the same way, but he''d never thought about it until now. While they walked side-by-side down the cobblestone street, Riley started, "Zach, I¡ª" "Um, Riley¡ª" Zach began at the same time. Riley put out her hand, palm up. "After you." Zach shook his head. "You started first." "Just hurry up and accept my courtesy," she replied with a grin. "Alright." Zach paused to take a deep breath and put his thoughts together, then he said, "We''ve grown really close over the last few weeks. You''re my dear friend, my best friend, even. And I feel like there''s something more, the seed of another feeling. But I don''t feel comfortable letting that feeling grow unless you want that too. I''ll admit that I don''t have a good eye for other people''s feelings toward me." As soon as he finished, he regretted his clumsy phrasing. It felt like he''d used the word ''feeling'' a dozen times. Riley stopped walking and let out a held breath. With a genuine smile, she said, "Good news. I want that, too." Then she grabbed Zach''s face, one hand on each cheek, and pulled him down into a kiss, full on the mouth. It was Zach''s first romantic kiss since high school, and it was a thousand times better than he remembered. The physical sensation of Riley''s lips, soft, warm, and wet, was amazing, but it paled in comparison to finally knowing that she wanted a deeper relationship too. His heart had already been pounding during his little speech, but now it was racing so hard he could hear it in his ears. Or maybe that was just because Riley''s hands were still covering them. Before he could fully come to terms with the sudden kiss, it ended. Riley let go of Zach''s face, stepped back, cast glances up and down the street, then visibly relaxed when it was clear that no one had noticed their public display of affection. She stepped back and said, "Sorry it took me so long to figure out what I wanted. I needed to think some things through."Stolen novel; please report. Still floating from the kiss, Zach dreamily said, "No problem." Then he blinked and said, "Wow, this feels good. Just knowing that I can let my feelings for you grow, that I don''t have to hold back any more." Everything just felt so right and free, like shackles had been removed from his heart. Riley took his hand in hers. "Calm down, stud. Let''s hold back a little, at least until we''re in private." "I didn''t mean it like that!" She grinned at him and started walking again. "I know that. I just love teasing you." The word ''love'' sent a jolt through Zach''s brain. Even if their relationship wasn''t quite at that level yet, that''s the direction it was headed. Zach had dated a couple girls in high school, but those relationships had just been two bumbling kids going through the motions, mimicking what they''d thought dating was supposed to be. They had never taken it further than second base and they had never reached a level of caring anywhere close to love. But Zach already cared for Riley more than almost anyone else in his life. Maybe that didn''t mean much, since he was a bit of a loner with very few strong friendships, but it mattered to him. He squeezed Riley''s hand and matched her pace. He glanced around at the regal houses built from brick and flagstone and he smiled. He could live in this world, with Riley and all the other people he''d met.
"Thanks for coming, Zach," Evelyn said from across her little round table. Alexia loomed behind her and Fern sat with her chair pulled out from the table, her fur-covered legs crossed and one paw-like foot bouncing. The energetic Kobold just never seemed to stop moving. "You''re welcome," Zach answered, but it wasn''t like he''d had a choice. Alexia had been waiting at the garden entrance for him and Riley, and she wasted no time in pulling him away from his date to attend yet another meeting. Riley had looked a little disappointed but accepted it without argument. Fern spoke next. "This meeting is about that evidence my people found. Princess Evelyn, Zach, I wanted to get opinions from the two of you, since you have such an interesting perspective." She nodded toward Alexia and added, "I''ve already filled Alexia in on all of it, of course." "Oh, okay," Zach said. "So exactly what did the Kobolds find?" Fern answered, "Using our sense of smell, which is drastically superior to yours, no offense, one of our scouting parties found a campsite about an hours'' run east of the city. It had the same scent as the crime scene Alexia found in the water infrastructure." "I''m still not pleased that your trackers were given access to that crime scene," Alexia said. "It was a huge violation of security protocol." Fern shrugged and smiled, a mischievous look in her eyes. "I suggest you take that up with the Captain of the Guard. He came to us, desperate for clues that might save other guards'' lives." Alexia crossed her arms and looked away. She couldn''t argue with the Captain''s motives, or with the Kobolds'' role in this. But it was clear she would have preferred it if everything had stayed within the Guard. Fern turned back to Zach and continued, "At the campsite, in addition to the unmistakable scent of Elven magic, there were signs that they had brewed additional vials of the poison, beyond the two doses that were used in New Albion." As she spoke, Zach had a hard time keeping his eyes off her dog-like snout, which was somehow handling human speech with only a slight accent. It occurred to him that he hadn''t seen any domesticated dogs in New Albion, even though wolves definitely existed in this world. If the Guard had had police tracking dogs, they could have found the Elven campsite without involving the Kobolds. Princess Evelyn''s voice broke Zach from his wandering thoughts. "The Kobold leadership¡­ what are they called?" Fern answered, "The closest term in King''s Speech would be ''tribal council''." "If there were to be full-scale war with the Elves, what would it would take for the tribal council to support New Albion in the conflict?" Fern pondered that for a while, her head tilting to the left and then the right as she thought. Then she said, "It would take one of two things: they''d have to have deep trust in New Albion''s leaders, an understanding that New Albion would do the same for us in a heartbeat, or they''d need to have a stake in the situation, to be in danger themselves in a way that pacifism and self-preservation couldn''t solve." Evelyn said, "I can work on the trust part. I''ll even travel to meet them and work to help them directly, like I did with Okwata." Zach raised a hand and said, "As for the danger, are we sure they aren''t already in danger? What if the Elven assassins are already planning to attack them for being our allies, using the other doses of poison?" "Uh, that''s a very dark thought, Zach," Evelyn said. "We don''t have any reason to suspect that." "And you didn''t have any reason to suspect a mass poisoning in New Albion until it already happened. I''m just saying a little caution might be able to stop something bad from happening to the Kobolds, or another human city." He turned to address Fern. "If you smelled a poison sample then visited that campsite, could you tell where the poison was taken next?" "It''s been three weeks since the Elves abandoned that site. Any mundane scents would likely be washed away by now. But if the poison was magical, I might be able to follow the mana trail." Alexia seemed interested in this line of thought. She said. "I have no idea if the poison is magical, but I can get you a sample of it, if that would help." Fern nodded and wiggled her fuzzy ears. "It absolutely would." Then she straightened up and said, "As much as I would like for Zach''s theory about the other doses of poison to be incorrect, it would be remiss of us if we didn''t investigate this to the fullest." Zach did a double take on Fern''s response. English, or ''King''s Speech'' in this world, wasn''t her first language, yet she was far more eloquent than most native speakers he knew, himself included. Considering the Kobolds'' advanced metallurgy and peace-focused politics, he wondered if they were intellectually superior to humans, on top of their high stamina and powerful senses. He felt downright inadequate in comparison, and he wondered if this was what sci-fi explorers felt when they discovered an advanced alien race. That thought chained into one about the origins of the non-human races of this world. He decided to ask the librarian on his next visit to the Grand Library, which could also act as another date with Riley.
"So¡­ what now?" Zach asked. "I¡­ don''t know," Riley answered. They were in their shared bedroom, sitting at opposite ends of the long side of Riley''s bed. They were both in their sleep clothes, which were soft and loose-fitting and not particularly sexy, but their thoughts had nonetheless gone to the same sexual place. It was their first night in the same room since they had started dating, and they both had no idea how fast to take the physical side of their relationship. Zach and Riley had experienced plenty of non-romantic physical closeness, and had zero practice with the romantic kind. Zach scooted closer to her side, then managed, "I kinda want to¡­ uh, kiss you, if that''s alright." He knew he wasn''t succeeding at being suave at all, but at least he felt he was being honest and open. Riley tensed up during Zach''s pause, then relaxed when he said he wanted to kiss. "Good news. I want that, too," she said, recalling her words from earlier in the day. Unlike earlier, it was Zach who grabbed Riley''s chin and pulled her into a kiss. And unlike earlier, Riley wasn''t held back by her worry of being seen by bystanders. She swung her leg over Zach''s lap and straddled him, and the kiss quickly escalated into a full makeout session. Riley was definitely the one in control. She was still inexperienced with men, but she was no stranger to making out with women and those skills carried over just fine. The things she did with her tongue and lips sent Zach''s sensations reeling, and sent his mind some pretty lewd places. While he internally debated whether to try to steer things toward other forms of intimacy, Riley pulled back. "This is good," she said. "But I don''t want to go further than this tonight." Zach smiled and used his thumb to wipe a droplet of moisture from Riley''s chin. "That''s fine by me, because this really is good." Then he wrapped his arms around her lower back and pulled her back into the kiss. They continued kissing like the young lovers they were until their tongues grew tired and their lips were dry. Then they took a water break and climbed into bed. Zach held Riley close under the covers, comforted by the warmth of her body through her pajamas, and she snuggled tightly against him. They almost forgot to tie their hands together, but it had become such a routine that it felt weird without the silk handkerchief on his hand. "Good night, Riley," he whispered, his face nuzzled into her beautiful, vibrant, fragrant hair. "Good night, Zach," she mumbled back, already falling asleep in his warm embrace. 35. Emergency Expedition For Zach, the next few days passed in a happy haze. He and Riley spent nearly every waking moment together and went walking outside the castle whenever they could. Riley was able to justify some of their excursions by taking on errands for the castle, such as picking up orders from local merchants. The rest were obviously just dates. Despite all the time spent together before they''d started dating, they had a lot of catching up to do on the romantic front. One afternoon, they visited the Grand Library where Riley tutored Zach on some magic basics until their desire grew too strong. Riley gave Zach an increasingly familiar look and hopped to her feet. Giggling, she pulled him between towering bookshelves until she found a remote nook, surrounded by dusty books about New Albion''s tax laws. They were lost in each other''s lips when a magically amplified voice echoed through the entire library. "Pardon this interruption. Will a mister Zach Pike and miss Riley Roth please visit the front desk? Your presence is urgently requested." Riley put her hands on Zach''s chest and pushed him back a couple inches, despite clearly wanting to continue. "Let''s go, it must be Alexia." Zach wiped his lips on the back of his hand and said, "It''s kinda creepy that she knew we were here." Neither he nor Riley had told anyone that they were headed to the library, since they hadn''t known it themselves until partway through their meandering walk around the city. Riley shrugged as she started back through the disused aisles toward the library''s common areas. "Alexia''s got eyes and ears everywhere. You get used to it." She lowered her voice and added, "That''s how she found and recruited me to the Princess''s maids, after I got myself in trouble." Zach nodded. He too had been stalked by Alexia and her information network. The fact that Alexia seemed to be a fundamentally good person eased his mind a fair bit. He didn''t want to think about what kinds of harm a ruthless person could do with her resources. It didn''t take long to reach the front desk. Sure enough, Alexia was waiting there, next to a nervous-looking librarian. "Oh, hello Edith," Zach said as he recognized her. Like when he had first visited the Grand Library, she wore a plain grey dress and had her brown hair in a long braid down her back. She had a motherly look about her and she wore her age well. Edith''s expression softened and she said, "Hello, Zach." She glanced at the other two women, her eyes pausing on Zach and Riley''s clasped hands, then said, "You''re certainly popular today." Zach felt his cheeks grow hot and he stammered, "Um, yeah, I gue¡ª" Alexia had no patience for Zach''s bumbling. She cut in with, "You''re both needed back at the castle. There''s a carriage waiting outside." "Oh," Riley blurted. "This must be really important than." Alexia just stared at Riley, her face neutral. "Let''s go."
"You were right, Zach!" Fern cheered, bouncing from foot to foot. Then she stopped suddenly. "But I guess it isn''t something to be happy about¡­" Zach looked to Evelyn expectantly. He still didn''t know what this meeting was about because Alexia had refused to talk about it, even inside the carriage. Now that they were secure inside the Princess''s tower, he hoped to get the full story. Evelyn frowned and said, "As Fern said, it looks like you were right about the other doses of poison. The Elves traveled west with them, headed for Kobold territory." Fern nodded rapidly. "We tracked them as far as the foothills before we lost the trail in a feywake." "In a what?" Zach wasn''t sure what word she''d just said, let alone what it meant. Fern raised one eyebrow for a moment, then lowered it and said, "Right, you don''t know much about this world. A feywake is the river of mana left behind after one or more Fey pass through an area. It''s great for crops, but"¡ªshe tapped the tip of her nose¡ª"bad for tracking." Then her eyes lit up and she added, "This wake was really wide, suggesting an entire herd of Fey. I wish I could have stayed to study it but¡ª" "But there''s something more important, right now," Alexia finished. Fern''s fuzzy brown ears folded down in shame. "Right. Sorry for getting off track." Princess Evelyn stood up and said, "The Kobolds don''t have any Farspeakers and none of New Albion''s Farspeakers are stationed there, so the only way we can warn them about the poison is to travel there directly. And we can''t send a lone messenger because monster activity has picked up again since the equinox." Fern added, "And we''re on another river basin, on the other side of the continental divide, so your Bridges are out of the question too." "So¡­ what''s the plan?" Riley asked. Evelyn answered, "We''re sending a diplomatic party by carriage, then on foot for the final stretch. All of us in this room are going, along with some guards and combat mages we can trust. I already told my father, and he agreed more easily than I expected." Fern smiled. "He just understands the value of your alliance with the Kobolds. Without us, you''d still be swinging rusty chunks of iron, bungling your spells, and losing ground against the monsters." The smile changed to that look of shame again. "No offense intended." "It''s fine. I truly appreciate what the Kobolds have done for us," Evelyn said. Zach raised a hand. "Um, don''t take this the wrong way, but why am I needed on this trip?" Fern''s tail wiggled eagerly, but Evelyn was the one to speak. "Fern still wants to learn more about you and your flipping, and we were also hoping you could share some Otherworld knowledge with the Kobolds. Nothing world-shattering, of course." "Ah, of course," Zach said as calmly as possible. In reality, he was immensely thankful for that last bit. He really didn''t want to bring dangerous technologies to this world, and it sounded like the Kobolds actually had the infrastructure to recreate some of the scarier ones.
News got around the castle quickly. Within hours, all the staff knew that the Princess was headed to visit the Kobolds, but they didn''t know why. Zach and Riley were packing for the trip when Beebee visited their room. "You''re leaving with the Princess again?" Beebee said. She wasn''t frowning, but her eyes showed her true feelings all the same. "Yeah, sorry Beebee," Riley said, putting a hand on the younger girl''s shoulder. "You and I can hang out more when we get back." "And Zach," Beebee added with a smile. "I like to hang out with him too." Like Riley, Beebee had been picking up some vocabulary from the other world, but she wasn''t as comfortable with it and it came out awkwardly. Zach said, "Of course. I''ll try to bring you a souvenir too. The Kobolds probably have all sorts of cool stuff."This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. "Soova-what?" "Souvenir. A trinket or keepsake from somewhere else, to remind you of the trip or to share it with others." Beebee''s entire face lit up. "That would be amazing! Thank you, Zach!" Then she literally leapt at him and tackled him to the bed. The backpack he''d been filling with clothes fell from his hands and spilled onto the floor. Riley was there in a flash, pulling Beebee off of him by the back of her shirt. "Hands off my man, Beebs." Her tone was joking, but there was a hint of actual jealousy in it. Beebee''s head swiveled and she stared at Riley. "So it''s true! You''re together?" "It''s true," Riley answered. "What about your interest in women? Will Zach let you have a side girlfriend? Or will you have a ''threesome''?" The color drained from Riley''s face, then flushed right back in. "First of all, you are too young to be talking about threesomes!" "But you taught me the wor¡ª" "Second, that''s none of your business, and you shouldn''t ask people about that stuff." "Oh, okay¡ª" "And third, we have packing to do. I promise we''ll come see you before we leave." With that, Riley pushed Beebee toward the door, easily muscling the shorter girl out of the room. "Bye Zach!" Beebee called back just before Riley slammed the door. Riley leaned against the door and brushed her hair out of her face, which had gone quite pink. "Sorry about that. Beebee can be a little too easy-going." Zach''s face was just as pink as Riley''s. "It''s fine," he said, focusing on his spilled backpack as much as possible. If you could die of embarrassment, I think I would have, he thought. "Wanna get our minds off that?" Riley asked, and Zach knew exactly what she meant. They had been making out a lot lately, and taking it a little further every time. He also knew that finding privacy would be difficult during the trip. As much as he wanted to say yes, he said, "After we finish packing?" In a fake grumpy voice, Riley said, "Curse your responsible nature." Then she went to her chest of drawers and started digging for cold-weather clothes. Even if no early storm came in, they needed to spend the night at high altitude and it would get cold. Zach asked, "Why don''t the Kobolds have any Farspeakers? Can they not do connection magic?" "As far as I know, they can''t. They might not be capable of doing magic at all," Riley answered. Zach''s mind started churning on what exactly it would mean for an entire race to be unable to do magic in a world filled with so much of it. Unlike the people of New Albion, the Kobolds wouldn''t be able to purify water, cure disease, or create large structures in an instant. And they wouldn''t stand a chance against offensive magic. "Oh, wow. That would explain their reluctance in getting into a conflict with the Elves. Elves are super skilled at magic, and their fire and lightning spells were terrifying." "Huh?" Riley stopped folding what looked to be a set of wool long underwear. "You say that like you''ve seen Elven spellcasting." Zach could picture it as clear as day: an Elf channeling a bolt of lightning and cutting down scores of human soldiers right through their armor. But he knew he had never seen it himself. "Oh, I guess that was just in a dream. It felt so real at the time, so I guess I thought it was a memory for a minute there. Sorry." Riley squinted at him for a moment, surprised that he had mixed up a dream with reality, then she resumed packing. "Do you have a lot of dreams like that? That feel that real?" "Yeah, since I was little. I got into the habit of pushing them out of mind as soon as I wake up, but lately they''ve stuck with me more." After seeing Riley packing long underwear, Zach made sure to pack his own set. "Some were really scary, like the one with a monster bison that was three stories tall and had glowing red eyes." "Huh, strange. Maybe it has something to do with your flipping. You should ask the Princess if she has dreams like that." "Will do," Zach said, but he quickly forgot about it because as soon as they finished packing, Riley grinned and tugged him toward the bed. They kept their clothes on, for the most part, but Riley was starting to get more adventurous with her hands. Zach didn''t mind at all and cautiously followed suit.
Morning arrived and with it came a bit of chaos and some last-minute preparations for the trip. Zach and Riley were eating breakfast with Beebee, fulfilling their promise to see her again before they left, when Bethany came looking for Riley. "Got a moment?" Bethany asked in a tone that made it clear that it wasn''t optional. Bethany took on Head Maid responsibilities whenever Alexia was busy, and she was in that mode now. "Uh, sure," Riley answered, then she said, "Excuse me," to Zach and Beebee. She stood and followed the other redheaded maid out of the staff kitchen to the hallway. "What''s up?" Bethany blinked at the odd phrase, but seemed to figure it out. She cleared her throat and started into an awkward lecture. "I noticed that you and Zach are spending a lot of time together, and your relationship seems to be growing into something more. I don''t have any problem with that and I don''t have the authority to stop you, but, well, I wanted to make sure¡ª" Riley interrupted. "You want to make sure I don''t hurt Zach?" Bethany shook her head, then reached out and took Riley''s hand. "No. I want to make sure you don''t get hurt. Zach''s a good person, and I trust him. But you should still take things slow, because if a relationship is the right one, it can weather the wait." Riley was visibly puzzled by Bethany''s niceness. In the past, she had thought Bethany was a bit of a bitch, almost as if she was competing with Alexia for the title of ''Most Serious Maid'', but this was different. She really seems to care, and must have been through something herself, Riley thought. "Oh, thank you for the advice. You''re not that bad after all." A familiar scowl returned to Bethany''s face, the same one she wore whenever Riley got too flirty with the other maids. She dropped Riley''s hand and said, "What? What do you mean by that?" Riley slapped Bethany on the shoulder and started back to the kitchen, giggling. "Nothing. See you when I get back from my trip!" When Riley returned to the table, Zach and Beebee were gathering their breakfast dishes, Riley''s included. Beebee expertly held them in a neat stack on one hand. "What was that about?" Zach asked. Beebee''s eager expression asked the same question. "Nothing important," Riley answered. Then she changed the subject. "It''s almost time to go. Are you ready, Zach?" "Yep. My luggage was already sent to the carriage, and I''ve got everything else I might need in here." Zach turned and raised one shoulder to draw attention to his backpack. "I''m going to miss you two. Stay safe, okay?" Beebee said, her eyes large and wet. Riley smiled. "We will. After all, we''ll have Alexia, some guards, and a professional combat mage with us." Beebee set down her stack of dirty dishes and hugged Riley tightly. Then she glared at Zach and said, "Take good care of her, Zach." "Oh, uh, of course," he replied, a little stunned by Beebee''s intensity. He''d always seen Beebee as the carefree and immature one, so her current seriousness was unexpected. Riley ruffled Beebee''s hair and the short curls bounced back instantly. "We''ll only be gone a couple weeks. We want to be back before the first big snow." Beebee nodded then silently reclaimed her stack of dishes. She waved with her free hand and left without saying anything else, as if she didn''t trust her voice. "Shall we board our carriage?" Riley asked. "I heard the combat mage they hired will be riding inside with us." Zach said, "Oh, I''d like to meet them. Learning the basics of magic has really shown me how much I don''t know." "You and me both," Riley said. "At least the conversation should be interesting."
"Oh no," Zach said, his face slack. "Goddammit." "What? What''s wrong?" Riley asked. Zach had stopped a few feet from the massive carriage and he was staring through the window at the carriage''s only passenger. In the seat nearest the window was a man a few years older than Zach, with dirty blonde hair, tousled and messy. He was tall, even while sitting, and he wore deep red robes with a hood that was pulled back. Zach clearly remembered their brief encounter in the Grand Library, when the man behaved rudely and chased Zach from his comfortable reading nook. "Nevermind. Maybe it''s nothing," Zach said. Maybe I just caught him on a bad day. Maybe he''ll be totally reasonable. Especially with the Princess around. Zach steeled himself and approached the carriage. He used the polished steel handrail to pull himself up the high steps, then ducked inside the spacious room. He took a seat in the opposite corner, sinking into the plush cushions, then said, "Hello there. I''m Zach." Riley was right behind him. She sat down to Zach''s right and said, "And I''m Riley. I take it you''re our combat mage?" The man looked up from his book, quickly glanced past Zach without recognition, then took in Riley. His eyes lingered on her face for an instant, then he noticed her black and white maid uniform. "Ah, servants." He returned his attention to his book and said, "I have no intention of learning your names, but if you must address me, my name is Milo." Zach felt his jaw clench and he wanted to reply but he didn''t have the words, or at least not any professional ones. They were on a mission for the Princess, so Zach would have to keep his expletives to himself. That asshole! I guess he''s always like this, at least to people he thinks are beneath him. Riley put a hand on Zach''s arm and gave a comforting squeeze, then she said, "I am indeed a maid to Princess Evelyn, but Zach is not a servant. He is the Princess''s financial advisor and he deserves respect." Milo glanced back up and finally looked at Zach''s face. His brow furrowed for a moment, then he seemed to recognize Zach. A smile crossed his lips and he said, "Ah, I suppose I remember you after all. It''s nice to meet you properly, Zach." Despite his polite words, his hazel eyes were cold and cruel. Zach quickly decided that the only way to make this trip tolerable was to interact with Milo as little as possible. He pulled a book from his bag, scooted close to Riley''s side, and read to pass the time until the rest of the expedition crew arrived. 36. The Road West Alexia and the Princess were the last to board the carriage. It had been over an hour since Zach and Riley arrived, but no one dared complain about the wait. "I apologize for delaying everyone," Evelyn said as she sat down next to Riley, facing the back end of the carriage. The bench-seat on the opposite side held Milo, Fern, and the guard-captain Randolph, a tall man with short black hair who Zach recognized from the trip to Okwata. A second guard, a massive and stout man named Arko, was standing outside and planned to ride up front with the Rider to keep watch. Arko''s arms were as big around as Zach''s head and Zach felt safe knowing he''d be fighting if monsters showed up. Randolph bowed his head and said, "No apologies required, Your Highness. This expedition operates on your schedule." Evelyn smiled and nodded, but she looked a little uncomfortable. This was this exact kind of stuffy formality that she tried to escape from whenever possible. Milo kept the formality going when he said dipped his chin and said, "Greetings, Your Highness. My name is Milo, and I''ll be your combat mage for this journey. You need not fear monsters while I''m around." Zach had been watching Milo out of the corner of his eye for the last hour and what he''d seen didn''t help his opinion of the man. When the guards arrived, they''d both greeted Milo like they had met him before, but he barely acknowledged them in return. The sour expressions that appeared on their faces told Zach everything he needed to know about their relationship with the mage. Milo had at least greeted the Princess warmly, but it felt hollow after the way he had treated all the other members of the expedition. The one person he didn''t seem to know how to interact with was Fern. Milo was polite to her, but seemed very unsure of himself around the hyper-curious Kobold. Zach could empathize with him at least a little, having been on the receiving end of her questions and prodding. Alexia gave a hand signal to Arko outside then addressed the others inside the carriage. "Unless anyone has objections, we''re setting out. Our Rider, Timothy, will take us as far as road conditions allow, then we''ll have to hike the rest of the way." Then she preemptively answered the question Zach planned to ask by saying, "There are some routes into the Kobold domain that are traversable by carriage the entire way, but they would take too long for our needs." Then they heard a man, presumably the Rider Timothy, shout, "Hya!" and the carriage jolted into motion. The four passengers on the rear-facing seat braced themselves but Zach was too slow. He spilled onto the floor, earning a smug grin from Milo. This is going to be a long ride¡­ Zach thought to himself as he picked himself up and sat back down next to Riley.
Timothy''s two horses kept a slow and steady pace while they maneuvered through the cobblestone streets of New Albion. When they reached the eastern gate, the stationed guards waved the carriage through without stopping it. Once the horses were on the open road outside the walls, Timothy worked them up to a jog and then a full-out gallop. By Zach''s estimate they were moving about 25 miles an hour, a speed that would be impossible to maintain for long without the endurance-boosting magic and careful pacing of a Rider. The carriage had excellent suspension, Kobold-made according to Fern, so the ride was quite smooth. But the rhythmic sound of hoofbeats filled the cabin and made open conversation difficult. Evelyn used it to her advantage to speak privately with Zach about Otherworld matters. She apparently wanted to keep all of that secret from Milo and Randolph, and that was fine by Zach. Evelyn whispered, "We''re headed for the easternmost Kobold town, located near your world''s Silverthorne, just on the other side of the continental divide." Zach nodded. He knew the name but only had a vague idea of how far away it was. Most of his research into gold-mining locations had focused on the east side of the continental divide. Evelyn continued, "In fact, everything beyond the divide is Kobold territory. They prefer natural boundaries to man-made ones and the divide was convenient." "It was extra convenient for me," Zach said with a smile, "since it put my mining claim inside human lands." "If I''m not mistaken, we''ll be passing near your claim. Do you think you could point it out to us?" Zach pondered that for a moment, then nodded firmly. "After staring at maps and photos for so long to memorize its location, I''m sure I''ll be able to recognize the landmarks." As New Albion faded in the distance, the carriage hit a steep stretch of road and the horses were forced to slow down. The noise level in the carriage dropped as well, giving Zach a glimpse into what the other side of the cabin was talking about. "May I please hold your wand, mister Milo?" Fern said earnestly. "Why do you want that? It''s not like you can use it. Only expert mages can channel mana through a wand instead of themselves." "Oh, I know how wands are used, in theory. I''ve even forged a few myself back home. But I haven''t had a chance to study how the mana-infused alloy holds up to years of use. I''ve always wanted to confirm whether the intense mana flow of high-powered spells causes a cascading crystallization to occur within the gold-titanium matrix in the wand''s core." Milo didn''t seem to know how to respond. He opened and closed his mouth a couple times, then finally said, "Uh, sure. Here it is." He handed over a metallic rod about 12 inches long, thicker at the leather-wrapped base, with a bright rainbow sheen on the exposed metal. Zach recognized that sheen in an instant. That was anodized titanium, just like what Zach''s dad had used on some of the bicycles he made at his business, Pike''s Bikes. Titanium was lightweight and strong enough to make excellent bike frames, and the anodizing process was a novel way to seal the surface from corrosion and add a splash of color directly into the metal that would never chip or fade. Zach also knew that it required refined chemicals, high heat, and precisely controlled electricity, which said a lot about Kobold technological advancement. "Oh, how exciting. You''ve really done some work with this thing," Fern said after sniffing along the wand''s length. "I can smell years of fire magic, and a fair amount of other elements as well. How long have you had this?" "Um. About six years, I think," he said meekly. Fern turned and examined Milo''s face closely, then said, "Oh, so you reached the level of expert mage at a young age. Impressive!" Then she went back to examining the wand, running her fingertips along its length and testing what little give the metal had. "As I suspected, there''s a bit of crystallization in the core, but rather than impeding the flow of mana, it''s actually assisting!"You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Riley was watching the entire exchange with rapt interest. She wanted to be a real mage someday and learning to use a wand was a critical part of that dream. Without a wand, elemental spells like fire and ice were dangerous and unreliable. Riley had learned in class that the core of a wand acted as a focus to stabilize the mana and its length ensured that any extreme temperatures started away from the caster''s body. "Fern?" Riley asked, "How can you know that stuff? Are you using some sort of analysis spell?" Milo cast an annoyed glance at Riley, but quickly returned his attention to Fern. He clearly wanted to know the answer as well. Fern shook her head. "Not at all. I''m just sensing the natural flow of environmental mana as it moves through the wand and through the air around it, and I''m using the subtle differences in tone and purity to infer the wand''s internal composition." Riley and Milo both sat in silence for a moment, then Riley said, "Even my best professors couldn''t do that! Kobold senses are so cool!" Fern smiled and her ears perked up. "Indeed they are, assuming that ''cool'' is a positive thing." Riley clamped a hand over her mouth while Alexia shook her head and Evelyn giggled. Zach chuckled and said, "Yes, ''cool'' is a good thing." Confused, Milo looked at Zach and Riley for a moment, then he returned his focus to Fern with a look of admiration in his eyes. Whatever he''d thought of Fern before, he definitely respected her now.
"I think this is the place," Zach said. They''d been on the road about two hours, and the wagon was moving slowly to give the horses a break after a steep climb. "What place?" Randolph asked. He peered out the left-side window but only saw pine trees and mountains without a single sign of civilization. Zach pointed out the other window, which was facing north. "The site of my mining claim. It''s a few miles that way." Then Zach''s brow furrowed as he looked where he was pointing. In the distance there was a plume of dust and whatever was making it seemed to be moving closer at high speed. Alexia saw it too. She said, "Excuse me for a moment," then opened the carriage''s side door and stepped onto the railing. With expert agility she climbed up onto the roof and out of sight. Less than a minute later, she climbed back inside as the carriage slowed to a stop. Everyone looked at her expectantly, so she said, "We''ll be taking a short break here because we have a visitor approaching." "Is it Stal?" Zach asked, unsure. It would be wonderful if exploration of his mining claim had already started but he didn''t want to get his hopes up. Alexia answered, "I believe so. He signaled us with a mirror and would like us to stop for a moment." Riley raised a hand to ask a question but Milo cut in. "Who is Stal and why are we slowing down our important mission for him?" Princess Evelyn answered, "Stal is the kingdom''s mining expedition leader, and an expert on monsters and traveling through the wilds. If he wants to talk to us, it may be to warn us about something dangerous in the area." Within minutes, the sound of hoofbeats could be heard outside the stopped carriage. A large man approached on horseback, then slowed to a stop and jumped off his steed about 20 feet away. Alexia hopped out of the carriage and beckoned for the others to follow. "You''re all welcome to come. Stal won''t bite you." Zach followed, happy for the opportunity to stretch his legs. He waved to Stal and the massive man waved back. Like when Zach first met him, Stal had a massive brown beard and wild curly hair, but this time he was dressed in a leather vest covered in pockets over a flannel shirt and what looked like dust-colored jeans. "Good to see you, Zach," Stal called out as he neared. "I didn''t realize you were in that carriage." "It''s nice to see you again as well, Stal." Zach offered a hand. He quickly regretted it when Stal gripped his wrist a bit too hard. "And yeah, I''m traveling with the Princess on this journey." "Princess?!" Stal looked around frantically, then spied Evelyn with the group. He dropped to one knee and bowed his head. "My apologies, Your Highness. I didn''t recognize you in your travel clothes." Evelyn sighed and said, "It''s fine. No need to kneel. I could use a break from all that royal formality while I''m outside the castle." "Of course, Princess." Stal stood but he still looked uncomfortable. For someone who worked for the Kingdom directly, he was surprisingly flustered around royalty. Alexia stepped forward and said, "So why did you wave us down, Stal? We''re on a short timetable and would like to get moving as soon as possible." Stal grew more comfortable as he answered, "To warn you about monsters. The Fey are unusually active right now and that always sends monsters into a strange mood. The dense mana breaks them from their predictable routines and can cause them to wander far from their normal territory. For example, we sighted a Dire Bear last night." Fern''s eyes widened. "This far south? That''s unusual indeed." Stal nodded, then said something to Fern in a language Zach couldn''t understand. As Stal and Fern conversed, Zach thought, Oh right, Stal is one of few humans who knows the Kobold language. I gathered that he could read it from when he showed me that map with Kobold writing on it, but I guess he can speak it too. After a bit of back and forth conversation that left Fern smiling, Fern turned to the Princess and said, "This Stal is quite the flatterer. Keep him around." Alexia cleared her throat then said, "Sorry Stal, but we''d like to keep moving to get to our campsite before nightfall. Do you have anything else to tell us?" Stal nodded. "Yes. For Zach, we''re still doing the initial exploration of your site, but we''ve confirmed gold flakes in the water, which is a good sign. For everyone, I recommend you keep a good watch tonight. Mountain monsters can be crafty, and that Fey mana means it''ll be harder to predict what might show up." Alexia said, "Will do. Thank you, Stal." Then she beckoned with one hand and said, "Everyone back in the carriage. We''re leaving." Zach had the hilarious mental image of Alexia as a school teacher trying to herd children on a field trip. Despite her scariness, the children were running around and causing her grief. Zach had to stifle a laugh and he made a mental note to tell Riley about it later when Alexia was out of earshot.
The group rode in the carriage for about two more hours until the road ended near a small outpost with a stone tower. Alexia said that it had once been used by the Guard to keep an eye on the western edge of New Albion, up until the alliance with the Kobolds was formed. After that, it wasn''t seen as necessary to keep soldiers stationed there. "Sorry everyone," the Rider said as he climbed down from his seat on the front of the carriage. It was Zach''s first good look at the man, who was surprisingly short and frail-looking with wispy blonde hair and a stubby nose. "This is as far as I can take you." "It''s fine, Timothy," Evelyn said. "We planned for this after all." "You''re very kind, Princess," he said with a bow. Alexia raised an arm to get everyone''s attention, then said, "Everyone, get your belongings and check that your boots are properly laced up. We have a two-hour hike before we make camp." Just a few minutes later, Timothy and his horses started eastward with a wave while the expedition group set out to the west. Alexia led the way and the guards Randolph and Arko took up the rear. Zach could see why the carriage couldn''t go any further: the only trail was faint and narrow, and it wound over rocky terrain and between densely packed trees. The high altitude and steep climb had everyone breathing too hard to hold steady conversation. Everyone except Fern, who wasn''t winded in the least. She asked Zach a lot of questions about his world, but only while Milo and the guards were out of earshot. "So what''s located here in your world?" Fern asked, gesturing at the valley around them. Between breaths, Zach answered, "Some small towns and a massive road called a highway. Up ahead, it passes through a man-made tunnel that''s over a mile and a half long and each direction is forty feet wide." "Each direction? What do you mean?" Zach didn''t want to explain cars and trucks, so he said, "Um, each of the two tunnels is just for people traveling a single direction, so they can go fast without risk of crashing head-on." Fern rubbed her chin in thought. "That does sound convenient, but likely unnecessary for the speeds Riders can manage. Do your people have a faster form of travel?" I guess this information can''t hurt, Zach thought, then he said, "Yeah, we have motorized carriages we call cars. They can travel over 90 miles an hour, but most highways are limited to 55 or 65 for safety." "Oh! Much faster than¡ª Nevermind." Fern smiled and went uncharacteristically quiet. She was definitely hiding something, but Zach could only guess at what it could be. 37. Making Camp The sun was setting when Princess Evelyn''s expedition reached their campsite. The sunset painted a warm orange color across the mountain valley and the clouds above that contrasted with the pale blue of the sky. The campsite was tucked within a small clump of gold-leafed aspen trees, and it had telltale signs of use by travelers in the past, including a deep fire pit. The trees provided some shelter from the cold mountain wind and the clearing within was large enough for well over a dozen people and their supplies. Zach quickly noticed that the treeline, the elevation at which trees couldn''t grow, was just a hundred feet higher than the campsite. He estimated that the campsite was at around 11,000 feet and near where the west exit of Interstate 70''s Eisenhower Tunnel would be in his world. Without that tunnel to cut under the continental divide, the expedition would have to climb up and over Loveland Pass, nearly 12,000 feet high at the top. Zach wasn''t looking forward to that hike. "Everyone, work together to get the tents pitched as soon as possible," Alexia shouted as she unfurled a small tent made of oil-sealed canvas. "We need to act quickly while there''s still daylight and clear skies. Storms can move in surprisingly quickly up here." "Who does she think she is?" Milo grumbled under his breath. The question was obviously rhetorical and Milo hadn''t meant for anyone to even hear it, but Fern answered it nonetheless. "Her name is Alexia and she''s the Princess''s bodyguard and a former guard captain." "Ugh, I know that." "Oh, okay," Fern said with a smile. "I get the impression you''re very well studied." Milo eyed her suspiciously. "Yeah, I have to be to maintain my rank as a combat mage for the kingdom." Fern was getting excited again, bouncing from foot to foot. "Can you tell me a bit about what it''s like to be a professional mage? I''ve always wanted to know!" Zach watched their interaction with a puzzled look on his face. He had no idea why Fern would be interested in such an ass. Then again, she was curious about everything, so Zach put it out of mind and focused on putting up his and Riley''s tent. It was barely six feet long and four feet wide, so he and Riley would be nice and snug inside. The wooden tent poles were a far cry from the modular fiberglass ones from when he''d been camping with his parents and the sealed-canvas cover was heavy and unwieldy. Just as Zach finally got the little tent to stand on its own, Randolph announced, "Be wary tonight and report any odd sounds immediately. Interrupted sleep is far better than getting ambushed in the night." Everyone agreed, except Milo, who was busy complaining about the sleeping arrangement. "Why does my tent have three bedrolls in it? There''s barely enough room in these things for two people." Alexia stepped up to him and stood tall, but she only came up to his nose. "Good news: there will only be two people in the tent at a time. You, Randolph, and Arko are going to take turns standing watch, as part of your guard duties." Milo broke eye contact with the intimidating woman. "Fine. But I''m taking first watch. I''m not tired yet, and I don''t want my rest split into two pieces." Arko shot Milo an unpleasant glare and looked like he had something to say, but Randolph put a hand on the larger man''s shoulder and said, "In that case, I''ll take the middle shift and Arko can have the morning watch. Sound good?" Arko nodded and turned back to the tent, avoiding further interaction with Milo. It didn''t take long for the sun to finish setting and for the valley to grow dark. The moon was barely a sliver in the sky and left starlight and the campfire as the only illumination. Zach and Riley were tucked inside their snug tent, warm beneath their blankets. For nearly an hour, they conversed in quiet whispers. "I can''t believe they''d give the job to that jerk," Riley said. "But I guess you can get away with bad behavior when you''re an experienced combat mage." She sighed and added, "I''d like to be that skilled someday. I''d ask him for advice about magic, but he''s such an ass he''d either refuse or demand payment for the lesson." Zach agreed with that assessment of Milo. "Yeah, he''s a tool. I actually met him a few weeks ago, at the library, and he was a dick to me then too." "Aww, I''m sorry to hear that." Zach turned his head and looked Riley in the eyes. "But it''s hard for stuff like that to bother me, when I''ve got you here with me." Riley giggled at Zach''s cheesy romance and gave him a quick kiss. Then she snuggled up against him and said, "Let''s get some sleep. Got a lot of hiking ahead of us tomorrow."
Zach awoke to shouting, growling, and the sounds of combat somewhere outside the tent. "On your right!" That was Arko''s voice. YELP! An inhuman, pained sound that hurt Zach''s ears. "Got it," said Milo. FWOOSH! The entire side of the tent lit up with the colors of the sunset, then it went dark again. Zach shook Riley awake and whispered, "Something''s happening. Monsters I think." Then he rolled onto his belly, lifted the tent flap, and peeked outside. About 15 feet from the tent, Arko stood over a bloody mass of fur that looked like a wolf, albeit a bigger one than Zach had ever seen. Milo was further away, next to a pile of smoking ash and bones that must have been a monster too. Zach gasped aloud at the sight, causing Arko to spin around, one arm raised with a bloody short sword in hand. A drop of blood flew from its tip and landed on the ground near the tent, startling Zach further. Then Arko relaxed when he saw the sound had just been Zach. Arko said, "The fighting''s over. Randolph is searching the perimeter for signs of other monsters, but it looks like these two were alone. Given their shabby state and reckless attack, they were likely starving and abandoned by their pack." It was the most Zach had heard Arko say at once. The man seemed far more comfortable in battle than in normal conversation. As Zach''s pulse slowed, he said, "Oh, okay. Thank you for protecting us." Riley popped her head out next to Zach''s and she repeated the sentiment, "Thank you very much." Arko took in Riley''s bare shoulders and the handkerchief tying Zach and Riley''s hands together, then he blushed bright red and averted his eyes. "Um, please try to get some sleep. We''ve got it under control now." As the young couple crawled back under their covers, Riley whispered, "Aw, Arko was so embarrassed. He''s like an innocent little boy." She grinned and nudged Zach in the side. "Or like you, Zach." As Zach felt his own ears heating up with embarrassment, he admitted, "That''s fair. But I''m getting better. Just like you''re getting better about being with a guy." Riley pulled Zach''s arm around herself and pressed her back against his chest. "Yep. We''re improving nicely. Now let''s get back to sleep."
The morning chill cut through Zach''s drowsiness and kept him moving. While Riley helped Alexia prepare a simple hot breakfast for the group, Zach packed up his tent and helped Evelyn with hers. She was pretty capable in other ways, but she definitely didn''t have any experience with camping. Her attempts at rolling up her bedroll and tent were sloppy to say the least.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. As Zach rerolled Evelyn''s tent tighter so it would actually fit in its bag, he said, "Did the fighting wake you up too?" Evelyn yawned and brushed some messy brown hair from her eyes, then answered. "Yeah. Alexia had just untied herself from me when the fighting stopped. She insisted on joining Randolph for his perimeter check, so I didn''t get to sleep again for nearly an hour." "Oh, damn. Sorry to hear that." "It''s fine. I''ve met with nobles on less sleep, and the Kobolds are not nearly as obsessed with decorum as humans." Zach stuffed the rolled canvas tent into its carrying bag. "So we''re meeting them today?" Evelyn nodded. "That''s the plan." "G''morning, Princess," Riley said as she approached. She was putting her maid experience to work by carrying three small plates of food and three tin mugs. She handed a set to Evelyn and one to Zach, then sat down on a log. She took a sip of her drink and said, "It''s no cold-brew coffee, but this tea should help us wake up." "Thank you," Evelyn said. She sat down as well and sipped her tea, then quietly said, "Say, Riley? Do you think you could call me Evy or Evelyn, at least when nobody''s around?" Riley blinked. "Uh, if that''s what you want, Princ¡ª er, Evy." Riley blushed and said, "Sorry¡­ old habits die hard." As Zach started into his breakfast of eggs and hashbrowns, something occurred to him. He had seen the bags of camping equipment that Arko and Randolph had carried, but he hadn''t seen anyone transporting food, especially food as fragile as eggs. "Wait, who carried all the food up here?" "Milo, apparently," Riley answered. "He''s got some sort of pocket magic I''ve never heard of that lets him store a ton of stuff in that robe of his. Fern''s been pestering him about it nonstop after she saw him pull a dozen eggs out of his pocket." Zach looked around and spotted Milo and Fern on the other side of the campfire. Sure enough, Fern was rambling excitedly at the mage, who looked just as awkward and unsure as when he''d first met her. Evelyn smiled. "I think he likes her," she said quietly. "What?" Riley squawked, staring at Evelyn. "How can you tell? Just because he isn''t being a jerk to her?" "That, and she actually impressed him. From what Alexia told me, Milo was always the top of his class and then he quickly rose through the ranks of battle mages. He''s always been above everyone, and now he finally met someone smarter than him." Zach cleared his throat. "Uh, sorry if this sounds racist, but do humans and Kobolds often, you know, hook up?" Evelyn shrugged. "Not that I know of. But half-humans are definitely possible, albeit rare." "Oh yeah, like Stal. He said he had Jo-something ancestors," Zach said. "Jotun," Evelyn clarified. "Frost giants who live far to the north, in what you''d call Canada." "Ah, right." Zach''s forehead wrinkled in thought. "Hang on. Isn''t ''jotun'' a norse thing? With Loki and Odin and stuff? How''d they get to Canada?" Riley was very lost amongst all the unfamiliar words, so she just ate quietly while Evelyn answered, "No idea. History definitely played out differently in this world, and 300 years ago, the Old Kingdom had most of the history books destroyed, at least the ones in King''s Speech. So we don''t really know how the various races got where they are now." "Sorry to intrude," came a voice from behind Zach. It was Fern, looking as bright and cheerful as ever. "I have two things to say. One, we''re breaking camp and heading out now, so please finish eating. And two, my people have some history that might interest you. We should talk while we hike." Zach shared a guilty look with Evelyn. They were both worried about how much of their conversation Fern had overheard. Fern clapped her hands together and said, "Well, come on now, let''s get going."
The hike up and over the divide was no walk in the park. Thanks to the thin air and steep climb, everyone struggled and made slow progress. Riley and Milo had the hardest time of it since they had never done much exercise at high elevation before. Zach had often gone hiking and mountain biking with his parents as a child so his lungs were well adapted, but he still got tired from the sheer number of steps. Once again, Fern wasn''t out of breath at all. "Kobold history is told through stories, passed down through the generations," she said. "The stories say that all people in the world were once more or less the same, before magic came to be. When mana entered the world, it changed the wildlife first, creating monsters. The people fled to places where the monsters were fewer, but they still struggled." "Uh huh," Zach said. He was listening closely but he wasn''t able to converse while keeping up his current pace. "Then people started to embrace the mana, to take it into themselves. But different cultures had affinities for different kinds of mana. My people embraced the mana of the earth, stable and patient, and we retreated under the mountains. We were rewarded with safety, warm fur, and a deep understanding of metal and stone. The people who would become Elves were our cousins who had lived on the plains and in the forests. They embraced the mana of fire and lightning, of destruction. They stood their ground and used it to fight against the monsters, but it cost them dearly: their population dwindled and they withdrew to the eastern coast." Fern took a sip of water from her waterskin, then continued, "The lizardmen are humans that embraced water, the most wild and natural form mana can take. It changed them, reduced them to something wild and feral, but it gave them the strength to survive in the swamps and islands to the south. The Jotun of the north melded with mana of ice and snow. They grew tall and hardy, but also solitary. Their need to spread out drove them from the continent of the Old Kingdom to this one, which the Kobolds call Thipi, meaning ''home''." Fern grinned and said, "And some Kobolds believe that there was one other group of people on Thipi when mana appeared. These people embraced the mana of air, of the spirit. They left their physical forms behind and became Fey. They continue to walk the world, immortal." "What about modern humans?" Zach asked. "Humans only arrived on Thipi recently, long after mana had changed the rest of us, so I don''t know how you avoided the physical changes that affected the other races. My theory is that the humans managed to stay neutral to the elements of mana. And though they clearly bonded with mana and learned to do magic with it, they always respected it and never sought to own it. I think that''s why the Fey seem to like humanity so much." "They do? I''ve never seen one." Alexia cut in. "Spend some time outdoors and you will eventually. I''ve seen Fey on a dozen occasions, and I''ve been left in awe every time. They are like living mana, taking whatever form suits their whimsy, from humanoid one moment to a mouse the next." "Are they big?" Zach asked, thinking of her ''left in awe'' comment. She shook her head. "Not the ones I saw. No matter their form, they stayed human size or smaller." The conversation stopped dead when the group crested the final ridge. They stood on the continental divide, the line that decided where all water would go on its way to the sea. Behind them, all rivers eventually flowed into what Zach called the Atlantic Ocean, and before them was the great Colorado River basin, which made its way to the Pacific. The view was magnificent: snow-capped peaks as far as the eye could see with brightly colored valleys of evergreens and autumn-colored aspens in between. Morning sunlight sparkled off a small lake in the nearest valley and a vast herd of elk crowded its shore. Even the rocky pass around them teemed with life, marmots and wildflowers and hardy lichen coating the stones. "Wow, it''s beautiful," Zach said, breathless for more than one reason. Riley just nodded as she tried to catch her breath. Unfortunately for her, the trip down the other side of the pass was not much easier. The ground was sandy and uneven, making every footstep difficult.
"We have arrived!" Fern cheered, causing a few birds to take flight from a nearby tree. "We have?" Zach asked. "Yes, this is"¡ªFern rambled off something completely unintelligible in her native tongue. "But I guess you can call it Sunrise because it''s the easternmost Kobold settlement on Thipi." Then she scrunched up her face and said, "Though that''s not the best name, since it''s in the shadow of the mountains and actually experiences sunrise later than some other towns." Milo looked all around, including at the lake down the hill which still had some elk milling about. "I don''t see anything. Just a bunch of trees with no sign of civilization at all." Fern poked Milo on the nose with one finger. "That''s because all of our major construction is underground! The surface is for nature and limited farming and ranching." Then she lead the group to an unassuming cave entrance in the hillside. Other than a well-worn path leading up to the cave, it would have been nearly invisible. A dozen feet down the cool and dry tunnel, everything changed. The tunnel opened up to a massive cavern over 30 feet high and just as wide. It had been enlarged by tools of some kind that left a strange swooping crescent pattern on the walls, like thousands of lopsided ''C''s. The artificial tunnel continued at that size deep into the mountainside, lit by small lamps every 20 feet or so which cast a pale blue light that didn''t feel natural. Zach was blown away. He couldn''t imagine how the Kobolds could have made such a tunnel without magic. Even Milo and Alexia, the group''s harshest critics, seemed to be impressed. "Um, Fern?" Zach asked. "How did your people carve this? It doesn''t look like it was magic." "I''m not at liberty to say, but perhaps we can arrange a knowledge exchange when we get to town." Riley pulled her eyes from the strange patterns carved into the walls, great swirls cutting deep into the stone, elegant yet savage. "How much farther is it?" "Maybe five minutes to the front gate. There should be a welcome party waiting for us." "How''d they know we were coming?" Evelyn asked. Fern raised one furry eyebrow, then said, "The scouts saw us when we came over the pass. They''ve been tracking us ever since, but I guess you humans didn''t notice. You really aren''t very observant." She smiled to try to soften the blow. "No offense." 38. Marvels The Kobold town of Sunrise was unlike anything Zach had ever seen. It was nestled deep within the mountainside and occupied a dozen large dome-shaped caverns interconnected by short tunnels in the cardinal directions. The lofty underground spaces were lit by lanterns that emitted calming blue light and each cavern contained two to four simple houses of grey cobblestone and polished wood, each housing a Kobold family. The buildings were angular and minimalistic, with large windows and squat balconies that ringed their second floors and reminded Zach of the modern architectural style of Frank Lloyd Wright. They also had a strong natural vibe, thanks to exposed wood grain and a soft green moss that crept up the stone surfaces. And while the architecture was minimalistic, the decor was lively and welcoming, with warm-colored walls and soft leather furniture. The doorway of every house featured elaborate hanging charms similar to windchimes, made of gemstones, bones, and even seashells that sparkled in the dim light of the cave. Kobold men and women had greeted the human visitors at the town border, all wearing leather tunics with colorful beaded hems. Most were barefoot, their paw-like feet apparently durable enough for their daily routines, but Zach also saw a few Kobolds who wore heavy chaps and metal boots. He figured they were miners or blacksmiths who needed more protection for their jobs. After some whispered conversation with the welcome party at the town''s secure front gate, Fern, Evelyn, and Alexia raced off to speak to the town''s leaders. A black-furred Kobold man who spoke decent English aka King''s Speech, guided the rest of the group to a building that was larger than the rest. "My family runs this inn," said the smiling man with perky triangular ears sticking out of a floppy leather hat. He had given his name as Riverstone, but like all Kobolds his real name was something far more complex and difficult for humans to say or remember. "Our town doesn''t get many travelers, but the Council pays us to keep it running as a public service. For times like this one. And the townsfolk use the space for community dinners sometimes." "If you don''t mind my asking, how many people live here in Sunrise?" Zach asked as the group stepped into the inn. The interior was surprisingly standard for an inn, with scattered tables and chairs, a bar, and a kitchen visible through a wide door at the back. "Sunrise?" Riverstone blinked, then his eyes went wide with recognition. "Oh right, yes. It''s been a while since I heard that name for our town. To answer your question, we have about 40 permanent residents, plus occasional diplomats who stop in on their way to human lands." He stopped and looked over the human party again. "It is far rarer for the humans to visit us, and it is a welcome treat. Please let me know if there''s anything at all that would make your time here more enjoyable." Milo took him up on that offer immediately, saying, "We''re hungry from our travels. Do you have any food suitable for humans?" Riverstone raised one eyebrow, then bowed his head slightly and said, "Yes, we have stew made from bison and root vegetables that should not give you any trouble at all. I started it this morning, so it should be nice and tender by now." He started for the kitchen and said, "Please take a seat at a table, and I''ll serve some stew. Unless you''d rather bathe first?" The four human men shrugged and glanced at each other, then all looked at Riley at the same time. Embarrassed, she shook her head and said, "No, eating first is fine." Though the room was empty of any other guests, the five humans settled around the same large round table. Zach let his gaze wander around the room, pondering what it must be like when the local Kobolds came together to eat, drink, and be merry. It felt simultaneously normal and bizarre, to be sitting down to eat in a building that was also deep underground. Riverstone returned quickly, wearing a plain white apron and carrying five wooden bowls on a large tray and five mugs on a smaller one. "Here you go. ''On the house'', as you humans say. The promised stew, along with some fresh spring water," he said as he passed out the food and drink. He smiled broadly, visibly excited to have human visitors to talk to. He pulled some wooden spoons from a pocket on his apron, handed them out, then bowed and said, "Please enjoy, and let me know if there''s anything that would make it more enjoyable." Milo grumbled under his breath, "You already said that." "Oh, so I did! Sorry about that. I''ll leave you be now." With that, Riverstone padded off, back into the kitchen. Randolph glared across the table. "That was rude, Milo. We''re diplomatic guests here, making an impression on behalf of New Albion." Milo was already lifting a spoonful of dark brown stew to his lips. He shrugged. "I didn''t think he''d hear me." Riley cut in, "Of course he''d hear you. You know how good Kobold senses are. Or did you think Fern was special in that regard?" Milo ignored her and ate his stew in silence. Zach dug into his own stew, happy that it hadn''t turned into a full argument. It was thick and rich with a very hearty flavor, but it was also a little plain. The bison meat was very lean, and the stew lacked salt and other seasonings humans were used to. It was still satisfying and filling, so Zach couldn''t complain. He half expected Milo to say something snarky or at least ask for salt, but the mage remained quiet.
After the meal, Riley got to experience the marvels of Kobold engineering firsthand in the inn''s bathroom. The shower stall was tiled with seamless black stones and had a fogged glass door that was perfectly balanced to move with the lightest touch. A single rotating dial in the wall controlled the water temperature to remarkable precision, and the shower head was somehow flexible and poseable. When she described it to Zach later in the inn''s main room, he nodded and said, "Oh, nice. That sounds like the showers we have back home." Riley glanced around and saw that the rest of their group was scattered around the room, reading or tending to their armor, and they were all out of earshot. She whispered, "Your world is so unbelievable to me. I tell you about the most impressive bathroom I''ve ever seen, and your response is ''Oh, nice. Seen it.''" Zach raised his hands defensively, "Hey, the magic here still impresses me every time I see it. Like the lamps all over Sunrise, how do those even work? I don''t think they hire conjurers to light them like New Albion does." "I can answer that," came a voice from the doorway. It was Fern and she seemed to be alone. As she approached Zach and Riley''s table, she explained, "Princess Evelyn and Alexia are still speaking with the town council. Would you like a tour of town while we wait? I''ve visited Sunrise a few times and can show you some interesting sights."The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Zach and Riley''s eyes lit up in tandem and Zach said, "That would be awesome." "Awesome? Meaning full of fearful respect? Or perhaps merely inspiring awe? Yet it''s clearly a good thing from your tone of voice¡­" Fern scritched at one fuzzy ear. "Your terminology is quite interesting, Zach." Zach slumped back into his chair, blinking. "Wow, I totally forgot that ''awe'' has a negative connotation. These days, ''awesome'' is purely positive. It''s pretty much synonymous with wonderful or excellent." Fern smiled. "Thank you for the explanation. Well, shall we depart?" Riley glanced over at Arko and Randolph who had their armor up on the table and were scrubbing it with a leather pad. Milo was reclined in a booth on the far wall, his nose in a book. "What about the others?" Fern turned her head that direction and loudly announced, "We''ll be going for a brief walk around town. We should return before the Princess does." Randolph gave a wave and Arko nodded. Milo looked up from his book and opened his mouth as if to say something, then changed his mind. He returned to reading without commenting. Fern led Zach and Riley through several domed caverns, explaining the strange blue lanterns on the way. "Those are lit by mana crystals, a naturally occurring crystal that can store and emit mana. They glow blue as long as they hold mana." Their destination was a partially excavated room on the edge of town. Most of the ceiling had been chiseled out but huge piles of rubble still covered the floor. Just as Zach was wondering how the Kobolds had removed so much stone, Fern stopped them in the entrance tunnel and pointed, giving Zach his answer. Near the far wall was a large metal machine with six massive wheels, each nearly as tall as Zach. But despite its height, the machine was slender and fragile looking, with strange spiralling blades on the front, like swords that had been stretched and twisted into the shape of a hollow drill. Along the machine''s length were numerous of exposed gears that reminded Zach of steampunk, except instead of brass, the surfaces were all anodized to a rainbow sheen, the same sealing technique that had been applied to Milo''s wand. Then a heavily-dressed Kobold sitting on top pulled a lever and the machine rolled forward with a low hum, far quieter than Zach had expected, and it didn''t emit any steam or smoke either. As he stared dumbfounded, the fragile-looking blades at the front spun faster and faster until they were a blur, then the vehicle approached a wall and cut right into it like it was butter. The hollow drill funneled chunks of rock back through the machine and into a cart that it towed behind. Cutting into stone like that should have thrown off chips and dust, but the air stayed perfectly clean. Zach squinted. "Why isn''t there any dust?" "Magic," Fern answered. "The blades at the front were enchanted by a human mage, and since they''re made of a similar mana-infused alloy to the wands we make, the enchantment works quite well. The rest of the machine is all Kobold engineering." "How is it so quiet?" Zach was still watching the elegant machine as it chewed through the wall and rapidly filled its cart with stone. "And what''s its power source?" "Powdered mineral lubricant, which we mine not too far from here. Because of our sensitive ears and nose, we prioritize quiet operation and low dust emission for our mining tools. And they use the same power source as the lanterns: mana crystals." Then Fern looked Zach in the eye. "You''re very curious about these machines, Zach. Are you engineering minded, perhaps?" He shook his head. "Not really. My specialty is economics, but my dad was a mechanical engineer, and I guess some of it rubbed off on me." Then he asked, "What exactly are these mana crystals you''ve mentioned?" Riley answered, "I''ve learned about them in school. Mages can drain them to power large spells, but they are rare and single use, so most mages don''t bother." Fern grinned, her eyes glinting. It was the look of someone who was privy to exclusive and exciting information. "They aren''t single use. We can refill and reuse them many times before they break down." "Refill?" Riley said, skeptical. "I''ve never heard of someone being able to refill those." "Ah, that''s because you''d need a place with incredibly dense mana, like where I''ll show you next." Fern jogged back into town and Zach and Riley followed. She was headed for the center of the grid of ''streets''. Instead of another dome, there was a narrow tunnel that sloped downward and zigzagged unpredictably. Zach could hear trickling water ahead and saw more of that blue light glinting off the smooth, water-eroded walls ahead. Then they rounded a corner and stepped into a natural cavern over 50 feet high and almost as wide. The entire room was illuminated in vibrant blue light from an uncountable number of crystals that coated every surface. Most were small, no larger than Zach''s thumb, but some of the crystals were over 10 feet long, like spears of sky blue ice. A small waterfall cascaded down the opposite wall and collected in a perfectly clear pool. More glowing crystals were submerged in the water, revealing another 20 feet of flooded cavern below. "Wow," Zach said as he stared. The sight was beautiful in a way he couldn''t begin to describe so he didn''t bother to try. Fern smiled and bounced from foot to foot. "Yes, it is impressive every single time I visit. Sunrise was founded here because of this cave, or more precisely because of the mana that runs through it. The mana current coming up from the earth is so dense, it causes all these mana crystals to form. We used to harvest them to power our machines, but now we have enough high quality ones that we can recharge instead." As she said that, she pointed at a wooden rack that Zach hadn''t noticed before. He''d been too distracted by the cave''s beauty. On the rack were dozens of crystals, all perfectly symmetrical and carefully organized so they didn''t touch each other. They were all glowing blue, but to various degrees. "These crystals are recharging now." "Um, Zach?" Riley asked, sounding slightly concerned. "You should look at your backpack." "Huh?" He glanced over his shoulder but couldn''t see anything, so he took his backpack off. It didn''t take long to find what Riley wanted him to see. The little quartz pendant that dangled from his bag, the same one he''d bought from a vendor for as thanks for giving him directions, was now glowing bright blue. "O¡­ kay? Why is my quartz pendant glowing?" "Ooh!" Fern blurted as she knelt down to get a closer look. "Seems that you had an exhausted mana crystal this whole time! Where''d you get it?" "Uh, I bought it from an old lady in the market in New Albion. It cost me six Chips, I believe." Thinking about it brought back other memories of his first few days in this world, when everything was new and overwhelming. "Six Chips? In Kobold markets, a crystal of that size and quality would sell for the equivalent of four Harts." Zach raised an eyebrow and thought, Almost 14 times more? The vendor must not have known its true value. "Are you sure? I thought this was just a piece of regular quartz." "No, while that certainly looks like quartz, only crystals formed in mana-rich areas can store mana. That''s most likely a mana crystal that was used up and discarded, like Riley mentioned. Since humans don''t know they can be recharged, they sell them as decorative trinkets. What a waste." Hmm, I wonder if that old lady got the crystals from the Mage College then? Zach wondered. Then he asked, "Is there an easy way to tell the difference between normal and magical crystals? For a human, at least?" Fern thought for a moment then said, "I don''t think there''s much that a normal human can do, but a trained mage could tell by injecting a bit of mana into it, and any Kobold would know with one sniff." "Oh, thanks." Zach made a mental note to tell the nice old lady that she could get more for her crystals by selling to the Kobolds. He could even act as the intermediary, setting up the deals and handling transportation for a cut of the profit. It was nice to be thinking about trade and economics again. With any luck, his gold mine would start producing value soon and he wanted some plans ready to put the money to use. But those desires seemed shortsighted and selfish now that he knew about the Elven threat. That was the reason for this trip, and he felt he should do everything he could to stop war from breaking out. If it was anything like what happened during World War Two, small-time business opportunities would dry up as the government redirected resources to the war effort, and Zach didn''t have the connections nor the desire to get into war profiteering. He was pretty sure he could find a way to be useful to New Albion''s side of the fight and make a living doing it, but he''d rather avoid that entirely. Zach''s mood fell further the more he thought about the prospect of war and he was quiet on the walk back to the inn. I hope Evelyn returns from her meeting with good news, he thought. I hope we got here in time to save the Kobolds from being poisoned. 39. Fallout After they wrapped up their diplomatic visit to Sunrise, the group returned the way they came. The trip took more than a day so they set up camp in the same location as before. Zach and Riley went to sleep while one of the guards watched over the campsite. Some time later, Zach awoke to pain, white hot and piercing. It came from his right arm being dislocated at the shoulder by a sudden wrenching pull. He may have screamed. If so, he couldn''t hear it over the chaos all around him. The tent had collapsed, half of it torn away, and Zach''s head was buried in near darkness. Beyond that was a cacophony of rumbling, screams, and a steady eye-watering hum that Zach could feel in his bones. Flashes of bright blue light shined through the canvas tent as something moved past, making a sound like hoofbeats. His right arm wouldn''t move, so he felt around with his left until he found an opening in the fallen tent, then he slowly crawled out, wincing with every movement. He barely noticed as his forearm was quickly riddled with pine needles and sharp-edged gravel. It was nothing compared to the pain in his shoulder. The pink color of the sky suggested that dawn had arrived, but everything on the ground was illuminated in a strange blue glow. It reminded Zach of the Kobold lanterns back in Sunrise, but there was no visible lightsource. The very air seemed heavy with the blue light, so heavy it was hard to breathe. Zach looked for Riley. She wasn''t in the tent, she wasn''t tied to him. "Riley?" he shouted, his voice feeling so small against the noise. Distant voices, an unintelligible shout, and that constant obnoxious hum, buzzing like a downed powerline. "Zach!" came a reply, but not from Riley. It was Alexia, approaching with her face stern and her eyes wide and alive on adrenaline. "Are you injured?" "Just my shoulder. Feels dislocated." As he thought about it, he finally noticed the lesser pains that riddled his body: fresh scrapes on his left arm, aches in his side and knees, and a stinging pain around his hand, like he''d taken a fall on concrete. His right hand, where Riley''s handkerchief should have been tied. A heavy sense of worry overcame him. "Where''s Riley?" he asked, alarmed. Alexia''s expression flickered to something else, then went stoic again. Was that fear? Sympathy? Zach wondered. She knelt by the ruined tent and hooked a hand under Zach''s good arm. "She''s unconscious. Milo put her under with a spell." Zach had started to rise, then fell back down as the strength left his legs. "What?! Why?" "She was injured, worse than you, but for the same reason. Your hands were tied together." Zach''s second attempt to stand was more effective, but he still relied on Alexia for support. "I don''t understand. What happened?" Alexia guided Zach toward the center of the campsite where a campfire still burned, undisturbed. The noise had quieted, except for that obnoxious hum. It was still just as loud, if not louder. She explained, "We were trampled by a stampede of Fey, all different shapes and sizes. They were on us before we knew it and passed just as fast. I only saw the tail end of it." He looked around, fully taking in the state of the campsite. Other than the blue glow everywhere and a couple toppled tents, everything looked normal. Nothing was stamped flat like he''d expected from the word ''stampede''. He looked back at Alexia. "Really?" he asked. "Fey can pass right through inanimate objects," Alexia explained. "But not through people. Riley was dragged over a dozen feet." She didn''t look him in the eyes as she spoke, and her standard even-toned delivery felt forced. It still felt like Alexia was hiding something from him, not telling him exactly what happened to Riley. Why the hell was she always so secretive? Another voice came from the other side of the campfire. "This doesn''t make sense! Fey don''t stampede! They aren''t simple beasts, easily startled. They can''t even be harmed, so why would they be afraid?" It was Fern, and she sounded emotional, like she was on the verge of tears. Zach could empathize. "Sorry to say, they clearly do stampede," Milo replied, his tone less antagonistic than his word choice. "This whole mess is proof of that." He shrugged. "On the bright side, you got to see a feywake like you wanted¡­" Zach stared at them. They were both underdressed for the cold mountain morning, still wearing simple bedclothes. But they weren''t injured. And Riley wasn''t with them. "Oh, Zach," Fern started with a smile, "You''re alright!" Then she covered her mouth with one hand as she saw the way he cradled his right arm. "Or not. But I don''t smell any bleeding." He shook his head, then regretted it as the pain in his shoulder flared up again. "Dislocated arm." Milo was suddenly right there, inches from Zach''s face. He shouted, "What in the name of mana were you doing, boy? Your little bondage game nearly got that girl killed." What? He''s blaming this on me? And what does he mean by bondage? Zach''s expression fell as he figured it out. He''s talking about our hands being tied together¡­ Arko saw us last night, and I guess Milo knows now. The pain in Zach''s arm, his worry for Riley, and his past issues with Milo all blended together and added up. This was the final straw. Zach lashed out with his functional arm, striking Milo''s chest and pushing him back. "Get out of my face, Milo. You don''t know what the fuck you''re talking about." "I don''t?" Milo scoffed. He stepped close again and shoved Zach, who wobbled then sat down on a log. The mage loomed tall over Zach. "You''re the idiot child with no idea how anything works. How''d you even live this long?" Before Zach could think of a reply, Alexia stepped in and nudged Milo back. In a careful, level voice she said, "It wasn''t his choice. It was the Princess''s orders. For reasons you don''t have the authority to know, Zach is required to be tied to one of her Highness''s maids while he sleeps."A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Zach didn''t bother to observe Milo''s reaction to that. There was something more pressing on his mind. "Where''s Riley?" he asked weakly. "I want to see her." Fern put a gentle hand on Zach''s uninjured shoulder. "She''s with Evelyn, in her tent. Randolph cleaned and bandaged her arm as best he could, but he''s no healer. None of us are." Zach stood instantly but his balance took a second to catch up and he almost fell. Then he started moving. "I''m going to her." Fern jogged along and Alexia followed at a distance, watching closely. Evelyn''s tent was unharmed, though the ground outside was churned up by all the people coming and going. He could see Evelyn''s back as she knelt at the small tent''s entrance. Her hair was loose and tangled and her pale purple nightshirt was grimy with dust and sweat. It was the least princess-like he''d ever seen her. She turned and gave him a forced smile. "Hi, Zach. Are you okay?" "I''m fine. How is she?" His tone was hard, harder than he''d intended. He looked past Evelyn and could barely make out Riley''s face in the dim light of the tent. She was wrapped in blankets up to her chin. Evelyn looked down at Riley. "Not great. The bone broke through the skin, a compound fracture I think it''s called. We need to get her to a healer quickly, before it gets infected." Zach glanced over his shoulder and saw Milo sitting by the campfire, staring at the ground. "Can''t Milo heal her? He used a spell on her, right?" "No, he isn''t trained in life magic. If he tried, he would likely just make it worse. The spell he used is meant for incapacitating enemy combatants. He used it to stop the screaming."
The hike to the valley where the carriage was waiting had been hard. Zach had been loaded down with supplies so that Randolph and Arko could carry Riley on a makeshift stretcher made from one of the tents. Zach offered to carry the stretcher instead, but his right arm was too weak even after Randolph popped it back into place. Zach hated not being able to help Riley directly. The carriage ride was even harder. At least when he''d been hiking, the motion and exertion gave him something to focus on. Now, with Riley sleeping next to him in the carriage and everyone else keeping to themselves, he had nothing to do but worry. Zach didn''t know much about medicine, but he knew that compound fractures were incredibly bad, even for modern science. Because the bone of her arm had been exposed to the air and soil as she''d been dragged, Riley was at risk of life-threatening infection. Not to mention the chance losing use of her arm entirely. I hope to God the healers of this world are amazing, he thought as he stared at her bandages. They were clean with no visible blood, but Zach could imagine the damage underneath and it turned his stomach. Zach;s blowup at Milo was also on his mind. The man was an asshole, but he did seem genuinely concerned about Riley''s wellbeing. At least Alexia stepped in before the fight got worse¡­ Zach frowned. He''d been relying on others so much lately. Alexia, the Princess, and especially Riley. He leaned on them so much, and what did he provide them in return? The hours crept by, even though the Rider was pushing his horses to their limit. Every bump in the road set Zach''s mind on edge again, terrified that the jolt had caused Riley more pain. Eventually, the wild countryside beyond the windows changed into fenced ranchland, then again into small farms. Zach couldn''t see New Albion from inside the carriage, but he knew it was close. At the west gate, the Rider stopped the carriage for the first time, but only for a few seconds. When the stationed guards realized that the arrivals included the Princess and that there was an emergency, they waved the Rider through in a hurry. From there, they raced to New Albion''s hospital equivalent, called a Hall of Healing. The carriage felt like it might be rattled apart by the cobblestones and Zach held Riley gently to keep her from rolling off the seat. Her face was pale and her expression was uneasy, far different than the peaceful sleeping face he''d grown familiar with. Please be okay¡­ please. Despite what Alexia had said, that it wasn''t Zach''s choice to be tied to Riley, he knew it was his fault that Riley got hurt. He was the reason she came on this mission. He was the reason she''d been trampled, had her arm broken so badly even Alexia had been hesitant to describe it. The Hall of Healing was a large white marble building, simultaneously imposing and welcoming with its wide doors and windows. Before the carriage had even come to a stop, two men in long robes ran up. Alexia jumped out and talked to them, then they came to collect Riley. Arko and Randolph offered their makeshift stretcher, but the men had a better one on hand. "Can I go with her?" Zach''s voice was weak, like the rest of him. He hadn''t had an appetite all morning and he was emotionally exhausted. He knew he must look like shit, and he definitely felt like it. "We have a waiting room, but you can''t enter the healing areas," one of the men answered. He had a kind-looking face, but his tone was weary. He had definitely answered that question many times before. Evelyn grabbed Zach''s hand, then looked at the man. "This is Zach, and he could use healing too. His arm was dislocated then popped back in, and he''s a bit scratched up." The man nodded, then moved to get Riley loaded onto the stretcher. She was still unconscious, but Milo had said the sleep spell should have worn off by now. Zach decided to believe that Riley was just asleep and her body was just trying to recover on its own. "Are you ready to depart, Princess?" Alexia asked. "I''m staying here with Zach and Riley," Evelyn announced to everyone''s surprise. "I''ll send word through Eloise when I''m ready to return to the castle." Alexia twitched in surprise, then stepped forward. "Then I''m staying with you." Evelyn nodded. "Alright. I''ll have Eloise explain what happened to the other maids." She turned to Fern. "I hate to ask this of you, since it''s beyond your role as ambassador, but can you work with the castle staff to find an expert on Fey behavior? We need to figure out what happened with that stampede." Fern smiled. "I was hoping you''d say that. I''ll do it, your Highness." With that, half the group departed in the carriage and the rest stayed at the Hall of Healing. Zach was glad to have Evelyn and Alexia with him. Hospitals had always been a bit unnerving and that went double in this world where he had no idea how they operated. He knew the organization that trained Healers had been funded by the late Queen Gwendolyn, but he didn''t know whether the Hall of Healing would charge for its services. And would he need proof of residency, or some form of ID? Thanks in part to the Princess''s presence, the whole process ended up going incredibly smoothly, and the healers never asked for payment or identification. He was guided to a clean white room by a woman in pure white robes, and she gently placed her hands on his shoulder. Zach got to experience life magic first hand as it sent a tingling feeling through his entire body. The sensation came with a negative association, however: it was uncomfortably similar to the awful humming sound he''d heard in their mana-infused campsite that morning. Zach''s time with the healers, who acted about the same as the doctors he was used to, passed quickly. Then he had to sit in the waiting room. Even with Evelyn and Alexia at his side reassuring him that Riley would be fine, the waiting was painful. "Do you think she''ll recover completely?" he asked. After seeing the wonders of healing magic in action, he didn''t fear for Riley''s life anymore, but he was worried about her ability to work as a maid. Alexia frowned. "It''s hard to say. Life magic merely boosts the body''s natural healing ability. That was a severe injury, worse than most I saw in the Guard¡ª" She cut herself off when she saw Zach and Evelyn''s frightened expressions, then quickly added, "But she''s young and healthy, which helps considerably. I believe in her, and in the healers." That eased his mind, at least a little. But he was still terrified of having to face Riley. 40. Trapped The royal hall was always imposing, with its towering marble pillars and elegant tapestries, but that went double when it was so sparsely populated. Less than 20 people were in attendance for the award ceremony, suggesting the kingdom was still keeping the Elven threat quiet. The empty rows of seats and balconies overhead made the cavernous room feel even larger, more impressive. At the front of the hall, Alexia stood next to two high ranking officers who wore formal dress, complete with pins and medals of their accomplishments. Randolph the guard captain stood on their other side, and the King himself was seated in the raised throne behind them. Alexia looked out of place in her silky navy blue dress, but Zach knew she deserved to be up there. Despite no longer being a formal member of the Guard, she was a skilled soldier and a good leader. One of the officers, a very tall man with deep set eyes and a short brown beard, spoke, "Thanks to quick action and excellent foresight, a severe crisis has been averted. Our kobold allies received our warning of a possible poisoning threat and strengthened their security in all their towns. Armed with a sample of the poison, they are also developing a technology that will let them quickly detect poisoned water supplies in the future." The man stepped back and nodded to the other officer, who held a ribboned object in each hand. He was a shorter man, thickly built, with a kind face. He looked enough like Arko that Zach wondered if they might be related. The man said, "We understand that not everyone who took part in that mission is a member of the guard, and on behalf of the Kingdom of New Albion, we would like to thank all of you, especially those that came to harm on the journey." With that, both officers looked directly at Zach and Riley and bowed their heads. Zach felt his face grow warm. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Riley look down at the floor, almost as if she was ashamed. The officer continued, "No operation can succeed without good leadership. For their excellent performance on this critical mission, I now present to Captain Randolph Williams and Alexia Stewart these medals of command. Due to the sensitive nature of the completed operation, the medals bear no mission details. But all in this room know the true glory they represent." He approached Randolph, who bowed his head to receive the medal. He said, "Thank you for your service, Captain Williams," then placed the ribbon around Randolph''s neck. "I hope you continue to serve our kingdom for many years to come." Randolph lifted his head and said, "Thank you, sir." Then the officer approached Alexia. Her face was an impenetrable mask, but Zach had been around her a lot and he thought she looked uncomfortable. The officer said, "Thank you for your service, Miss Stewart. Your position is not a formal part of the Guard, but it is nonetheless indispensable for our kingdom. I hope you continue to serve our kingdom for many years to come." "Thank you, Mister Granth," she replied after he placed the medal around her neck. There was a small smile on her lips. The officer, whose last name was apparently Granth, visibly flinched. It seemed he had been expecting a ''sir'', but Alexia was no longer his subordinate and didn''t need to respect the chain of command. Her use of ''mister'' to mirror his ''miss'' was a form of protest, and it seemed to have an impact. Granth quickly recovered his composure and moved back to the other officer''s side. Then the King stood and announced, "Thank you, everyone. As Officer Granth implied, everything about this mission must remain confidential. Do not discuss its specifics or allow them to become known to the public or our enemies." Then his dour expression melted into a wide grin, "Now if you''ll excuse us, my daughter and I are late to dinner and our food is surely getting cold." Far to Zach''s left, Evelyn stood from her seat and followed her father out of the room. After that, there seemed to be an unspoken rule for the order people were allowed to leave in. The Guard officers left next, followed by Alexia and Randolph, then the other attendees started to rise. Zach watched Riley and waited patiently until it seemed time to go. As castle staff, she was among the last to stand. "That was pretty cool," he whispered as they left through the main door. "I wasn''t expecting a formal award ceremony." "Uh huh," she said. "Are you feeling alright?" he asked. It had been less than four hours since she''d been released from the Hall of Healing and her mood had been bad the entire time. "Just in pain," she said. Her arm was heavily bandaged, particularly around her forearm where the bad break had been. She cradled it gently against her chest. "And tired." Zach felt terribly guilty. His injury had been nothing compared to hers, and it had already fully healed. Additionally, her injury was at least partially his fault. "Anything I can do to help? You do so much for me and I want to¡ª" "I just need rest while it heals," she interrupted. Then she turned and gave him a smile. "Sorry for being snippy with you. This injury sucks, but it''s a small price to pay to save kobold lives." Zach nodded. Her reaction had confirmed that what he was about to do was the correct decision. "Um, I don''t want to risk straining your arm, so I was thinking I''d sleep in a separate bed tonight. Alone." Riley stopped walking. "But then you''d flip." He nodded again. "After that scare, I''ve been thinking about my mom and my friends over there." Riley looked down at the floor, past her injury. "I understand." Zach reached out toward her free hand, wanting to give her a bit of physical comfort. She saw his hand but didn''t take it. Instead she grabbed his shoulder and pulled him down to her level so she could kiss him on the lips. It was brazen of her to kiss in the castle halls where it could trigger gossip, but Zach didn''t mind. It was good to know that despite her bad mood, despite her injury, she still wanted physical contact with him. After the kiss ended, Riley said, "I''ll be waiting for you. Be safe."This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "I will. Sleep well, Riley." Then he started off to the male servant quarters, planning to ask the head butler for a room to sleep in. It was only 8pm, but Zach was dead tired. As he walked, he thought about Denver, planning out what he would do and who he would see during his one day there. Obviously he needed to call his mom, and he really wanted to see Erin. He hoped she was still doing well in her classes without him to study with. She was a smart girl, and friendly enough once she opened up. He figured she''d already found a new study partner by now. Now that it was on his mind, he realized just how little he had thought of his own world lately, and he felt guilty. It''s been weeks since I''ve seen them. Shouldn''t I miss them more?
Zach awoke in a small room, lit by the morning sun. The simple cotton sheets were comfortable, especially compared to the sleeping bag the previous night, so he was tempted to sleep in but he had things to do. He sat up and looked around. He immediately knew something was wrong. This wasn''t his bedroom in Denver. It was the exact same room he went to sleep in, complete with his backpack in the corner and his dirty clothes tossed haphazardly by the door. To be sure he wasn''t dreaming, he pinched himself on the arm. It wasn''t a dream. Cursing to himself, Zach got dressed as quickly as he could, then sprinted out the door. He ran the entire way to Evelyn''s tower and took the stairs two at a time. Then he hammered on the door, panting. After a moment, Alexia opened the door. She stood in the doorway, calmly folding the silk handkerchief that had just been tied to her and Evelyn''s hands. "Zach¡­ It''s quite rude to bang on a lady''s bedroom door, especially this early. What''s the problem?" "I didn''t flip," he blurted, "even though I slept alone last night." Alexia reacted instantly. She stepped past him and looked down the spiral staircase to make sure no one else had been within earshot, then pushed Zach inside. As she closed the door behind them, she said, "Are you sure you were alone? Maybe Riley got lonely and visited you, and held you at the right time to prevent the flipping." He shook his head. "I''m sure. I had tossed my clothes in front of the door, which opens inward, and they were all still there when I woke up." Evelyn had approached, curious. Now she sat down hard in a chair by the table. Her voice was quiet as she said, "Does this mean¡­ Are you stuck like I was?" Alexia shook her head. "It''s too soon to make that assumption. Maybe there''s always been a small chance that flipping can fail and we just never encountered it before." She turned to Zach. "Wait another day to see if it happens again." Zach took a deep breath and said, "Okay, if you say so," but his voice wavered. He was almost panicking. He feared the worst, that he was stuck in this world now, like Evelyn had been in his world. For ten years¡­ "Did any of the maids know you were trying to flip?" Alexia asked. "Just Riley. And I guess anyone who knows that she slept alone last night could figure it out." Alexia went into leadership mode. "Okay. Let''s keep it quiet. If anyone asks, say that you were with me. They won''t question it. Sleep alone again tonight, in a different room in case that somehow matters." "Um, what rooms are available? When I asked for that room last night, the head butler said it was the only open staff bedroom." Alexia and Evelyn shared a glance, communicating soundlessly in the way only close friends and lovers could. Then Evelyn said, "You can sleep up here. We know for a fact that I''ve flipped from here." Alexia nodded. "I''ll have some cushions and blankets brought up for you."
Zach only made it to breakfast before something threatened to expose his situation. Beebee sat down next to him at the table with a bowl of oatmeal buried under a pile of sliced fruit. She glanced around the room, then said, "Hey, Zach. Where''s Riley?" "Um, maybe still sleeping? I don''t know since I wasn''t with her last night." Beebee raised one eyebrow, making her already wide eyes look even bigger. "But you''re still here?" She knew enough about his strange curse to know he should have flipped without Riley. "I was with Alexia," he lied. "Oh, okay," she said, accepting it. "I take it you wanted to let Riley get more rest and recover?" He nodded. "And I didn''t want to risk bumping into her injured arm." Beebee glanced up, over Zach''s shoulder, and said, "Oh, look who it¡ª" "Zach?!" Riley said, a bit too loud. Then at a hushed whisper, she added, "Why are you still here?" Zach turned in his chair and said, "Change of plans," just as Beebee blurted, "He was with Alexia!" Riley looked from Zach to Beebee and back. "Huh, okay. After breakfast, I''d like to chat with you Zach, alone." At the word ''alone'', Beebee looked disappointed for a millisecond, then she smiled bigger than before. Apparently cheering on her friends'' romance was more powerful than her own desire to be involved in things. As they all ate, Beebee kept asking questions about their trip, but Riley justifiably didn''t want to talk about it. Even the parts that weren''t full of negative associations were rife with state secrets. Zach eventually got her to switch gears by asking her about how her own life went while they were away. She babbled about day-to-day work around the castle, remarked on how different Bethany''s leadership style was from Alexia''s, and parroted all the juiciest gossip that had been making the rounds among the kitchen staff. It was all pretty irrelevant, but it was nice to hear something so mundane after some very crazy days. After the meal, however, drama returned in force. Riley pulled Zach by the hand all the way to her room, then she pushed him in and closed the door. A tiny part of Zach''s mind hoped that a powerful desire had come over her, but no such luck. "So what happened last night? I thought you were sleeping alone." She didn''t seem jealous, which made sense since she knew Alexia wasn''t into men, but Riley was visibly worried. He really didn''t want to put any more stress on her while she was trying to heal, but he didn''t want to lie to her either. "I did sleep alone," he admitted. "But I didn''t flip. And no, I don''t know why." "What?! Does that mean you''re¡­" she trailed off, unable to say it aloud. "Trapped here?" he finished. "We don''t know that for sure. Alexia wants me to give it another try tonight. If I don''t flip, then we''ll start worrying." Riley''s fiery red eyebrows furrowed. "Trapped? Worrying? What''s with your word choice? Is it really so awful to have to stay here with me?" "No. Well, maybe." As soon as the words left his mouth he knew he''d messed up. He quickly tried to explain, "I have friends and family over there, they''ll think I''m dead if I don''t check in eventually." Riley stomped to the dresser and leaned over it, facing away from Zach and holding herself up with her good hand. She stayed like that for a long moment, then slowly said, "If you had to choose, Zach, which world would you pick? Who would you pick?" "That''s not a fair question, Riley. I clearly don''t get a choice!" The panic that he''d been holding off all morning had broken through and he was nearly yelling now. "This stupid curse or whatever the hell it is makes the rules, not me." "Not me¡­" she echoed quietly. Zach stepped up behind her and put his hands on her hips. "It''s you, alright?" he rushed to say. "If I had to choose, I''d choose you." He took a breath and proceeded more calmly, "But it''s too soon to worry about that. Alexia said this could just be a quirk of the flipping ability. Maybe it always had a chance to fail and we just didn''t know, because we almost always prevent it." She turned and looked up at him, her eyes wet. She opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it. Instead, she grabbed him tight, not caring that her recovering arm was pressed against his chest. Without a word, Zach wrapped his arms around her back and held her close. "I''m still angry at you¡­" she whispered, "but this is nice." "I''m sorry," he started, "I didn''t mean to¡ª" "Shut up, Zach. You''ll say something stupid again." Alright, I guess I deserved that, he thought. Then he smiled and gave Riley a gentle squeeze. She was right. This is nice. 41. Backfire "Ah ha!" Fern cheered, her voice echoing from the marble and polished hardwood walls of the secure castle study. "It was a mana quake that startled those fey into stampeding, and we can locate the epicenter!" Milo and the two other mages in the room all flinched at the sudden noise and looked up from their research into the event. Collectively, they made up the special team to track down the stampede''s cause. Milo closed the book he''d been reading and moved to stand next to Fern''s table. "What makes you so sure?" he asked. His tone was only slightly accusatory. Fern waved a paw-like hand at the brown-haired woman seated to her left. "Janine here said she was casting a spell here in the city that morning and she felt her mana get pulled to the northwest." Fern pressed the paw to her chest and added, "And I felt a pull too, just before the stampede. Did you, Milo?" Milo hid his hands in his robe''s sleeves. "Uh, I think I was asleep. Sorry." Fern''s enthusiasm was unaffected. She quickly said, "No problem. Let me see your wand again." Milo handed it over, very conscious of the looks he was getting from the other mages. Letting someone else use your wand was usually frowned upon, since wands adapted over time to their owner''s mana flow and sharing could undo that natural fit. But Fern couldn''t cast a spell through Milo''s wand if she wanted to. As far as Milo could tell, Kobolds couldn''t use magic the same way humans did, no matter how much they tried. Fern held the rainbow-colored rod daintily and gave it a long sniff from end to end. "As I thought, the internal lattice shifted a bit since I last handled your wand," Fern mused, oblivious to the suggestiveness of her phrasing. "But I can''t tell whether it was caused by the quake or by heavy mana exposure during the fey stampede." An older man at the back of the room raised a hand. He had thin brown hair and a blue robe with an eagle embroidered on the breast. "I was on a mission near the northern border and I also felt the pull of mana, almost directly west." Fern grinned broadly. "That''s great news, Frederick. It proves we''re on the right path, though we''ll still need some more rigid landmarks to be able to triangulate the exact epicenter. Does this castle have any stationary mana crystals? I want to examine their interior alignment." After that, Fern ran around the castle inspecting every mana crystal she could find while the three mages just tried to keep up. The way she interacted with magic was very different than the human mages were used to, which they found fascinating. Having smelled all the crystals in the armory and the scrying room, Fern took off again at a speedy jog. Janine hiked up her robe and ran to keep up, but Frederick pulled Milo aside and said, "You''ve changed, Milo." Milo glared down at the shorter man, getting a good view of the bald spot he''d tried to hide with a comb-over. "How so?" Frederick smiled. "You''ve been clinging to her every word. You never paid that much attention in my classes. It''s nice to see you passionate about magic again." "That says more about the quality of your teaching than it does about me, old man. Good call, retiring from education and returning to the Eagle Society," Milo said, then he started away down the hallway, following the sound of Fern''s cheerful voice. Frederick just shook his head and grinned. Too quiet for Milo to hear, he whispered, "Love can soften even the hardest hearts."
"Everyone, this is Alexia," Fern said with an exaggerated wave of her arm. "She protects the Princess, and she was there with us during the fey stampede." Alexia took in the three mages in the study, then nodded curtly. "Nice to meet you all. Now, what is this I heard about you going on an expedition?" Fern bounced on the balls of her feet. "We''re all going to investigate the epicenter of that mana quake. It''s the biggest one on record and we owe it to both our peoples to document the quake and its cause." Janine spoke up, "I think there''s a chance it was caused by a powerful spell, likely ritual-type spellcasting by multiple mages at once. That could spend enough mana all at once to leave a void that would collapse inward and cause the pull we all felt." "That would mean elves," Frederick said with distaste, "since very few humans have the level of mana control to manage it." Even he, a professional battlemage with two decades of experience, had never participated in a ritual spell. The King had the necessary mastery, of course, and maybe Milo after a few more years of diligent practice. On the other hand, it was believed that most elves were born with that level of talent, thanks to their deep and ancient connection with magic, the same connection that warped them into vicious monsters without human decency. Alexia turned to Fern. "You want to just walk into an elven ritual site? I won''t let you kill yourselves like that." Fern was immediately defensive. "But we need to learn¡ª" "That''s why I''m coming with," Alexia interrupted. Fern blinked her wide eyes and wiggled her nose. "You are?" Alexia nodded and said, "Along with some Guards, yes. I agree that we need to investigate this, for the safety of the human and kobold kingdoms." Fern raised one finger. "We aren''t actually a kingdom. It''s more of a convention of councils, each democratically elected by the¡­" This time Alexia''s intense stare was enough to stop Fern''s rambling. "We don''t have time to waste. I assume the evidence of that ritual will fade with time?" Fern kept quiet and merely nodded while Janine said, "Yes, but we''ve already calculated the location, so we don''t need to follow a trail. And it isn''t very far away, less than a day''s ride to the northwest." Alexia said, "Good. Now I need to know, have any of you ever seen an elf in person?" Only Frederick raised a hand. "I saw a dead one, about ten years ago. It was discovered frozen far to the north and it was brought to the College for study." Alexia sighed. "I cannot stress enough how dangerous elves are, even in small numbers. They are stronger and faster than you, and their mages are also better at magic." Milo scoffed and Alexia snapped around to look right at him. Her tone grew even more serious. "There''s a reason they''ve survived all this time in the wilds. The only thing keeping them from wiping humanity off this continent is their low numbers and cautious attitude. For whatever reason, they reproduce much slower than humans, so they don''t like to risk even a single death. Of their own, I mean. They have zero qualms about killing humans by the hundreds." She took the time to look each of them in the eye, then said. "If we see an elf, even just one, we retreat. Is that clear?" Fern, Janine, and Frederick all nodded solemnly, and after a pause even Milo said, "Clear as a freshwater spring, Alexia." "Good. Start packing. I''ll handle getting the King''s approval."
At King Gildahart''s request, security in the castle had been heightened, particularly around Princess Evelyn while Alexia was away. The Princess was always accompanied by at least two maids and one guard. Even when she bathed, a female guard had to be present, and Evelyn found it stifling. Meanwhile, Zach hadn''t flipped in three days, despite his best efforts. He refused to give up on returning to his world, but it definitely seemed that it wasn''t happening any time soon. He started sleeping in Riley''s bed again, but they didn''t bother tying their hands together, in hopes that his ability might return. "I want to research this," he said as he stared at the dark ceiling one night. "Your flipping ability?" Riley asked. She was cuddled up against his arm, but Zach was too distracted to return the intimacy. "Yes. As much as I like this world, I don''t want to be stuck here for ten years like Evelyn was. And I barely scratched the surface of what that ability could do for our worlds. There''s so much knowledge I could still share, like my world''s medical advancements, electricity, or maybe even this world''s magic." He let out a heavy sigh. "If I''d known I''d eventually lose the ability to flip, I would have done things differently¡­" Riley squeezed his hand and said, "Don''t waste time on what-ifs. Move forward and do that research. I''ll help wherever I can." She paused for a fraction of a second, then added, "And please stop saying you''re stuck." "I don''t even know where to start." Riley hummed a little tune that Zach didn''t recognize while she thought, then she said, "I know a few people at the Mage College, but they''re more focused on applying existing magic than exploring new things. But there is a professor who was always a bit strange, performing experiments and combining different schools of magic. I can reach out to her, if Alexia gives me permission to tell her about the other world."Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Right. To the people here, my world is the ''other world''. Zach turned and looked Riley in the eyes, or at least where he thought they were in the darkness. "That would be wonderful. Thank you so much. You''re the best, Riley." "I know," she said as she rolled on top of him and planted a kiss on his lips. "You''re pretty good yourself."
The expedition consisted of three armed Guards plus Alexia, Milo, Fern, and Frederick. Janine had been understandably scared by Alexia''s warning and backed out. She was just a researcher, not a battlemage, and she would have held them back in a conflict. A Rider took them as far as possible into the foothills, leaving just a one-hour walk to the destination, assuming that their calculations were correct. The sun was high overhead, leaving the group a few hours to work before it would set behind the mountains. They had no interest in staying out past dark and not just because of wild monsters. Elves, whether through magic or natural ability, seemed to have flawless night vision. Alexia look the lead, walking at a steady pace with her short sword drawn. She wasn''t wearing full plate armor since it would only slow her down; her fighting style focused on mobility and reaction speed. She turned back to the others and said, "Keep your eyes and ears open. If the quake was indeed caused by elves, there''s a chance they haven''t moved on yet. It''s been a week, but we can''t be too careful. Let me know if you see any sign of recent activity, even something as minor as a broken branch." "Understood," said one of the guards, a woman with curly red hair and a heavily freckled face. The other guards kept quiet, likely having a harder time accepting being led by a civilian, and a woman at that. Alexia had requested Randolf and Arko for this mission since she had worked with them on the trip to Sunrise and she respected their skills, but their commanding officers refused, claimed an encounter with elves was unlikely and gave her inexperienced guards instead. It was likely a power play, to show that a civilian like Alexia couldn''t order the Guard around. She hadn''t let it show at the time, but it had gotten under her skin. Milo was near the back with another guard, a flicker of flame idling near the tip of his wand. He wanted it ready at a moment''s notice in case of ambush. He was also on the lookout for any sign of startled fey; he had no desire to get trampled like Riley had been. He still had nightmares about the bone jutting out of her arm, and her screaming that just wouldn''t stop. "It''s not far now," Fern whispered to Milo as they passed under a large tree and stepped over its gnarled roots. "I can smell a heavy trail of mana here, smeared across the land as it was pulled toward the clearing up ahead." She sniffed the air, then repeated it a few more times. "That''s odd. I don''t recognize that smell at¡ª" "Elf ahead!" Alexia yelled as she dropped into a combat stance, knees bent and both hands on her sword. Thirty feet ahead of her was a single person in a dark green cloak that obscured its face and figure. There was no doubt to its intentions, however: it held a wickedly curved blade in its right hand that swayed menacingly as it approached. "Another back here. Just a swordsman," said one of the guards. "They must be trying to keep us away." He didn''t sound nearly concerned enough. Alexia thought his name was Tal or Tell or something like that, but she hadn''t seen it written out. She had to admit she hadn''t put her normal level of effort into reviewing her team, with how flustered those officers'' refusal had made her. She''d been secretly hoping they wouldn''t have to fight, that the quake''s cause would have nothing to do with the elves or they had already left, like that camp with the poison vials. No such luck. "Make a fighting retreat," Alexia ordered. She wanted to take stock of the situation and look for any other elves, but she didn''t dare take her eyes off the one before her. "I''ll hold this one. We need to push through the other." She didn''t know whether these elves understood King''s Speech, but she couldn''t worry about that right now. The instant she finished her command, the elf launched forward with inhuman speed. She barely had time to bring her sword between them before the scimitar-like blade crashed into it with a painful CLANG. The elf bounced backwards, using the force of the blow to reclaim some distance. Its leather boots bit into the sandy soil, then it leapt forward again, blade first. Alexia had trained for this. While most guards chose to focus on monster-fighting techniques, she had never slacked in her swordsmanship. During her time in the Guard, she trained every day and quickly rose to the top of her unit. Whether with practice swords or live steel, she outpaced even her seniors, who were all men. It had earned no small amount of hostility from her peers and officers, but the more they hassled her for it, the more she was motivated to practice and the stronger she grew. When someone pushed Alexia, she pushed back. "Hyaa!" she screamed as she deflected the incoming blade. With elves'' superior strength, there was no way she could hold out long if she blocked the attacks directly. She needed to dodge or parry, and the elf''s speed made sure that was no easy task. She backed up two steps, trusting that the other guards and mages were keeping the other elf busy, and hoping against hope that no other elves arrived. The elf stepped forward to close the distance and Alexia struck out. She lanced forward, pushing off with her back foot and aiming for the center of mass. Her attack was fast, but the elf was as well. It sidestepped just in time and her sword only caught its cloak. The steel blade sliced cleanly through the rugged fabric, but the elf was unharmed. The bottom third of the elf''s long cloak hung limp, catching on its legs, so it tossed the entire garment away. Alexia got her first good look at the elf''s face, but she still wasn''t sure of its gender. It had tanned skin, dark brown eyes, high cheekbones, narrow chin, and long pointed ears. Tight braids of brown hair ran back along its head, decorated with feathers and colorful stone beads, and its body was fit and slender, wrapped in tightly tailored brown leather. By human standards the androgenous elf was certainly beautiful, but in Alexia''s eyes it was just a monster, no more worthy of her praise than a direwolf or yeti. Alexia expected a counterattack, but instead the elf stopped, reached behind its back with its left hand, and drew something from its belt: a short dagger of polished steel. The sun glinted off of it with an odd green sheen and she knew it had been coated with poison. "Shit! They''ve got poisoned daggers. Be careful!" She didn''t get a chance to see whether her warning had been heard because the elf attacked again, swinging its sword with the dagger ready and waiting for any opening. She dodged and counterattacked where she could, but the elf kept pressuring her and she couldn''t risk even a glancing blow of that poisoned blade. With safe retreat as her only goal, Alexia was willing to give ground, at least until she heard someone cry out in pain behind her. It was a masculine sound, which meant either of the male guards or one of the mages, or less likely, the elf. The one she was fighting had let out little more than grunts and gasps so she had to admit she had no idea what their voices sounded like. She risked a glance over her shoulder to see how the others were faring and was not happy with what she saw: Tal was on the ground, clutching his stomach. The other two guards stood over him with their swords brandished at the still-cloaked elf. Milo and Frederick were several feet back and to the side, each readying a spell. Flame and smoke gathered around Milo''s wand while a shard of bright blue light lanced out from Frederick''s. Frost magic was difficult to weaponize, but it was efficient and deadly when done well. In that brief glance, she saw something very unsettling: blood was dripping not from the elf''s sword, but from the short dagger it held in its other hand. Tal had been cut deep with the poisoned blade and now every minute was precious if he were to have any chance of survival. Alexia returned her attention to the other combatant an instant too late. Two blades were flying her way with the full force of a six-foot-tall elf behind them. She wrenched her blade upward and parried the dagger coming from the left, but she couldn''t stop the sword. It cut into her right shoulder. At first she only felt the force of the blow, pushing her backwards and throwing off her balance, then the pain hit and her vision went white. She didn''t scream, but she might have if she''d had the breath to do so. Instead, Alexia''s jaw clamped down and she forced herself to stay focused through the world-enveloping pain. Her right arm went limp and her grip on her sword weakened, so she passed it to her left. A reason she had outperformed her peers in swordsmanship contests became relevant yet again: she was ambidextrous. The elf tried to withdraw the blade, but it was stuck deep, possibly in the bone. It was a small bit of luck in the moment, but Alexia would be cursing it later. Like Riley''s broken arm, damage to bones took more than just magic to heal. With her left hand, she slashed low at the elf''s stomach. It dropped its sword and tried to step away, but it was too slow. She felt the tip of her sword catch as it sliced through leather and into something softer beneath. Alexia didn''t stick around to see how badly she''d wounded it. Kept upright on adrenaline alone, she spun and ran toward the others, who were still fighting off the other elf. Its cloak was singed and tattered, but it was still holding its own against the remaining four fighters who were all clearly inexperienced at fighting intelligent opponents. The uninjured male guard, whose name she''d never bothered to learn, had Tal on his feet supported by his shoulder. The woman guard and the mages were holding the elf back, but just barely. Importantly, that elf hadn''t noticed Alexia yet. She threw her sword as hard as she could with one good arm, but there was enough force behind it to cause some damage if it were to hit at the right angle. It sliced into the elf''s arm a bit, then bounced away into the grass. But it bought much needed time. "Run! Now!" she yelled, her left arm going to the curved sword still stuck in her shoulder. She didn''t dare try to pull it out. She just needed to stabilize it as she ran. The rest of her group followed, slowed by Tal who was already weakened by the poison, blood loss, or both. She thanked Mana that the elves had decided not to follow. They had both taken injuries and the gut wound was at least as bad hers. With the elves'' current state and their self-preserving attitude, Alexia thought they would rush to their nearest healers rather than risk a dangerous chase. During the hike back to their rider, who waited out in an open field where even elves couldn''t get the drop on him, the agony of her shoulder soured her mood and kept her wishing that she''d brought a healer along. But she knew they were too precious to risk on an expedition outside the city walls, and she could never have gotten approval from those pompous officers. That went double after this failure of a mission. A dark cloud hung over Alexia''s thoughts, even after they were safe in the carriage and returning home to the capital. A guard''s life was in peril and she was in bad shape herself, and they''d learned nothing about the quake except that elves were definitely involved. There was little Alexia could have done about Tal getting injured: that was on those Guard officers for giving her an inexperienced soldier. But her own injury could have been avoided if only she hadn''t wasted time checking on the others. At the Princess''s repeated requests, Alexia had been trying to be more compassionate, to be more supportive and less critical of others. Look where that got me, she thought, holding her bandaged shoulder and staring at the accursed sword that had caused the injury. It was steel, but with a strange swirled pattern forged directly into the metal, like eddies at the edge of a stream. Fern had rambled about how it looked like a blacksmithing technique to produce a stronger and sharper blade, but she had no idea how to replicate it. The implication was terrifying. The elves were already better at magical and physical combat and now their smithing skills may have surpassed those of the kobolds. And the elves were making their move, intruding into New Albion and attacking it on several fronts. Alexia clenched her fists, ignoring the pain it caused in her shoulder. This is no longer a time for compassion. This is a time for war. 42. Recommendations Few people in the castle had the clearance to know about the failed expedition to the mana quake''s epicenter, but everyone knew that something bad must have happened to put Alexia in such a foul mood. The Head Maid stormed around the castle putting pressure on the other maids to work harder and chiding them for wasting time chatting. After two days of that, Princess Evelyn intervened. She assigned all Head Maid duties to Bethany until further notice. Evelyn claimed it was because Alexia''s attention was needed elsewhere, but it was clear that there was more to it than that. Alexia was not in a good place after failing her mission in almost every way possible, short of causing a death. The injured guard Tal had lived, thanks to significant effort from several Healers, but he would likely never return to guard work. The elf''s poison was successfully cleansed from Tal''s body, but not before it caused nerve damage that was beyond the power of healing magic to repair. Alexia bore that weight on her conscience, along with the knowledge that the elves were out there somewhere, plotting against New Albion and her allies and casting unknown spells large enough to shake the very foundations of mana. She wasn''t proud to admit it, but she had taken out her stress on her subordinates. At first she was able to justify her behavior, telling herself she was just holding her staff to a higher standard during a dangerous time. But she was forced to admit she''d been out of line when Evelyn intervened and transferred her responsibilities to Bethany. Yet another failure on Alexia''s part. Now she couldn''t even do her maid job properly. In addition to the burden of her failure, Alexia felt alone. The only person she could confide in was also one of the people she had failed. If she bared her soul to Evelyn and asked for help, it could weaken Evelyn''s faith in Alexia''s abilities even further. But if she didn''t talk to someone and work through her feelings, she feared she might fall even deeper into despair. That night in the Princess''s tower, while an evening thunderstorm rolled down from the mountains and poured rain onto the city below, Evelyn said, "Alexia, can we talk?" Alexia hesitated. She knew exactly what this was about: her failures. But she couldn''t avoid this conversation forever. "Of course, Princess. What about?" "About you," Evelyn answered with a caring smile. "I think you''re in pain and I want to help." She sat on her bed and patted the spot next to her, inviting Alexia to join her. "Sit with me?" Alexia kept a stony expression as she sat down, trying to hide her emotions. She was also trying to work through them, trying to understand her own thoughts. She wasn''t a very emotional person, so when she felt them this strongly, she wasn''t well equipped to handle it. "Please tell me what''s bothering you," Evelyn said gently. After a long pause, Alexia let out a slow breath and started, "I feel like I failed Fern, the kingdom, and Tal, who was injured on my watch. And I feel like I failed you." "That''s true," Evelyn said, much to Alexia''s shock. The last thing anybody wanted to hear was that their worst fears were true. But then Evelyn added, "But that isn''t the end of the world. People fail, usually more often than they succeed, and they get up and try again. In my experience growing up in this world and in the other, that''s the same everywhere." Alexia''s composure slipped and she blurted, "You don''t understand. I proved that I''m not good enough, that I couldn''t handle the responsibility I had. I was sloppy and reckless and we''re worse off now than before that mission." Evelyn shook her head. "Mistakes were made, but that doesn''t prove anything. Everyone makes mistakes sooner or later. It''s your actions going forward that will prove what sort of person you are." She turned to look Alexia in the eye. "I know I haven''t talked much about my adoptive family in the other world, but my dad had some good advice that stuck with me. He said, ''You can''t control everything that happens, but you can always control your own reactions to it.'' He usually said it when I was frustrated with another person, but I think it applies here too." Alexia frowned down at her hands, rough and calloused from years of training as a guard and months of cleaning as a maid. "Even if I could control my reactions, that doesn''t help me. I still don''t know what to do." "Solve problems," Evelyn said matter-of-factly. "You''re good at that. When you encounter a new situation, you quickly identify the problems and start working on solutions. I''ve seen it. It''s why I made you head maid, and my personal bodyguard." Alexia couldn''t argue with that. Problem-solving came naturally to her, and whenever the status quo was flawed, she felt a need to change it even if doing so was sure to upset her superiors. But since that failed mission she hadn''t been solving problems, she''d been causing them. She needed to get out of this rut. She looked up from her hands, meeting Evelyn''s gorgeous blue eyes. "What problems can I possibly solve? The elven threat is beyond my reach¡­ The Guard will never lend me soldiers again after that disaster." Evelyn only had to think for a second before she answered, "Then look local. Use your network of informants in the city. Maybe they''ve seen something that you could fix. Or just start by fixing your relationships here in the castle. I''m sure the maids would appreciate an apology after your little reign of terror." Alexia nodded along, considering every word. She had been hard on them, and even made Beebee cry a little after a particularly unjust rebuke. Alexia wanted to make up for that. Then Evelyn added, "And this is unrelated, but it does need your attention: Zach and Riley want your permission to tell a magic researcher from the Mage College about Zach''s flipping, to try to figure out why it stopped working. We don''t need to reveal that I have the same ability, but there''s a chance she could piece it together with what she knows about my disappearance." Alexia went stiff. The thought of revealing that information to anyone outside the castle terrified her. Every additional person who knew was another chance of a leak, and if an elven spy learned of it, Princess Evelyn could become a target. Alexia couldn''t possibly risk that. "Who''s the researcher?" she asked, putting up a calm front. "Some quirky professor who Riley studied under for a few months. She''s brilliant, but apparently a bit too weird to be teaching junior conjurers, so she got moved to a full-time research position."This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "What''s her name? I can ask my contacts to see if she''s trustworthy." Evelyn answered, "Morgan Deschain." Alexia flinched. The Deschain family was a recent arrival to New Albion, immigrants from the Old Kingdom just one generation ago. With the gold and other valuables they''d smuggled out when they fled, they had quickly ingratiated their way into high society. While their love of magic and their distaste for the Old Kingdom seemed genuine, some within the Guard had doubts and kept a watchful eye on the Deschains, just in case. Not that Alexia cared much about what the Guard thought anymore.
It took less than five minutes of interaction for Alexia to form an opinion of Morgan Deschain. She had gathered intel in advance of course, but her informants kept saying that Alexia just needed to meet the woman for herself. And now she understood why they''d said that. The woman waved her hand over a strange apparatus that seemed to be made of dozens of wands and hundreds of small mana crystals, all tied together in a tangle and glowing brightly. "So as you can see, I''ve now reversed the flow of mana, a feat previously thought impossible! But the effect is only temporary and cannae be applied ta anything useful. Yet!" She had a strange accent, with dropped ''T''s and ''G''s and lots of flat vowels. It had elements of Zach''s accent and some of her own, but it was exaggerated dramatically. "That''s very impressive, Miss Deschain, but I''m not here to¡ª" Alexia started. "Nonsense, I know you''re here ta gather information for those damn directors, always tryin'' ta undercut my research grants. Clever of them ta send a non-mage, so you can report back somethin'' unflatteringly skewed by your lack a'' knowledge." Morgan suddenly darted forward until her face was mere inches from Alexia''s. Her eyes were a vivid green and a little bloodshot. The heavy bags underneath suggested that she hadn''t slept in days. "But they underestimate me. I am nothing if nae a good teacher. I''ll getcha ramped up in no time so you can give a proper review." Alexia didn''t have time for this. It had already taken far longer than expected to find this secluded laboratory. She grabbed Morgan by the collar and firmly said, "I am not here on behalf of any director. I am here on behalf of Princess Evelyn Gildahart, and I would appreciate your cooperation." Morgan blinked for what might have been the first time since Alexia arrived. Her unblinking gaze had been quite unsettling, actually. Then she took a slow breath and said, "Huh, seems my hypothesis was flawed, so I shall revise it and try again." The mage somehow slipped out of Alexia''s grip and danced away, saying "Are you here about my ties ta Frederick Reading? I assure you I played no part in his decision ta leave the¡ª Wait, no, that theory still relies on you being here on behalf of the College, or perhaps the Eagle Society." She stopped moving and crossed her arms under her sizable breasts. Even through her heavy robe, it was clear that she was very curvaceous. She stared at Alexia with a very puzzled expression and asked, "Why are you here, anyway?" Alexia fought back the sigh that very much wanted to escape her lips, then said, "The Princess has need of a magic researcher, and you came recommended by a Miss Riley Roth." "Ah! Riley Roth!" Morgan blurted, her eyes wide with recognition. Then she shrugged and said, "I don''t remember her." Alexia lost the battle with her sigh. She took a second to compose herself, then said, "In any case, I''ve been sent to see if you''re available for a research project of unknown length, to take place inside the castle." Morgan shook her head. "I''m nae interested." She waved a hand over the weird experiment on the table. "I''m too far down this rabbit hole ta come up for air right now. I need ta see this through." Alexia countered, "What if I could secure your funding for several years?" "Tempting, but I''m nae the one. But if you wan'' a researcher that''ll do you proper? Milo something-or-other. Don''t remember his last name. Surprised I remember his first. But he''s sharp as a dagger, wits and tongue both." Alexia had not expected that. "Milo?" "Aye. He''s brilliant, at least when he applies himself. And a mysterious research project for the Princess is exactly the kind of thing that could get him ta apply himself." After seeing how Milo acted while Fern was around, Alexia knew of at least one other way to motivate him. And he had been very reliable during the skirmishes that occurred on their two missions together. She could definitely make this work. For some reason, Milo and Zach hadn''t seemed to get along, but they''d just have to get over it.
Alexia found Milo in the grand library amidst piles of books on every subject imaginable. He''d flip through one for a few minutes until he lost interest and tossed it aside, then he''d move to the next. She sat down at the opposite end of the table and propped herself on her elbows. The table was shaking in an obnoxious way so she leaned back instead. "Greetings, Milo," she started. He looked up. "Ah, Alexia. What do you want?" Alexia thought, Maybe this is why they don''t get along. Zach is rather polite while Milo is¡­ not. She forced a smile. "I''ve got another job for you, much safer this time. No leaving the city." He glared at her over a pile of books on monsters and other wildlife. "What kind of job? I''m not interested in anything basic. If a conjurer could do it, hire a conjurer." Alexia had already formulated a plan to convince Milo by catering to his interests and his ego. She answered, "We''re trying to understand a strange magical phenomenon, unrelated to that mana quake. Fern has been helping, but we need a brilliant researcher. I know you''re a skilled battlemage, but you also came highly recommended by Morgan Deschain." "Professor Deschain? That kook?" he scoffed, but there was real respect hidden beneath his harsh words. "Yes, I approached her first, but she said you''d be an even better choice." Milo''s eyes widened for an instant, then his perpetual scowl returned. "Alright, you have my attention. What''s this strange phenomenon?" "It''s too important to talk about here. Meet me at the castle in two hours, in the private study."
Milo navigated the castle hallways himself after refusing a maid''s offer to walk him to the study. He''d been there before and he didn''t want some curly-haired child babbling at him the entire way. Milo was only 25 years old, but anyone under 18 just seemed so immature to him. He entered the study without knocking since he was expected. Alexia was already there, leaning against a marble pillar. He had hoped Fern would be there, but he kept that to himself. "I''m here. Are you going to brief me now?" Alexia looked even more serious than normal as she said, "What I''m about to say is a royalty-level secret, not to be spoken aloud outside this room." She paused until Milo nodded in agreement, then resumed, "There is another world that runs parallel to our own, like a mirror''s reflection. And they have no magic." Milo blinked several times. He hadn''t expected anything like that. Maybe a request to help unravel elven magic, or to try to incorporate human spells into kobold engineering, but nothing about another entire world. He asked, "What do you mean? And how do you know that?" "It''s as I said. There''s another world that''s a copy of ours with a few significant differences. They have no magic whatsoever, and their history diverged from ours long ago, possibly around the time magic came into our world." Alexia paused dramatically, which didn''t really suit her, then said, "And we know because someone has traveled here from that world." Milo still wasn''t sold on all this. "Uh, huh. Who?" Alexia walked over to the study''s other door and opened it, then beckoned someone in. A man in merchant clothes entered and Milo felt his jaw clench even before he consciously recognized the new arrival. It was Zach, the weird merchant kid that the Princess let hang around her for some reason. A huge part of Milo refused to believe Zach was from another world, but it would explain so much, like why he was such an idiot about basic things, and why people treated him like he was important. "Him? Really?" he said at the exact same time as Zach said, "Why did it have to be Milo?" 43. Brainstorm Alexia smiled at the two men, but there was very little warmth in the expression. She looked tired in a fundamental way that sleep alone couldn''t fix. "I need to go check on something else. I''ll let Zach explain the specifics of his ability." Then she left, closing the door softly behind herself. Zach took the furthest seat at the long table that occupied the center of the study. He crossed his arms on his chest and sat up tall in his chair. He was willing to give Milo a chance, but he planned to stick up for himself if the mage started acting like an ass again. Milo remained standing near the other end of the table. He kept his hands hidden in the pockets of his red robe. "So, you''re from another world?" "That''s right. Well, it''s the same planet with a bunch of differences." Milo''s face was unreadable. "Like what?" "My world has no magic, for one. And no kobolds or elves or any intelligent non-humans whatsoever." "Uh-huh¡­" Milo said, doubtful. "But we have technology far more advanced than what the kobolds can make. Flying vehicles faster than the speed of sound, spaceships to fly to the moon and beyond, and buildings over 100 stories tall. And a lot of that technology is available to regular people." Zach paused in thought for a second, then said, "For example, the anodized titanium in your wand, my dad used metals like that every day to make bicycles for children to ride." Zach thought about mentioning cell phones and the convenience of having the entire internet in your pocket, but there was no way Milo would understand just how impressive that was. It wasn''t immediately apparent whether Milo even believed what Zach had said. He pulled a chair out from the table, flipped it around, and sat down with his arms crossed on the back. "Enough about your weird world. What good is your ability to us? Can you bring things over?" Zach shook his head. "No. I can''t bring anything at all, not even clothes." He blushed a little at the memory of waking up naked in the countryside and having to steal clothes to get by. "But I can bring information, and I happen to have a very good memory." Milo didn''t seem impressed. "So what information have you brought over, and what have you accomplished with it?" "I needed to raise money, so I sold coffee at the equinox festival, using a recipe from my world to make it approachable to regular folks. And then I researched where people had mined gold in my world and invested all my Harts into gold mining." "What a waste," Milo spat. "Huh?" "You''re wasting your ability! You could be changing the world and you''re selling coffee?!" Zach flinched back. He had not expected Milo to care so much, or at all. Feeling defensive, he said, "I only sold coffee to get enough money to make a big investment. My gold mining venture is the real deal. My claim contains over 200 tons of refined gold, and New Albion is going to pay me for everything they dig up. I can change the world with that money" He rubbed his chin and mused, "Back home, that much gold would make me a multi-billionaire, one of the 100 or so wealthiest people in the world." Milo went stiff, his eyes laser focused on Zach''s face, looking for any sign he was lying. "200 tons? As in 400,000 pounds of pure gold?" "That''s right. 24 karat gold bullion, or whatever your terms are for pure gold," Zach answered. Milo didn''t know the exact value of pure gold in New Albion because the government had a monopoly on it, but he was still confident that Zach would be among the wealthiest individuals in this world as well. That is, if New Albion actually kept to their agreement. But given how cozy Zach seemed to be with the Princess, that was more likely than not. And if Zach was destined to be that wealthy and if he had access to even more information that powerful, Milo wanted in. He had been curious before, but he was excited now. "Alright, I want to research this ability of yours¡ª" Zach cut in, "We call it flipping. Like flipping a page of a book." "Sure, whatever. I want to study your ability. Can you demonstrate it?" Zach smiled awkwardly. "Well, it happens whenever I sleep at night, unless I''m connected to another person, which is why I need to sleep tied to someone." "Like that maid who got hurt and wouldn''t stop screaming until I knocked her out," Milo said dismissively. Zach winced as he remembered Riley''s injury and his own part in it. He couldn''t stop himself from responding, "You know her name is Riley. Give her some respect." Milo didn''t reply or escalate things, so Zach continued, "But my ability stopped working. Ever since our trip to visit the kobolds, I can''t flip. That''s what you''re here to help with."Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Milo scoffed. "So I need to research an ability you can''t even demonstrate?" "I guess? Fern and the professor that Riley recommended both seemed to think you could do it. And once we figure it out and get it working again, you can study it in action." At Fern''s name, Milo perked up. Then one of the doors opened. Zach and Milo turned toward the sound. "I heard my name," said a familiar voice, feminine and energetic, "so I figured it was time for my entrance. Did you tell Milo that I''m going to be helping out?" It was Fern, bouncing on her toes as she approached the table. She wore a sleeveless and knee-length green dress in the human style, but she was barefoot and had a kobold-made necklace of polished beads, mostly vivid blue. Milo could guess the beads contained cobalt, the blue metal that kobolds loved so much. New Albion was happy to sell any cobalt they found to the kobolds, since trying to smelt it released poisonous fumes and it wasn''t even particularly useful. That line of thought faded as Milo took in the rest of Fern''s appearance. Her light brown hair was glossy and smooth, and it framed her face wonderfully. The ears that poked out of the top were perky and alert. Milo guessed that meant she was in a good mood. He was in a good mood too. Milo smiled and answered her question, "Alexia hinted that you''d be helping, and I''m happy to see it''s true." Zach blinked. He could hardly believe it; Milo was being pleasant. "Thank you, Milo. It''s nice to see you again as well. And Zach, of course." Fern pulled a chair out from the table, between Milo and Zach. She made sure to slip her tail through the opening in the chair back as she sat down. "The task at hand is to figure out why Zach can''t flip anymore. So, where do we start? I never did get to see Zach''s flipping in action, so I don''t have much to contribute right now." Milo looked at Zach. "You''re the one with the special ability. Got any ideas?" "Um, there''s an approach I learned in school that could work well here. It''s called brainstorming, and we all just spit out all our ideas as they occur to us, no matter how unlikely, and we write them down. Then we go back through the list and evaluate the possibilities." Fern smiled broadly and the tip of her dog-like nose wiggled as she said, "Ooh, I like it. I''ll start! Exposure to high altitude during the trip could have affected you in some way and disabled your ability to flip." Zach hurried to write down ''high altitude'' in his notebook while Fern continued, "Or maybe it was your shoulder injury or the magic it was treated with." Milo said, "Or something you ate or drank in Sunrise? Though I ate the same things as you and my magic wasn''t affected at all." "Still worth noting down," Zach said as he wrote. "No idea is too silly. Throw everything at me." Then he added his own idea, "Maybe it was that mana cave you showed me, Fern." "Ah, good idea! Exposure to that much mana could certainly have an effect. Similarly, it could have been the Fey during the stampede. That was even more mana than the cave." Milo nodded, then said, "Side-effect of the mana quake? Or the ritual that caused it." "Ooh, good one," Fern said, causing Milo to blush a little. She pointed a paw at Zach. "Perhaps the ability was only temporary and it''s been too long since your first flip. Or it needed to be refreshed occasionally and it''s been too long since your last one." Zach was not happy with either of those suggestions, since they implied he''d never get home, but he wrote them down just the same. "He could have become magically attuned to this world," Milo said. "Though that''s basically the same as Fern''s suggestion." Zach was inspired by that. "Or physically attuned, by consuming enough food here. After all, everyone''s bodies are growing and cells are being replaced all the time. I''m no longer the same mass of cells that I was when I first arrived." "Cells?" Fern asked. "What are those?" Zach raised an eyebrow, concerned. "Oh, you haven''t discovered cell theory yet? The idea that every living thing is made of billions of microscopic cells working together. Please tell me you have germ theory at least?" Milo cleared his throat. He wasn''t keen on getting a lesson from Zach about his otherworldly knowledge. "Let''s stay on track. What else could have caused his ability to stop?" "Emotional attachment," Zach guessed, "to this world and/or its people." That gave Milo an idea. "How much do you two know about connection magic?" Zach shook his head and Fern said, "Nothing." "Do you know anyone who does have knowledge of it?" Fern answer, "Not I. That Gatehouse organization keeps all their information locked down and us kobolds never cared too much about the specifics of their magic, so we just let it be. They don''t even buy wands from us like mages do." Zach raised one hand. "I know someone with some understanding, and the connections to get any information they don''t already know." Milo eyed him doubtfully. "You do, do you?" Zach squinted back. "But why do you want to know?" After a tense pause, Milo explained, "I think your ability might be a form of connection magic, but I need a lot more information to confirm it. So who''s this person you know?" "If you two are cleared to know my secret, I guess you''re probably allowed to know this. It''s Princess Evelyn. She trained under a Gatehouse member to use Farspeaking magic. Even the Gatehouse can''t say no to royalty." Fern grinned and started wiggling in her seat. "Ooh, exciting!" Milo stared at her. "I thought you said you weren''t interested in connection magic." "I wasn''t before, but I am now. And I like Princess Evelyn. She''s a kind person and I''m sure working with her for this research would be fun." Milo was stunned by how beautiful Fern was in that moment, cheerful and excited. But he tore his eyes from her and said, "So who wants to be the one to talk to Alexia about the Princess?" Fern glanced between Zach and Milo. "She''s in quite the foul mood lately, isn''t she?" Zach winced. "Yeah¡­ I think I''ll try going straight to Evelyn''s room instead. Want me to do that now? You two can chat while I''m out." Fern and Milo both stared at Zach with very different expressions on their faces. Fern looked like her typical happy self while Milo looked slightly terrified. It was obvious that he liked Fern, but being alone with her seemed to be a bit too much for him. Good, Zach thought, I can torment him a bit, and if he grows closer to Fern maybe he''ll stop being such an asshole. 44. Interconnected It was quiet after Zach left the room, but only for about a minute. Then Fern pushed through the awkwardness Milo was feeling and got a conversation rolling. She smiled and leaned forward over the table. "Tell me more about your theory that Zach''s ability could be connection magic." "Um, well, I''m not personally experienced with connection magic, but my understanding is that it relies on memories and a sense of belonging to work. That''s why Bridges need to visit somewhere before they can open a bridge there." Fern asked, "So if Zach''s memories of home have faded too much, he can''t go back?" "Maybe, but it could also be that his connection to this world grew too strong, overpowering his connection to the other. Perhaps being exposed to so much mana in the cavern and the stampede could do that." Fern nodded. "Mana is a core part of our world, and apparently not present in his at all, so it stands to reason that it could bond him to our world. So how do we fix it?" "Burn off all that mana, maybe," Milo said with a shrug. Fern blinked and Milo found it incredibly adorable. "How do we do that? Just cast a lot of magic near him? Hopefully not anything too dangerous like fire or lightning." Milo shook his head. "No, that would only use up the mana in the area around him. When a mage casts a spell, the necessary mana is pulled from within the user first, then any high-density crystals nearby, then finally the surrounding area. Never from inside another person." Fern frowned. "The crystals get tapped before they''re even necessary? What a waste." Milo''s face lit up. "Exactly! That''s the biggest reason mages don''t use them very often, and why we sell them off to the kobolds. Your machines actually need the crystals, since they can''t pull from the environment first. I was briefly assigned to a research team that was trying to create a mana crystal that didn''t get used unless necessary, but the project was canceled before we had any results." Fern frowned. "Aww, that''s too bad. Maybe you can return to that someday, because it sounds really useful." Then he fidgeted and said, "Um, I wandered a bit off topic. Going back to your question, in order for Zach to use up the excess mana inside him, he''d need to learn to cast magic." "Great! You can teach him!" Milo tried to force a smile and failed. "Me and him, we don''t get¡ª" He cut himself off when the room''s door opened from the other side. "Sorry for the delay," Zach called out as he entered Princess Evelyn followed in after, along with a maid who had pale skin and long, glossy black hair: Eloise. She was undeniably beautiful, but even Milo knew that she had a reputation for not being very friendly, particularly towards men. Zach stepped up to the table where Milo and Fern were seated. "Did you two come up with any more theories?" Fern answered, "Just some more ideas about the connection magic theory. We think all the mana you absorbed is making your connection to this world too strong, overpowering your connection to the other one." Eloise looked completely lost. She must not have been looped into the situation at all. She looked to Princess Evelyn and said, "Um, Princess? I don''t understand what they are talking about. How can I possibly help here?" Evelyn answered, "They wanted someone with knowledge about connection magic, and you know more than I do." "That''s right," Fern said. "We just need someone who can confirm whether our understanding of connection magic is correct. I doubt it will be very advanced." Eloise relaxed, but she still looked a little uncomfortable. "Well, I don''t know much. I¡­ wasn''t able to finish my studies." Evelyn put a hand on her shoulder. "You''ll be fine." She turned to Milo and Fern. "So what did you want to know?" Milo started. "First, is it true that connection magic relies on memories and familiarity? We assumed so because Bridges have to travel somewhere themselves before they can open a Bridge to that place." Eloise nodded. "That''s true, and it''s the reason why Farspeakers can only message someone they''ve met personally." She felt good for knowing the answer to his question and she continued with more confidence, "I can''t speak for Bridges, but when I farspeak, I focus my attention on the person I want to talk to and I can feel mana flowing into me and building on that connection. The stronger my bond with the person, the clearer their voice comes through. I''ve heard that two Farspeakers with a particularly intimate relationship can share their thoughts without having to whisper them aloud." Milo nodded along, then asked, "And what if you were distracted by thoughts of another person? Would that make your connection weaker?" "Absolutely. Staying focused is the biggest challenge for people training as Farspeakers, except perhaps needing to have the natural talent for connection magic." Fern looked between Eloise and Milo. "Is that talent different than the talent needed to cast fire spells?" Milo answered, "Much different. Whatever it is that''s needed in order to do connection magic, I don''t have it. I gave it everything I had and my father even paid someone from the Gatehouse to confirm it. It''s a talent you''re either born with or not." Zach spoke up. "Um, the Bridge I met said that I probably have the talent, because I got link sickness when I went through the portal." Eloise turned and looked at Zach with a neutral expression. Her hostility toward him had faded with time, but she wasn''t friendly with him by any means. "That''s likely the case. Link sickness is a good early indicator of the talent. It''s believed that some people get link sickness because they form strong bonds with their surroundings and are more disoriented by the sudden change of place. Their minds put down strong anchors, so it''s jarring when those anchors are pulled up suddenly. But the mind is very adaptable, so it usually only affects those people on their first time through a Bridge." Evelyn smiled at Eloise, then looked to the others. "So, does that answer your question?" Milo nodded. "Yes, your Highness. And it fits with our theory. We think that Zach''s connection to this world grew too strong, overpowering the one to his world. And we''re guessing that all the mana he absorbed on that trip is what caused the sudden change." Zach blinked several times, concerned. "Wait. Does that mean I''m attached to this world now and I can''t go back?" Fern shook her head. "Hopefully not. You just need to burn off that excess mana." Eloise made a disgusted face. "Burn off?! That is beyond disrespectful. Mana is precious. Mana is our protector and savior, the force that saved our people from certain death. It is not to be wasted or burned off like unwanted weeds in a ditch!" Zach had not expected Eloise''s outburst in the least. Milo and Fern looked equally surprised. Luckily, Evelyn stepped in and said, "It''s okay, Eloise. She didn''t mean it like that. Kobolds don''t interact with mana the same way that humans do and she''s not familiar with your faith." Fern nodded rapidly. "I''m very sorry if I offended you. I really didn''t intend to. I had heard that some humans worshipped mana, but I clearly didn''t understand the depth of that belief. I was ignorant and acted poorly." Milo just shrugged, even though it had been his own words that Fern had echoed when she said ''burn off''. He said, "I knew that farmers and hunters are big on that mana worship stuff, but I never expected to see it here in the castle." Eloise rounded on Milo, her eyebrows narrowed, and her normally pale face went red. "You''re a mage. I can''t believe you don''t have more respect for the source of your power."If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. He stood up and grinned down at the shorter woman. "Does the blacksmith worship his hammer? The cook his pots and pans? Mana is a tool and nothing more." Eloise was fuming now, sputtering as she tried to find the words to reply. Fern acted first. She glared at Milo and slapped him on the shoulder, surprisingly hard. "That was awful, Milo. This is how you repay someone that helped us? By intentionally belittling her religion?" She looked down at the floor and shook her head. "I thought better of you." Milo''s grin vanished instantly. "Um, I didn''t, uh, I mean¡ª" Evelyn cut off his bumbling response. "Let''s stop here for now." She put an arm around Eloise''s shoulders and guided her out of the room. Just before she closed the door behind them, Zach called out, "Thank you, Eloise." He felt bad about the entire situation, and it had only reinforced his distaste for Milo. Milo reached a hand toward Fern. "I''m sorry, Fern. I got carried away and¡ª" She turned away. "I''m not the person you should be apologizing to." "Uh," Zach cut in, starting toward the door as well, "I''ll leave you two alone. I''ll be around the castle if you need me." They didn''t even notice his comment. Milo was rambling about how he still wanted to make it up to Fern, even if he needed to apologize to Eloise too. Fern stood firm, her arms crossed and her back to Milo. To Zach, they were like an old married couple fighting over something stupid the husband had done, both too stubborn to resolve it easily. Zach slipped out of the room and decided to go visit Riley. She was probably working somewhere in the upper halls, now that she was well enough to do light labor. He figured he could swipe a kiss and a bit of conversation about their dinner plans. The castle food was always good, even for the servants, but the restaurants around the city made for a nice change of pace and a chance for Riley to get some air. And a dinner date at a sit-down place was far more romantic than anything the castle kitchens could ever provide.
After the minor fiasco with Eloise and Milo, Evelyn had another issue to deal with. She apologetically parted ways with Eloise in the lower halls and made her way to the military wing of the castle for a scheduled meeting with several Guard officers and the King himself. On the way, she went over her strategy in her head. The topic was Alexia''s recent mission failure, and whether non-military operations should be allowed access to Guard resources and manpower. It was beyond her normal sphere of influence, but she needed to step in this time. Alexia''s mission had been granted its soldiers through a policy that allowed armed escorts for expeditions into the wilderness. If the vindictive officers who disliked Alexia tried to abolish that policy, a lot of good people would be put in danger. From mining expeditions to homesteaders, the people of New Albion often needed armed escorts during their travels and if the Guard stopped helping, only the wealthiest traders could afford protection. It would stifle economic growth and put more power in the hands of the upper class who already had plenty. She arrived with time to spare and took a seat to her father''s right. Around the massive table also sat the two officers who had attended Alexia''s clandestine award ceremony, two assistants taking notes, and another officer who Evelyn recognized: Gerald Wesson, the Director of Deployment for the Guard. More than anyone else, he was the one she needed to win to her side. King Gildahart raised a hand and the room went dead silent. "As we all appear to be present, let''s begin. Officer Wesson, can you start us off?" Wesson rose to his feet and said, "Of course, your Highness. It was recently brought to my attention that a soldier was severely injured in an encounter with elven assailants. There are some within the Guard that believe the mission during which the encounter occurred was frivolous and should not have been approved." He met eyes with the other officers who were seated together near one end of the table. "Is that correct, Officer Granth?" The shorter of the two stood. "That''s correct. While the Guard must acknowledge the past efforts of Alexia Stewart, we believe that her latest mission, which ended in failure, went too far outside the duties of the Guard and cost us a good soldier as a result. That young man will never fight again. Luck alone kept us from losing even more, such as the kobold diplomat who accompanied the group." Evelyn lifted a hand, holding it upright just a few inches above the table. As Princess, her status dictated that she was to be observed attentively. Even a small cue from her needed to be met with a quick response. It was Wesson who noticed first. He turned his entire body to face her. "Princess, you have our attention. Please speak." She smiled warmly, keeping her breathing steady and her bearing strong. She remembered both her training in statecraft as a child until she vanished into the other world, and the accelerated course she''d received when she returned earlier in the year. She was ready for this. "While I share many of Officer Grant''s concerns, I take issue with a few small details. I wish to clean up any possible confusion before we proceed." "By all means," Wesson said. Ever since the King had asked him to start the meeting off, Wesson had maintained a casual sort of control over it, which was exactly what Evelyn wanted. As long as he was the one driving, the other officers would have a hard time shouting down her opposition to their cause. She started, "First, the mission was not a complete failure. It succeeded in confirming that the elves were involved with the mana quake event, because they had assigned guards to protect the remote and otherwise uninteresting quake site. The true value of that information is not yet known, but we cannot discount its utility so soon. Any trustworthy information about the elves is of potential use in the coming conflict." The taller officer, a man named Bullen, stood up and waited to be addressed. He clearly wanted to interject, but didn''t dare interrupt the Princess. Evelyn needed to win the Guard officers over, not silence them, so she acknowledged him. "Yes, Officer Bullen?" He said, "Forgive me for taking the meeting in a new direction, but you said ''the coming conflict''. I am correct in assuming that you believe a larger conflict with the elves is going to occur soon?" "You are correct. We have had violent altercations with the elves on two occasions in as many months, after decades without more than fleeting sightings. It would be reckless to discount the implications." Bullen nodded and said, "Thank you for elaborating," then sat back down. Evelyn resumed, "Second, the mission was not frivolous. The very kobold ambassador who accompanied the party, and who we were lucky not to lose when the mission met resistance, was the primary proponent for the mission. Kobold curiosity is legendary, and rightly so, for it has enabled them to discover things beyond human knowledge. Had we not sent Guards, the ambassador may have gone on without them, been tragically defeated by the two elven assailants, and thrown New Albion into diplomatic turmoil with our closest allies." The King spoke up, rubbing the brown stubble on his chin. It seemed he had started to grow out his beard for the coming winter. "But aren''t you close with that Ambassador? Fern, I believe, is her name of choice." "I am. I consider her a dear friend, and that is how I know exactly how she would have behaved had the mission been denied a Guard escort." Then she looked to Officer Wesson and said, "That is all I desired to say at this time." Then she sat down, feeling good about her chances. The battle wasn''t necessarily over, and she''d likely need to bring up the needs of homesteaders and other travelers, but she thought things were going her way. Before Wesson could speak, Officer Granth cut in. He wasn''t interrupting the Princess, but it was a rude maneuver regardless. "I have another clarifying question, in the same vein as the King''s. Princess, is it true that the one leading the mission in question, Alexia Stewart, is also your friend, in addition to being your primary servant?" "That is true, but¡ª" It looked like Granth wanted to interrupt, so she gave him a half-second window to ruin himself with. Sadly, he didn''t take it. "¡ªI am not here to fight on her behalf. Instead, I want to make sure the services of the Guard remain available to the other people of New Albion. Ban Alexia from requesting soldiers if you must, but do not take away the protection that our people need." Bullen cut in, "We never even proposed taking away those services!" Evelyn blinked innocently. "Is that so? Then I apologize for taking up so much of the meeting so far. You can proceed with your proposal now, if you wish." She''d already known of their plan thanks to Alexia''s informant network, and now she''d cut them off at the pass. With the consequences of their plan laid bare, they couldn''t possibly convince the others now. Officer Bullen, now a bit red in the face, sputtered, "T-that wasn''t our planned proposal at all. We just wanted to make sure mission requests get the thorough reviews they deserve." Officer Wesson gave a firm nod. "Excellent. I believe we''re all in agreement then. With elf activity on the rise, we need more guards out there, not fewer. I''d like to propose a manpower increase for guard accompaniment, including a small budget increase to cover any costs incurred by thorough reviews." He looked to the King hopefully. It was the King''s place to approve a budget increase. If he refused, the funds would have to come from somewhere else in the Guard, by cutting other services. King Gildahart smiled. "I give my tentative approval. Bring me specific budget estimates and as long as they look reasonable, they''ll get my stamp. I''d also like to see a proposal for a new recruitment drive to handle a long-term increase in Guard enrollment. I have a funding source ready for such an endeavor." "Yes, your Highness," the three officers said in unison. The men stood to leave and the assistants followed, but Evelyn stayed behind to talk to her father. She asked, "Out of curiosity, what is the funding source you mentioned?" "It''s funny you should ask, since it''s related to yet another of your friends. You''re building quite a web of powerful allies, Evy. Good work." "Huh, what do you mean? Which friend?" "That young merchant with the odd name," he said. "Zach, I think it was. He laid claim to a gold mine and signed the extraction rights to the kingdom." Evelyn already knew that, but she let her father continue. "We received word from the exploratory expedition this morning, and the claim was better than Stal expected, and exactly what your friend had boasted. I''ve given Stal my stamp to start mining in earnest." Evelyn was already thinking about the long term impacts. "So you''ll finance the Guard''s growth with that new gold? Won''t that affect the economy?" The King smiled and rubbed Evelyn''s shoulder. "Everything royalty does will affect the economy, one way or another. In this case, I''ll direct a bit of controlled inflation into the pockets of soldiers. Enlisting in the Guard becomes a bit more desirable and the do-nothing nobles get imperceptibly poorer. I consider it a fair trade." The idea did sound good, but Evelyn made a mental note to introduce Zach and her father. The economy was Zach''s field of expertise and he was sure to have thoughts about plans like this one. And even though he was stuck in New Albion for now, Zach might already have some historical data about how successful similar plans had been in his world. 45. Dressing Up "I wish I could go back," Zach said, not expecting a response. He was just thinking aloud to kill some time while Riley got dressed a few feet away. She moved slowly since her arm was still weak from her injury, but she had mostly recovered thanks to plenty of rest and additional visits to the Healers. Zach had made sure to go with her every time, as emotional support. "To Sunrise? To the kitchens?" Riley asked, feigning cluelessness. Favoring her left arm, she fastened a few buttons at the waist of her long tan skirt, then moved to the ones on her blouse. It was bright red, even more vibrant than her hair. "To my world, you goof." He sighed. "But not for myself. I just want to bring back information that could help New Albion¡­ especially with the elves out there and up to no good." Riley moved on to styling her hair in the mirror. Sometimes she envied the simplicity of men''s fashion, but then she remembered how much she liked the way women looked when they were all fancied up. As she worked, she said, "What would you bring back? Techniques for making terrible weapons? That ''eel-a-tricity'' power source you''ve mentioned?" "I don''t know. I''d probably spend a few days studying my options, to make sure whatever knowledge I bring back is useful and doesn''t upset the status quo too bad." Then he clarified, "Oh, ''status quo'' means the way things are right now." "I know that. We have Latin in this world, even if only mages and merchants really use it." Zach sat up and stared at her, his interest piqued. "Really? Are you fluent?" Other than whatever had been adopted into other languages, Latin was basically a dead language in his world. If it was still alive here, he could potentially hear it spoken the way it had been thousands of years ago. A language nerd like Erin would probably give anything to hear it. The thought of his friend brought another pang of longing for home. Riley shook her head. "No, and I don''t know anyone who is fluent. It''s just a bunch of flashy words that academics like to toss around to feel special." Zach chuckled. "Exactly the same as my world then." He watched Riley as she continued to get ready. She was always beautiful in his eyes, but it was truly special when she went all out. Her red hair shimmered from some herbal shampoo she''d used and her vibrant green eyes were especially entrancing thanks to a bit of this world''s version of mascara. She looked gorgeous, and he felt like he didn''t deserve her. He wasn''t that special. His only claim to fame, his connection to the other world, didn''t even work anymore. "Going back to the previous topic," Riley said. "Call me selfish, but you''re not going to get much sympathy from me when you say you want to spend several days in your world. I enjoy having you all to myself every day." She realized the implications of Zach''s power: to spend the night in his world, he''d have to sleep in contact with someone. The only friend he ever talked about was another woman, and the jealousy Riley felt was undeniable. "Oh, about that¡­" Zach started, fidgeting with the cuffs on his new dress shirt. "It turns out that I''m going to need to learn magic to use up the mana inside me that might be keeping me in this world. It sounds like it will take a lot of my time, so I won''t be around as much." Riley turned to face him, eyes wide. "Oooh, I can teach you! I''m no master, but I can show you the basics." Zach pulled at his sleeves, which suddenly felt too tight even though they had fit just fine earlier. "Um, I was going to work with Milo, to learn some advanced tricks to get up to high-mana spells more quickly." "But you hate him," Riley said simply. Zach nodded. "And you love me." He smiled and nodded again. She grinned and grabbed his arm. "So screw him and pick me." He smiled at her clumsy use of his world''s slang. He had taught her ''screw'' as an alternative to the similar but far more offensive F-word. He didn''t want to be the progenitor of that particular swear word in this world. Though now that Zach thought about it, he had used it in front of Milo after the stampede, and Milo didn''t seem confused. Maybe they already had it?Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Then he frowned. "I wish I could, but the Princess wants my learning accelerated, and Milo is the best one for the job. He''s apparently a prodigy, despite being a total ass." Riley held his arm close. "Then study with him during the day, then come back to our room and practice with me all night." Zach raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to sound lewd?" "That depends. Is it working?" Zach stood up and kissed her on the lips. "Yes, it''s working. Let''s get going before we get too distracted and miss our reservation." Zach had been keeping it quiet, but the first payment from his mining claim had come in, and it was a sizable sum of money. For his first purchase, he''d decided to splurge on dress clothes and dinner at a fancy restaurant. Fine dining had never appealed to him back in his world, but he hadn''t had a girlfriend back then, or a stack of gold Crowns burning a hole in his pocket.
Far to the east, where the sun had already set for the day, was a forest that stretched from horizon to horizon only rarely interrupted by subtle pockets of civilization. Elves didn''t clear-cut woodlands for natural resources the way humans tended to, due at least in part to their smaller population. Alone in a clearing between densely packed trees stood a massive wooden building, its roof supported by whole pine logs. Woodsmoke drifted out of a chimney at one end of the longhouse, but otherwise everything was eerily still and silent. The inside of the lodge was decorated with dozens of trophies of slain monsters. A high backed chair, almost a throne, sat between two of the most terrible creatures on display: bear-like monsters with spikes of bone protruding from their faces, shoulders, and arms. The people of New Albion called them Dire Bears, but the elves called them Ohkwari. A man with dark brown hair, pointed ears, and deep-set eyes plucked a beaded necklace from where it had been hanging on an eight-inch bear claw. Then he sat down on the throne and stared into the fireplace, idly running the necklace through his fingers. Some beads were polished gold, some were precious gems, and others appeared to be finger bones, the same size as his own. The man''s peace was interrupted when two elves stepped in through a door on the west end of the building. The elves both wore fitted leather outfits of muted tan and green, well suited for hiding in natural settings, and their faces were both hidden behind simple cloth masks of the same green. One of the pair kneeled and said, "Sire, we''ve come to give our report." The language he spoke was nothing like King''s Speech, having originated long before outsiders arrived on the continent. These elves spoke The Tongue, the unified result of hundreds of tribes coming together and sharing their languages, their cultures, and their bloodlines over the last 2000 years. The man on the throne sat up straight and gave them his attention. He recognized both scouts, but didn''t know their names. He didn''t need to, unless they refused an order. Then he''d learn their names and those of their families. He''d track them down and he''d make them all suffer. "Proceed." The scout nodded. "The ritual test was successful and the Casters learned much. They said that the plan is ready for the next stage, at your word." The other scout, who seemed to be female based on her slightly slimmer figure and higher pitched voice, said, "The Warriors also reported that they are ready to proceed. Morale is high and supplies have been secured for any eventuality, including heavy snowfall. Shall we return and give the signal to begin?" "No," the man said, and both scouts flinched in fear. He rose, gently placed his necklace back on the bear''s menacing claw, and added, "Nothing is ''ready'' until I have seen it for myself." Then he closed his eyes and whispered something too quiet and too fast to hear. A dim glow enveloped his body and his form started to warp and twist and blur. The female scout looked away from the unpleasant sight. Within seconds, the elf had become human: a nondescript merchant with short greying hair, a full beard, and warm green eyes. Even his clothes had changed, and he took a moment to adjust their fit and placement. The leather he had been wearing had been replaced with actual wool and cotton by the magic spell. He spoke and his voice was different too. "I''ll go survey the target. I don''t need accompaniment." He loosened his collar and kneeled to check the laces on his newly conjured boots, moving like an aged human instead of a trained elven assassin. He smiled at the two scouts and a terrifying hint of his true personality showed through the disguise. "I enjoy the hunt more when I''m alone." He didn''t need to explain what was meant by ''the hunt''. Every elf knew of Valren''s twisted predilections. He practiced his disguises by infiltrating human settlements, then he murdered anyone who saw through him. As his skills grew and his deceptions held more often, he had started to kill for fun. No one but Valren knew how many humans, presumed by their people to be lost or killed by monsters, had actually been hunted by the merciless shapeshifter. "Await my return here. I shouldn''t be more than a day." Valren took a moment to cast another spell to enhance his legs for the long run ahead, then he exited the lodge alone. After the door was firmly closed, the male scout remarked, "I''ll never get used to that." He waved a hand over his face and body to indicate the transformation. "Such skilled Weavers are astounding. It''s a pity so many fled the Tribe, because we could really use¡ª" The woman slapped him on the shoulder and hissed, "Never mention that aloud. If Valren ever heard you, he''d execute you himself. And you know his¡­ tastes." His face went pale. "Right. Good point." The female scout placed a hand on his forearm and gave a gentle squeeze, a small measure of intimacy from a near-stranger. "Since we''ve got time to spare, want to try for a child?" "Yeah, we should. Births were even lower this year." He glanced around the room, which was filled with grisly trophies and dark implications. "Under the stars?" She nodded and said, "Good idea." Then she thought, Maybe the stars will take pity on our dying race. 46. Heir Apparent The King was dressed casually in a simple vest and dress slacks, with his crown set aside next to his dinner plate. Evelyn sat across from him in a pale blue gown that sparkled in the light from the chandelier overhead. He looked up from his food and asked, "Have you found a man you like?" Evelyn felt her heart rate rise and her jaw tighten. This was not a conversation she wanted to have. "How could I, if I''m rarely allowed to leave the castle?" she quipped. She knew it wasn''t a productive argument, especially since her suitors kept visiting the castle to try to see her, but she didn''t care. There was still some teenage rebelliousness in her. Her father leaned forward in his chair. "There''s that Zach fellow. And you said just yesterday that you''d like to introduce him to me. I was hoping that¡ª" Evelyn cut him off before he could go any further down that fruitless path. "The introduction would be for practical reasons. He knows a lot about the economy and could be useful to the kingdom." She had yet to reveal that Zach had the same ability she did, and it seemed pointless to do so now when he couldn''t actually use it. All that would do was derail Zach''s current attempts to get the ability back and complicate things with her father even further. "So you''re saying you don''t have any romantic interest in him?" Evelyn sighed. "I''m saying I don''t have any romantic interest in men. I told you all of this a month ago." All things considered, her father had taken the news better than she''d expected. He at least acknowledged that non-straight people existed. But that didn''t stop him from hoping that she would someday find the guy that changed her mind. "You did. But we''re royalty. When our hearts'' desires and the kingdom''s needs don''t align, we don''t get the liberty of choice." Evelyn didn''t press the issue. She had zero desire to hear yet another lecture about the obligations of royalty. King Gildahart paused to eat a couple bites of mage-roasted pheasant, perfectly succulent and flavorful, then said, "With the threat of war on the horizon, we need an heir." "I''m your heir. Can''t I rule without a king?" "Let me rephrase. You need an heir, because I''m going to be a prime target. If I''m assassinated while you''re unmarried, the kingdom will be thrown into turmoil. Not only will your line of suitors grow longer than ever before, but the people will fear for your safety. The public is rightfully afraid of having a single point of failure like that. Heirs are insurance against tragedy." Evelyn thought back to her brief time as a foster child, and then to how much better her life got when she''d been formally adopted. "Could I adopt a child? There are kids in need of homes." Though that number was much lower in New Albion than in Zach''s world, since the people here were always in need of able hands to work the land. She also knew that the public would have a hard time accepting an adopted heir; bloodlines and inherited ability were important to the people of New Albion, even if she didn''t put much stock in all that. The King raised an eyebrow. "Are you really so opposed to a marriage of duty? To bearing a child with a good man who you might not love?" Evelyn took a breath and steeled her nerves, then said, "Would you sleep with a man for the kingdom? Let him enter you every night while your heart withers and your body longs for female companionship?" She hadn''t wanted to get so graphic in a conversation with her father, but she knew he couldn''t easily answer that. The room was silent for a long moment. When the King finally spoke, his voice was somber. "I understand your reluctance, I really do. While you were missing, my advisors pressured me every day to remarry and produce a new heir. But I still loved only your mother, and I still held out hope that you would return. And now that you''re back, I want you to be the future of this kingdom. But if you truly need me to do so, I will remarry and give you a sibling for you to pass responsibility to." His little speech seemed hand-crafted to make Evelyn feel guilty, and it succeeded. She felt terrible, like she was letting down her father, the kingdom, and apparently even her unborn sibling. She finished her current forkful of food, then put her silverware down and stood up. "I need some time to think," she said. Then she left the room, heading towards her tower. More than time alone, what she really wanted was to talk to someone who understood her and wouldn''t judge her. She needed to talk to Alexia.
"That dinner was wonderful," Riley said as they walked back to the castle. It was dark, but the streets were well lit and guards patrolled the area regularly. The poorer parts of town were surely less safe, but there was also less profit to be made from theft there. "It sure was," Zach said, grinning goofily. He''d had two glasses of wine with the meal and they''d hit him harder than he expected. "The food was delicious and so was the look on that grumpy waiter''s face when I paid with an Evy." That 50 Hart coin, worth about 250 US dollars, had been total overkill for the meal, forcing the waiter to return with nearly 30 Harts in change. Zach and Riley had been the youngest patrons in the restaurant by far and they''d stuck out like a sore thumb. Zach guessed that most of those old rich people had made their money from long term investments and owning land. They seemed to dislike young merchants cutting into their comfortable aristocracy. Feeling emboldened by the alcohol, he thought, Good, they better get used to it. With Okwata on the rise again and opening New Albion to more international trade, merchants are going to start grabbing more and more of their pie. Riley gave Zach''s hand a squeeze and said, "Thanks for the meal. I never thought I''d be able to experience something like that." He squeezed back. "Same. My parents weren''t into the fancy lifestyle, but I''ve seen it on TV." He''d mentioned television to her before, but he knew she still didn''t fully understand it. It was the kind of thing you needed to see to believe. Then he turned to her and said, "I forget, have you talked about your parents at all?" Her face fell. "No. We don''t speak anymore, ever since I flirted with the wrong girl and caused a lot of drama. Sometimes I wish I wasn''t like that." The belief that homo- and bisexuality were ''wrong'' was so ingrained into her and the rest of society that she couldn''t bring herself to mention it more directly. Zach stepped in front of Riley, forcing her to stop walking. "I like you just the way you are." She raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You''re not just hoping for another woman to join our bed?" Zach turned beet red in an instant and his jaw dropped. "Wha, no, o-of course not!" he sputtered. "You''re, uh, more than enough for me." Riley stepped close, pressing her body to his and looking him dead in the eye. "Am I now? If I''m too much for you, maybe I should go find a side girl for myself¡­" Thankfully, before Zach exploded from embarrassment and his wild imaginings, she gave him a quick kiss and said, "Just kidding."A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Then she darted around him and started toward the castle again, saying, "You''re ''enough'' for me too, Zach. And teasing you is just too fun!"
The first day of Zach''s training with Milo was pleasant enough. Zach liked to learn and the topics were certainly interesting. Milo even seemed somewhat engaged in the lesson. Maybe he saw it as a challenge, teaching the clueless otherworlder how to use magic. The second day was another matter entirely. "Did you read the book?" Milo snapped as Zach joined him at the table in the small study. "I read the chapters on focusing and elemental types, yeah." Milo slouched further into his chair, as if trying to disappear into his red robes. "Ugh, how are we supposed to accelerate your learning if you''re doing the bare minimum?" Zach frowned. "That''s what you told me to read. Tell me to read more if that''s what you want." "Whatever. Just pick up where we left off. Put your hand over the wick and concentrate. And remember what the chapter said about visualization." Zach sat upright and reached for the small candle they''d been experimenting with. The wick was still untouched, except for the half-dozen times Milo had demonstrated the spell. Zach recounted, "''Hold the image in your head of the desired action, not the desired end state. You need to want a spark on the wick, not a lit candle.'' Right?" "Close enough. Now try it." Zach tried. He tried again and again, putting all his willpower toward that mental image, toward lighting that candle. If it wasn''t for the blisters on his palm from stray flames, he would have thought he wasn''t capable of magic at all. After nearly 20 minutes, he stopped to rest. When it came to magic, even failure was exhausting. Milo was reading a book, something unrelated to their lesson, and he didn''t even look up when Zach stopped trying to cast the spell. Zach asked, "Wouldn''t a wand make this easier? Their whole point is to direct the user''s mana flow, right?" He also thought, And a wand would save me from these blisters caused by misplaced heat¡­ Milo closed his book and glanced up. "It would be a crutch, teaching you the wrong way to handle mana. We''d have to spend twice as long unlearning it before you could do anything advanced. Students in university have the time for that. We don''t." While Zach had Milo''s attention, he decided to ask, "Why are you so grumpy today? Yesterday was a lot¡­ nicer." "I''m not grumpy," Milo grumbled, not even trying to make the lie convincing. "Did something happen? Is Fern okay?" That got Milo''s attention. He glared at Zach and said, "She''s fine. She left for home this morning, and she''s got plenty of guards with her." "For home? Back in Kobold lands?" "Yes, back in Kobold lands. Where''d you think she lives?" Without waiting for an answer to his rhetorical question, he continued, "She needed to return to give status updates on New Albion, and she couldn''t justify waiting around any longer to study your ability like she wanted, since you''re so far from getting it working again." Zach bristled. "Hey, I''m trying hard." "But you''re no genius. It''s going to take another month at least. So she decided to return home for a bit." "To Sunrise?" "No, that''s just the closest settlement, not where her family is from. She needs to travel a lot further for that." Milo returned to his book, but he looked positively downtrodden, like he didn''t want to be awake, let alone here in the study. Yep, he''s in love with Fern, Zach thought. I''m just not sure if she feels the same. And there''s no way to find that out while Fern''s away, unless¡­ Zach resumed his practice and after another hour he had succeeded at lighting the candle a grand total of one time, likely just due to dumb luck. If you shot blindly at a target for long enough, you were bound to hit it eventually. He tried not to dwell on it, since the castle didn''t need another buzzkill around.
After parting ways with Milo, Zach decided to ask around and see if any of the maids or Evelyn had talked to Fern recently. He wasn''t normally into gossip, but if he could find out whether Fern liked Milo, he''d have a surefire way to cheer the mage up, making for far more pleasant study sessions. He started with Beebee, who he found wandering the service halls out of uniform. Her normally wild curly hair was braided and pinned in a cute and elegant swirl at the back of her head. She must have been practicing her hairstyling skills. "Hey, Beebee. Your hair looks great!" he called as he approached. She lit up instantly and did a little curtsy. "Oh, thank you. I''ve been experimenting. Working behind my own head was tricky, but it got a lot easier once I set up two mirrors." He nodded, not wanting to interrupt if she had more to say. When she didn''t, he said, "Are you busy right now?" "Nope! I have the afternoon off. I was going to go for a walk in the park but it''s all drizzly out." "Good, good¡­ Say, have you interacted with Fern much?" She deflated like a popped balloon. She shook her head and said, "Sorry, I saw her around, but I never talked to her. I try not to annoy the high-profile guests." Zach couldn''t stand to see Beebee sad. He said. "Want to help me find someone who has talked to her?" Her cheerfulness returned in full. "Sure!" Beebee tagged along and helped Zach locate the other maids who might have spoken to Fern. They found Riley first, cleaning the dining hall. When they asked her, her response was, "No, not since the trip to Sunrise. It''s almost like she''s been intentionally keeping her distance from me. Maybe she feels guilty about my injury?" "Ah, thank you, Riley," Zach said. He agreed with her reasoning, especially since he still felt guilty about that. Beebee asked, "Want to come with us on our search? Zach wants to find out if Fern likes someone!" "No thanks. I''ve got work to do, and I need to get back into practice now that I''ve recovered." "Okay, bye!" Beebee said with a wave as she skipped off down the hall. Zach had to run to keep up. They spoke to Bethany next, but she''d never really interacted with Fern. Eloise knew even less. Her only exposure to the kobold was during that uncomfortable meeting where Milo insulted her faith. Fern had said something rude too, but at least she admitted her mistake and apologized. "To the tower!" Beebee proclaimed. "I think Alexia and the Princess should both be there right now." On the way, she asked, "Why do you want to know if Fern likes someone, anyway? Aren''t you dating Riley?" "I know a guy that seems to like her, and I think it would make him happy if she likes him back, that''s all." "Aww, you''re such a good friend, Zach!" Zach bit his lip. He did not consider Milo a friend. When they reached the tower, Beebee wanted to do the talking. She was too excited to keep quiet anyway. After a formal greeting, she asked Princess Evelyn, "Do you know if Fern is interested in anyone?" "No, I don''t," Evelyn answered. "My relationship with her was always pretty professional." "I know something," Alexia said, causing the room to go silent with surprise. No one had expected her to participate in a conversation about someone else''s love life. She collected rumors and other information, sure, but not petty gossip. She ignored their overreaction and said, "I helped pick out the guards to travel with Fern to her home, so I overheard her talking to another ambassador about the reasons for the trip. It''s mostly for her official ambassador duties, but she did mention that she wanted to ask her family for permission for something. And she said something about ''love'', but that could have been about her family." Beebee''s eyes went wide. She had already formed a theory. "You think she''s going home to ask her family permission to date a human?" Alexia shrugged. "Maybe, but that seems unlikely. She''s a diplomat for the Kobold Nation, acting with their needs in mind. Getting romantically involved with someone from New Albion would likely be the end of her career." "Aww, that''s so sad, having to choose between her love and her country. But I''ll be rooting for her, whatever she decides!" Evelyn tensed up at that, but no one else noticed. Zach chuckled, not at Fern''s situation, but at Beebee''s reaction. "Beebee, you''d love the soap operas from my world." Evelyn smiled and agreed. "Oh yeah, they''re full of crazy relationship drama and gossip." "So popras?" Beebee asked, visibly confused. "Soap opera," Zach said, enunciating it clearly. "I''m not actually sure what the name means. They''re like the plays Okwata is famous for, but there''s a new chapter every week." Evelyn added, "Some have five episodes a week. And every episode ends with a ridiculous cliffhanger, where it looks like someone died or your favorite couple broke up. So you have to watch the next one to find out." Zach turned to her. "You know a lot about soap operas?" Evelyn shrugged. "Yeah¡­ my adoptive mother loved soaps, so I spent a lot of my childhood watching them." "Ooh, I want to watch them too! Zach, you should bring them here from your world. I don''t think I can be an actress, but I can do the hairstyling!" Zach wasn''t sure that a weekly serial play could work without a way to broadcast it, but he was sure that he wasn''t the right person for the job. Once his ability returned, he had far more important things to spend his time on 47. Love and Country Zach was getting sick of magic. He''d been practicing invocation magic, specifically conjuring fire, for days now and he had little to show for it but a few melted candles and a half-dozen blisters on each hand. Zach had developed a basic feel for how mana felt as it moved through his body, and by visualizing a spark and focusing his thoughts until there was nothing in the world but his hand and the candle, he could create a tiny tuft of flame. "No need to clench your jaw," Milo said. He''d been watching Zach work, offering small suggestions. "It just creates another thing that might catch your attention and break your focus." "Got it," Zach said. After rubbing his jaw for a bit to loosen the muscles, he tried again. Sure enough, it was easier to zero in on the spark and the flow of mana without that tension. A ball of fire the size of a lighter''s flame appeared about an inch from Zach''s palm, then floated toward the candle''s wick, two feet away. It fizzled out before reaching it, but it was progress. There was no denying that he''d improved, considering he could now successfully light a candle with a thought, but his growth was far too slow. To use up the extra mana entirely, Milo had estimated that Zach would need to conjure a full fireball at least as tall as himself. "I''m starting to think I just don''t have the talent for invocation magic," Zach said. "Would learning connection magic be a better way to burn off my mana? My link sickness implied I''ve got a natural talent for that." Milo scowled. "You''re welcome to, if you can find an expert willing to teach you," he said dismissively. "The Gatehouse has a complete monopoly on connection magic, and I doubt a beginner like the Princess or her maid could teach you anything worthwhile." "What''s it take to join the Gatehouse?" Zach asked, genuinely curious. That organization had remained strangely absent from the public eye, despite its massive role in New Albion''s society and economy. "Most people get in through family ties, but I''ve heard that people with the right social connections can buy their way in for a few thousand Crowns per year." A few thousand Crowns? Zach thought, alarmed. That''d be like paying a tuition of 300,000 dollars a year! He figured that his connection to the Princess was enough to get access to the expensive option, but there was no way he could afford it. His mining deal was producing 30 to 50 Crowns a month, enough for him to start thinking about renting a house or shop, but nowhere near enough for the Gatehouse. "Ah. What about the other kind of magic, augmentation? That includes healing and¡­ creation, was it?" "I can''t heal," Milo said flatly. "You should know that already." Zach shivered as he thought back to that terrible morning in the mountains, the screams and the pain, and the near-paralyzing fear for Riley''s safety. Milo continued, "And I''m no expert at creation magic either, so I can''t teach you that. But the world''s greatest creation caster lives right here in this castle." Zach was slightly impressed with Milo''s ability to admit his limitations. Then Zach blinked and asked, "Wait, do you mean the King?" Milo nodded and said, "But I''m pretty sure the King of New Albion has more important things to do than teach you. Now focus on your practice so you can burn off your mana and we can finally be rid of each other." "Right, sorry." For all of Milo''s vitriol, he was actually a decent teacher. He explained what to do in ways that even Zach could understand without prior exposure to magic and its terminology, and he noticed and corrected Zach''s form whenever it was off. But practice was crucial to actually performing magic, and Milo wasn''t the kindest motivator.
After a long session and a visit to the castle nurse to soothe his blistered hands, Zach encountered Bethany in the hallway. She carried a clipboard with a very long checklist on it. She was doing a seasonal checkup on all the maid-staff''s duties, making sure they were caught up and ready for the coming winter. "Hello, Zach," she said cheerfully. She seemed happy to have head maid responsibilities, now that Alexia had moved her focus elsewhere again. "We don''t talk much anymore, since you don''t need to be let in and out of the castle all the time. What have you been up to?" "Hi, Bethany. I''ve been trying to learn invocation magic, to try to get my ability back." She shrugged. "Magic, huh? That''s beyond my expertise, but good luck." Then before Zach could thank her, she added, "And what about your relationship with Riley? Is it going well?" He smiled and answered, "Yes, actually. Things are really great. Why do you ask?" "Just curious if you two were really serious or just messing around," she said simply. Zach felt his cheeks growing hot. "Um, I think we''re serious. We''re looking into renting our own place nearby so that I won''t be leeching off the castle anymore." Bethany smiled. "Then that''s a big change for Riley. She''s never been one to put down roots like that, but I think it''s been good for her to have someone stable to anchor herself on." Zach went silent. What Bethany had said kicked his thoughts into motion and now they were running a mile a minute, assembling a jigsaw puzzle of memories and ideas. A picture was coming into focus and he didn''t like the look of it one bit. He swallowed, feeling his skin grow cold and clammy. "Um, sorry, I need to go," he blurted before taking off at a run. He was hoping against hope that what he was thinking wasn''t true.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. What if my love for Riley is what''s keeping me here? What if it''s that connection that''s overriding the one to my home? He didn''t know who or where he was running to. He couldn''t bring his theory to Riley, since it would only upset her. And Milo didn''t know anything about connection magic. That left only Eloise and Evelyn. He checked Evelyn''s tower first, sprinting the entire way up the stairwell, but she wasn''t there. He nearly crashed into Beebee on the way back down, so he asked her, "Where''s Evelyn? I really need to talk to her." Beebee was a little startled by his frantic attitude, but she answered, "She went to some noble''s celebration, outside the castle. She may not be back until morning. I''ve heard that those parties just don''t know¡ª" Zach interrupted, "Do you know where Eloise is?" He was grasping at straws now, since Eloise didn''t even like him. "On a Friday evening? She''s probably cleaning the tombs." "T-tombs? There are tombs in this castle?" The thought affected Zach more than he would have guessed. Before, he had thought of the castle as a big town hall with built in living spaces, but now it had a particular seriousness and a life-or-death vibe. These stone halls were the product of generations of people who had lived and died for their kingdom. Beebee answered, "Of course. Where else would they put the bodies of past royalty? I can walk you there if you want, but I don''t like to go inside." Zach tried to calm himself. Beebee had been very helpful, all things considered. When his breathing had slowed, he said, "That would be wonderful. Thank you, Beebee."
Zach parted ways with Beebee at the top of the tomb stairwell. There was a massive iron gate, but it was kept open for visitors during the day. It was only open at this hour because Eloise was working down below. He took a deep breath and started down, his heels echoing off the smooth stone. The air was dry, with a slight earthy smell, and it wasn''t nearly as dark and creepy as he''d expected thanks to regularly placed lamps, each lit with magic fire. After less than two flights of stairs, the hall opened up to twice the width. Larger sconces lit the way forward, and he could see someone in a black and white dress moving in the distance. As he made his way through the tomb, he was happy to see that there were no exposed bones anywhere in sight, like the ancient catacombs he''d seen in movies. Instead, there were just stone walls and occasional alcoves which either held or would someday hold the coffin of a deceased king or queen. It didn''t take long for Eloise to notice him approaching. She paused her work of dusting cobwebs from the corners with a long duster, and smiled in his direction. She looked to be in good spirits despite the dreary setting. "Hello, Eloise," he started, feeling awkward. "Good evening, Zach. Can I help you?" "Uh, hopefully? It''s about connection magic. I want your opinion on something." Her smile faded and her standard appearance returned. It was what Zach''s peers in his world would call ''resting bitch face''. "You already know I''m not an expert in that, but I''ll hear you out." "Well, you know how I came from another world, and how I can''t get back anymore?" She nodded indifferently. "Well, we''re operating on the theory that my being stuck here was caused by absorbing so much mana and that anchoring me here." He was careful with his phrasing to not upset her. She worshipped mana more devoutly than anyone he''d met, except perhaps the farmer woman who he''d met on his first day. "But I have another theory that I wanted to run past you." "Alright. Go on." Zach took a couple breaths then took the plunge. "I realized how much I care for Riley around the same time as I was exposed to all that mana. What if it''s my love for Riley that''s keeping me here, by overpowering my connection to the other world?" Eloise looked interested again. "Love, huh? I didn''t realize you two were that serious¡­" She twirled a lock of her glossy black hair around a finger for a moment, then said, "It does sound possible, based on what I learned in class. Intimate relationships are the strongest form of connection, even greater than blood. My teacher had all the students do all our farspeaking practice with close friends for that reason. And I already told you that Farspeaker lovers can communicate with their thoughts instead of whispers." She continued, "So if your strange ability really is a form of connection magic, it would probably require a solid connection to your home to function, and your relationship with Riley could potentially overpower that. Or it could be a combination of your relationship and all that mana you absorbed." That wasn''t what Zach wanted to hear at all. He''d wanted her to say something like ''No, relationships with people don''t affect connections to places. After all, Bridges can travel anywhere, even with loved ones at home.'' He felt ill, like his stomach had dropped all the way into his shoes. Beebee''s words about choosing between love and country echoed through his head. Do I have to choose between Riley and my home? If I stay with her, can I never return to my own world? Never use my ability to bring information over? Never see Erin or my mom again? Eloise noticed his unpleasant expression. "Let me guess. You''re thinking that you''ll have to break up with Riley to get back home?" He nodded weakly. He didn''t see another option, short of giving up on his old world entirely, an option which wasn''t off the table yet. She scoffed. "That''s awfully defeatist, don''t you think?" "What? Is there some other solution?" "I don''t know much about your world, but you''ve cooked before, right? Followed a recipe?" "Yeah," he answered. He''d never been big on cooking since he wasn''t particularly food motivated, but he''d done it hundreds of times, especially after he''d moved out on his own. Eloise said, "Suppose you''re making soup and you accidentally add twice the salt, overpowering all the other flavors." "Okay¡­" Zach knew Eloise was setting up some sort of metaphor, but he wasn''t sure where she was going with it. "In that case, you''d have a couple options. You could toss it out and start over." She leaned forward and whispered, "By the way, that option represents breaking up with Riley." Ah¡­ Zach was starting to understand. He spoke up, "Or I could add more of everything else¡­" Eloise nodded. "Exactly. Double the recipe. It uses just as many ingredients as starting over would, but you end up with twice the soup." She raised her eyebrows expectantly and said, "Now don''t make me hold your hand through the rest of it." He continued down the path she''d set him on. "So I need to strengthen my bond to my home." He thought for a second, then added, "I could think about home more, maybe write down my memories?" Eloise didn''t respond, so he kept thinking and added, "And I can reminisce with the Princess about my world!" "You''ve got it. Those are all techniques that Bridges and Farspeakers use to strengthen their bonds. Now I have work to get back to. I''d like to finish Queen Gwendolyn''s sepulcher tonight." Zach was so relieved he wanted to hug her, but he kept his distance and said, "You''re brilliant, Eloise. Thank you so much." Her pale skin gained a hint of color, but her face remained neutral. "Don''t thank me yet. There''s no guarantee any of this will even work. I still have no idea how your strange ability functions." She gave a small wave and stepped through an archway into a small room filled with flowers and white marble, the same color as the Gwendolyn Wall. Zach knew immediately that the King had built this room too, using his magic to create his wife''s final resting place. Zach started back out of the tombs, feeling much better than before. He could wait for Princess Evelyn to return and talk to her in the morning, as a way of strengthening his connection to his own world. And in case all the mana he''d absorbed on that trip was also contributing, he planned to continue his practice with Milo. I don''t need to push Riley away anymore, Zach thought with a wide grin, conveniently ignoring Eloise''s warning. I should go give her a kiss right away, to make up for ever considering such a thing. 48. Bad News "The kobold entourage never made it to Sunrise." The words hung in the cold air, echoing slightly between the stone walls of the King''s private study. The man who had spoken was middle aged and non-descript, with plain features and a simple dress-suit that served to blend in amongst all the nobles and public servants in the castle. He was the King''s personal Farspeaker, with connections to numerous other Farspeakers stationed all over the world. King Gildahart was an intelligent man and he was already extrapolating what the news could mean. Fern and two other Kobold Nation delegates has left New Albion over two weeks ago, planning to make a two-day journey to Sunrise before continuing deeper into kobold lands. New Albion had sent an escort of guards to accompany them. If they never reached Sunrise, then¡­ "Were they attacked?" he asked. "If so, why did it take so long for us to learn this?" The Farspeaker, whose name was Kerrol, nodded. "Yes, the entourage was ambushed on this side of the continental divide, almost certainly by elves. It was discovered two days later but the Kobold Nation didn''t dare send messengers through the area of the ambush. Alternate routes were impassable due to snowfall." He went on to explain that word had eventually reached him by way of a network of human Farspeakers. First, kobold messengers tracked down a wilderness expedition that was passing through dragon-claimed territory far southwest of New Albion. The heavily-armed party included an adventurer named Luco, famous for being skilled in both augmentation and connection magic. Luco farspoke to her backer, an investor and Farspeaker based in Okwata, who then rushed the information to Governor Barrus. He immediately summoned New Albion''s Okwata-stationed Farspeaker to the Governor''s mansion. Through him, Barrus finally conveyed the message to Kerrol. Kerrol continued, "Specifics are scarce, but eight New Albion guards are confirmed dead. As for the kobolds, one was killed and two others are missing, presumed captured." The King slumped on his throne and held his face in his hands. "Eight guards¡­ That''s everyone we sent." Then he looked back up at the Farspeaker. "Is the name of the fallen kobold known?" The man shook his head. "No, that information wasn''t relayed to me. Through the pronouns used, I gathered that the kobold who died was male, but details like that can sometimes drift when passing through this many lips." "Thank Mana¡­" the King whispered to himself, relieved that Fern was likely still alive. She was of particular importance to the Kobold Nation, and to the residents of this very castle. Then he stood from his chair and said, "Please convey everything you know to the Guard leadership, and then to my daughter and her assistant, Alexia Stewart. Do it directly, so there''s no additional drift in the message." The King knew that Alexia was no mere maid. He wasn''t completely blind to her covert information gathering operation, but he''d never had a reason to prevent it. And now he needed it. Somewhere out there, in enemy hands, was a diplomat with inside information about both the Kobold Nation and New Albion. And worse, she had been in New Albion''s care when she was taken. This was an international diplomatic incident, and the responsibility lay squarely on King Gildahart''s shoulders. He needed all the help he could get.
Alexia kept a straight face through the briefing but as soon as she and Evelyn were alone in the tower, her expression sank into hopelessness. "I helped pick those guards," she started, her voice weak. "I sent them to their deaths¡­" Evelyn grabbed her hand. "No, you can''t blame yourself. The elves did this. And we can''t dwell on it anyway. We need to focus on what to do next." Alexia pulled her hand away. "I have no right to be involved anymore, after so many failures. I couldn''t protect Riley during the stampede, or Tal during the investigation of the ritual site. And now this." Evelyn was quiet for a moment, gathering her resolve and thinking of how to proceed. She''d seen Alexia in this state before¡ªthese days she seemed to alternate between righteous rage and bleak despair¡ªbut it was not unsalvageable. Evelyn finally spoke, "My father specifically requested you on this. He understands that those things weren''t your fault and that you are still a valuable contributor." The expression on Alexia''s face said she still had doubts, so Evelyn continued, "This is war. Both sides are going to suffer losses, even outright defeat in battle. And in my opinion, a commander who knows what loss feels like will fight harder to win, to protect their people." Alexia nodded. "I heard something similar from my instructor back in Guard training." She sighed and said, "Fine, I''ll try to move forward. What do you think we should do first?" It wasn''t like Alexia to ask for guidance, so she must have been really out of sorts. Evelyn took a deep breath, then said. "We should tell Fern''s friends in the castle what happened." Alexia frowned, clearly doubtful. "I must disagree. It will only cause them stress. It''s not as if they can help her. Except perhaps for Milo, he''s very skilled. I want him on the recovery team." "They deserve to know about their friend. And there''s a chance they can help in some way, even if it''s just moral support." With another sigh, Alexia said, "If you insist. But they would have been happier not knowing."Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Evelyn smiled a sad smile. "Ignorance may be bliss, but the truth shall make you free." "Huh?" Alexia''s brow furrowed at the odd phrasing. "Is that a quote from your world?" Evelyn waved a hand dismissively. "Two quotes mashed together, actually. It''s just something my adoptive dad used to say."
Evelyn delivered the news to only a few of Fern''s closest associates. The other diplomats on staff took it hard, of course, but Fern''s friends were absolutely devastated. Zach and Riley were together in Riley''s bedroom when they were told, and Riley quickly broke into tears. Zach tried to comfort her, but he wasn''t handling it well himself. So these are this world''s true colors? Peaceful diplomats are attacked in friendly territory, innocent people are murdered by some mysterious race of super-powerful wizards? And there''s nothing we can do about it? With his arm around Riley''s shoulders, Zach asked Evelyn, "But she''s alive, right?" Evelyn nodded. "We believe so. And we''re already planning how to get her back." "Milo''s going, I assume?" "Most likely," Evelyn answered. "Alexia wants him on board. He handled himself well during the other missions." Riley smiled, wiping her eyes. "He''d go even if Alexia didn''t want him." "Huh?" Evelyn blinked. "Why do you say that?" Zach answered, "You didn''t know? He''s in love with Fern. Head over heels." "Oh! So that''s why you and Beebee were asking if Fern liked anyone?" He nodded. "Yep. I was trying to find out whether she liked him back, but I never did learn anything conclusive enough to tell Milo." "Shit," Evelyn said, earning a shocked expression from Riley, who had never heard royalty swear in her entire life. "I''m not sure he should go after all. What if he does something reckless? Elves are ruthless; they''ll seize any mistake we make." Riley spoke, slowly at first, unsure of herself, "Correct me if I''m wrong, but a mission to get Fern back is going to be terribly dangerous. People will be risking their lives for someone not even from New Albion, not even human. You need people willing to make that gamble." She gave Zach''s hand a squeeze. "You need people who truly care." Evelyn was quiet for a long moment, then she said, "Alright. I''ll make sure he''s on the team." She stood and added, "I''ll go tell him now." "Good luck," Zach said, "and if he''s an asshole to you, don''t take it personally. I''ve spent enough time with the guy to know he''s not great with people, or his own emotions." The Princess gave a firm nod and strode from the room, her elegant lilac dress trailing. As the door closed, Riley let out a sob and said, "I hope Fern''s alright. She doesn''t deserve this. She just wanted to learn and help people." Zach hugged her tight. "Me too, Ri, me too." In addition to that hope, a million thoughts were running through Zach''s head. His training with Milo was obviously going to be put on hold, but he didn''t fault Milo in the least. After all, the man had finally found someone he loved more than himself. In Milo''s absence, Zach figured he could try to train with Riley or maybe another mage. He also wanted to help the rescue attempt, to give them every edge they could get¡­ but he had no idea how. All he had was a little money and a handful of small-time connections. What good was that compared to the power of the elves?
"What?" Milo growled at the door after someone knocked. He lived in a small ground-floor apartment less than a block from the castle. It wasn''t his; it was owned by the Guard and provided to him while he was working with the Princess''s pet idiot. He was reclining in a wooden chair with his feet up on the table, reading a book on advanced mana manipulation. It was an advance copy, not yet released to the public or even the Mage''s College, but he already knew most of what it covered because he had been on the original research team. "I have an urgent message from the Princess," said a feminine voice, muffled slightly by the heavy oak door. He sighed, dropped his feet and chair legs to the floor with a loud thud, and put the book face down to mark his place. "Coming." He took his time approaching the door. It was his day off from castle business, after all. He opened the door and started, "Hurry up with whatever¡ª" He stopped, his voice caught in his throat. Where he had expected a messenger, the Princess herself stood on his doorstep. She wore a lilac dress that nearly reached the ground and her shimmering brown hair was elegantly braided around and through her tiara-like crown. Three guards stood behind her, keeping curious passersby from getting too close. She smiled. "May I come in?" "Uh, yes." Milo was caught off guard, but only because of her unannounced appearance. He''d encountered her around the castle dozens of times, and he didn''t have any of the pathetic reverence for royalty that so many of the sycophants in the castle had. He stepped back and held the door while Princess Evelyn stepped inside. Her guards didn''t move, so he closed the door behind her. She went straight to the table and took a seat, then gestured at the other chair. "You should sit down for this." "Sure." He sat across from her then ran a hand through his hair, which he noticed was in need of a wash. Too late to fix it now, he thought. Princess Evelyn''s expression was dour, but not angry. Her voice was level as she said, "I understand you are close to Fern, yes?" "I guess you could say that, but it''s not like we¡ª" Evelyn cut him off. "The specifics of your relationship don''t matter. What matters is what happened." "What happened¡­" His voice faltered as he started to put the pieces together. There weren''t many things that would bring royalty to the home of a battle mage, and very few of them were good. The Princess''s phrasing confirmed it. This was bad news, and it involved Fern. Milo braced himself for the worst. She continued, "Fern never made it to kobold lands. Her entourage was attacked, and she was taken. The assailants were almost certainly elves, so she''s likely being held captive as a source of information." Milo jumped to his feet, his body acting before he''d even fully processed the meaning of her words. His thoughts caught up a moment later and he blurted, "We need to save her." A hint of a smile crossed the Princess''s face, then she said, "We plan to, and we want you on the rescue party." "When do we leave?" "Likely not for a week or more." He glared down at her. "What?! Why?" "We need time to prepare, to gather information, and most importantly, to find out where she''s being held." His chair screeched against the floor as he dropped into it, hard. "Right, of course. We''ll need to be well informed and coordinated." He took a slow breath but his mind was moving a mile a minute. Then the questions started, "Who''s leading the mission? How many guards? How many other mages?" Evelyn shook her head. "I don''t know that. Report to Alexia for now. She''s got more information than I, and she knows who will be leading the mission training. We want everyone involved in top form and working as a cohesive team. You''ll also be receiving defensive sword training, so you can at least parry incoming attacks." He nodded. He had seen first hand how elves could move. Ranged attacks and distance were insufficient defense against that kind of speed. Then the Princess frowned. "And I need to make sure you understand that this mission is dangerous. If you leave on this mission, you may not return." Milo grinned, putting up as much bravado as he could muster. "I understand, your Highness. That''s why I need to be on the team, so they have any meaningful chance of success." 49. Buyers Market News of Fern''s capture spread quickly through the castle, like poison through the veins of a body. No one could deny that the long-smoldering conflict with the elves had finally begun to escalate, but so much was still unknown. What would happen next? Were the people within New Albion safe? What about those citizens who lived beyond the Gwendolyn wall, the farmers and ranchers that kept the kingdom fed? The fear and doubt left everyone feeling paralyzed and helpless. By the third day, the mood in the castle had improved slightly. Business resumed and the castle staff tried to return to their routines, with varying degrees of success. While eating breakfast with Riley before her work shift, Zach said, "What now? There''s got to be something I could be doing for Fern." Riley gave a sad smile. "I don''t think there''s anything you can do. It''s in the Guard''s hands now. But you can keep working on getting your ability back. That would help everyone." Zach slumped in his chair, ignoring his breakfast of seasoned eggs and sweetened oatmeal. "Easier said than done. Milo is off with the Guard preparing for the rescue mission, and Evelyn''s far too busy with political stuff to help me strengthen my memories of home." Riley was not one for moping. She bopped Zach''s nose with her spoon and said, "I have a proposition for you: I''ll stay up late with you, helping you practice magic and listening to your stories of home, if you do something for me." Zach blinked, caught up on the word ''proposition''. Part of him hoped Riley wanted something intimate and fun, but the rest of him knew better. He asked, "And what is it you want?" She smiled. "Find us a home to rent. Even with all the chaos out there in the world, we have our own lives to maintain. You have an income now from your gold mine, and my room was never designed for two people." I can''t argue with that, and I''d love a place of our own, Zach thought. Living as a guest in the servant rooms is far from glamorous, or comfortable. He nodded firmly. "You''ve got a deal. I''ll search for a place while you''re at work. I don''t have any connections in that industry yet, but that''s never stopped me before." Feeling rejuvenated, he scarfed down the rest of breakfast, gave Riley a quick kiss, and set out on his new task.
Zach decided to start with the business connections he already had: Altro the importer, down by the docks; Eleanor the leatherworker at her stall in the eastern market; and even the mapmaker Nevin in the city center. Zach made his way to the docks which were bustling despite the early hour. Altro was friendly and eager for another business deal, but he had no info on the local housing market. When it came to real estate, all he cared about was his shop and his warehouse, and he''d owned both of them in full for over a decade. The shorter and stouter man bowed his head in apology and said, "Sorry I couldn''t be of more help. But if you do end up opening a shop of your own, you come straight to me for imports. I''ll treat you right." Zach grinned. "I wouldn''t dream of going anywhere else." After that, Zach paid a passing merchant a couple Chips to ride on his cart to the eastern market. The man dealt in dried fruit and the cart was filled with a dozen different kinds, making for a pleasantly fragrant trip. The route was crowded with other carts and carriages traveling the same route between the docks and the market, but it was still much faster than walking. Even though the open-air market changed its layout often, it didn''t take long for Zach to find his destination because Eleanor''s shop was the largest stall by far. He was early enough that Eleanor wasn''t busy yet, so he easily started up a conversation. She was more helpful than Altro, since she had formed some relationships over the years with customers who worked in the real estate industry. "What was his name?" she mused aloud. "Carlyle I think? A big, round fellow, friendly as can be, but ruthless when it comes to a sale. He runs a property fund over in the Red River district. Tell him I sent you and he''ll help you out, especially if you''re a potential sale." Zach waved a hand in front of his face. "Oh, I can''t afford to buy. I''m just looking to rent." Eleanor shrugged, the warm smile never leaving her weathered face. "No problem. I believe he deals in rentals too, and if not, he definitely knows people who do." Zach offered a hand, planning to do that wrist shake that businesspeople in New Albion favored. "Thanks so much, Eleanor. You''ve been a big help." She didn''t take it. Instead, she gestured at all the leather wares hanging behind her. "Before you go, are you perhaps interested in another ''backpack'' or even something custom?" Zach hesitated. He wanted to pay Eleanor back for the useful advice, but he couldn''t think of anything he needed from a leatherworker. No, he could think of one thing. He averted his eyes and mumbled, "Um, actually, there''s something I''d like, as a gift to my girlfriend." He was thinking of the underbust corset that Riley wore on occasion. He thought she looked great in it and she clearly loved wearing it, but it was definitely wearing down with age. Since it was meant to be worn on the outside of clothes, Riley was self-conscious about the broken eyelet and myriad scuff marks it had accumulated over the years. She would probably love a new one. Eleanor leaned forward, eyes sparkling. "Girlfriend? Your interest in a home has taken on a new light, Zach. Tell me more." Blushing and fumbling over his words, Zach described the corset he wanted and even picked a size for it, based on the mannequins that Eleanor had on display. He paid in advance, then hurried off to continue his house hunt. His next contact was Nevin in the fancy city center area, which was on the way to the Red River district and Carlyle. Zach no longer needed help finding his way to the cartographer''s shop; he''d fully memorized the map he had purchased there what seemed like a lifetime ago. He strolled down the small street and glanced around, feeling nostalgic. The cartographer''s shop looked exactly the same, but the snooty coffee shop next door was closed up, with heavy boards over all the windows. In the back of his mind, he wondered if his coffee stand at the equinox festival had anything to do with it. But the thought vanished when Zach entered the shop and a voice called out. "Oh, a returning customer! Zach, was it? Hard to forget a name like that." Zach looked around, but couldn''t see the speaker. Then a small man slid down a ladder attached to a towering shelf. He looked just like the last time Zach had seen him, down to the odd red hat on his head, like an oversized beret. "Hello, Nevin. How are you today?" "Not bad," he answered, his tone soft. "Better than some others in the neighborhood, at least."If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Oh, you mean the coffee shop next door?" Zach asked. "I do indeed. Albyne House is no more. The family that ran it packed up and left town yesterday. I still don''t know why; their business was doing better than ever." A strained smile appeared on Nevin''s face. "But enough gossip. What can I do for you today?" The economic side of Zach''s imagination was already running wild. There was an opening in the coffee market, and Zach actually had a little experience there. Maybe he could relaunch Equinox Coffee¡­ But that wasn''t why he had come to Nevin''s shop. Zach forced his thoughts onto the man in front of him and said, "First, I was wondering if you got any maps of the mountains since my last visit." It was a longshot, especially since the Guard had their own maps, but maybe access to a good map could help the team searching for Fern. Nevin blinked, saying, "Oh yes, you had some interesting requests back then. Very few customers want to brave the wilds to the west, that''s for sure." Then Nevin''s eyes went wide. "Wait, I do have a new map of the mountains. I haven''t had my mage copy it yet since it only just arrived last week with Stal''s crew." "Stal?" Zach asked. "I actually know him. Nice guy." "Oh, just full of surprises, you are. In any case, the map is rather small, focusing on some valley that Stal is calling ''Steam Valley'' because of the natural springs that bubble up there." Ha! I bet that map has my claim on it! Zach thought, I doubt it would do Fern''s rescue party any good, but it would be a fun souvenir, to celebrate my first big venture. He tried to play it cool and said, "Would you happen to know if that map has any mining-related information on it?" Nevin nodded. "It does indeed. Stal had mentioned mining as the reason for the journey." "In that case, I''d like to buy a copy of it. No hurry, just whenever you can get copies made. How much would it cost?" "For a returning customer, I suppose I could go as low as two Harts, if you pay up front." "Done." Zach reached into his coin purse with one hand, then offered the other to seal the deal. As Nevin shook the offered wrist, he said, "You said ''first'' earlier. I assume there was something else you came here for?" "That''s right. I was wondering if you knew a good realtor, I mean real estate merchant, around here." Nevin blinked, looking a bit stunned. "You want to buy a shop? What is it that you sell?" "Oh no, while a shop would be nice eventually, I mostly need a place to live. And for your question, I guess I sell information, in a way." That seemed to satisfy Nevin''s curiosity. "Ahh, we are kindred spirits then. Ever since I started selling mage-copied maps instead of originals, information is my real merchandise." Then the small man sighed, "But I don''t know any land sellers. Some have bought my city maps from time to time, but they just send an assistant to do it, usually a different person every time. People that wealthy don''t tend to dirty their hands with direct transactions." Zach thought, Ah, like that equipment rental place that was staffed with a bunch of workers. I never did meet the owner or even a manager. He put on a smile. "No worries, Nevin. Thanks anyway. When should I return for that map?" "Hmm, the mage I usually use is busy with classes during the week, but I should be able to meet with her before next Monday. Does that work for you?" "Sure does. Thanks again," Zach said as he departed. On the way out, he glanced longingly at the Albyne House building, dreaming of how he could use the space. But there was no way such a fancy place could be within his price range. Should I have argued for a larger advance on the mining deal? I''ve never been much of a negotiator¡­
Even in his best clothes, Zach felt very out of place in the Red River district. It was even fancier than he''d expected, with dedicated alleyways to keep delivery traffic out of sight of the locals and their guests. Zach was a prospective customer, so he took the guest path, a covered walkway of wrought-iron lattices, hanging ivy, and warm lantern light. It reminded Zach of a shopping and nightlife district called Larimer Square back in his hometown of Denver. And just like Larimer Square, the shops here were all way beyond his price range. Stores offering fine art, real silk clothing, and expensive seasonings lined both sides of the path, with high-end residences above the ground-floor shops. The fancy restaurant where he and Riley had gone to celebrate his mining deal looked like fast food compared to the ones here. He found Carlyle''s office and felt relief wash over him as he stepped inside and out of the stifling elegance of it all. The office itself was surprisingly plain with sparse decorations and just a few paintings on the walls, all of gorgeous mansions. A tall and rotund man with thick glasses glanced up at Zach. He was seated at a massive desk covered with loose paper and leather-bound folios. "May I help you, sir?" Zach put on his best smile. "I hope so. I''m looking for a home to rent, and the name Carlyle came highly recommended by my friend Eleanor." The man immediately lit up with a beaming smile. "Oh, that''s great news! She''s amazing, isn''t she? Such a knack for business and artistry, but I just can''t convince her to get a permanent storefront. She always waves me off with a comment about how she loves the open air market too much to ever abandon its community." Zach was pretty sure that Carlyle had a thing for Eleanor, and it seemed that mentioning her was already paying dividends. He smiled back and said, "Yes, she''s a wonderful lady. And when I asked her for advice, she sent me straight to you." Carlyle stood up and stepped around his desk to stand before Zach. He was nearly a foot taller than Zach, and three times as wide. "How rude of me. Allow me to greet you properly. I am Carlyle VanMeel, and I do believe I can help you find a residence to rent." He bowed his head slightly then resumed smiling at Zach. "I''m Zach Pike." Zach wasn''t sure what else to say. He still wasn''t sure this man would even have anything in his price range. "Please, take a seat. What sort of place are you looking for? You strike me as a young noble, so perhaps an apartment near Red River? You can''t find more convenient access to shopping and high society events." Zach sat down in a chair near the desk, then said, "Proximity to the castle is actually my main requirement. My girlfriend and I both work there." Carlyle returned to his seat and said, "Ah, I see. Any other requirements?" Zach thought back to the Albyne House, which had living quarters on top of its coffee shop space. He said, "It''s not a requirement by any means, but it would also be nice if it had an attached storefront near foot traffic. I have a variety of plans that could use the space." Carlyle reached for a folio near the far edge of the desk, saying, "Hmm, I may have something like that. This is a great time to be in the market for a home or storefront. Through sheer coincidence, several of both have entered the market in the last few days." "Like the Albyne House over in the city center?" Carlyle looked up from the folio that he''d just started to flip through. "You heard about that?" "I was just at the cartographer''s shop next door, actually." The man shook his head sadly. "Such a strange affair, that one. William Albyne, the head of the family, sold that place to a friend of mine at a huge loss. Wasn''t even interested in finding a new proprietor for the business, even though it had a great brand. And from what I heard, he bought up a bunch of wilderness gear and winter supplies and took his entire family out of New Albion. It was like he was running scared of something." A sour taste flooded Zach''s mouth. Had Albyne heard about the situation with the elves? That information was supposed to have stayed within the castle to avoid mass panic, but the news was bound to get out eventually with so many people in the know. Zach frowned. Even if Albyne did hear about the elves, that isn''t enough cause to sell everything and flee the city. What does he know that I don''t? "Is something wrong?" Carlyle asked, his voice soft and caring. Zach shook his head, "No, I''m fine. Just got lost in thought. So do you have any places like what I want?" "I do indeed. Though, I do need one final piece of information: your budget." "Ah, of course," Zach said as he recalled his income from the mining deal. He''d been told to expect payments of at least 30 Crowns per month, plus more whenever the miners struck a particularly deep vein. And he couldn''t spend all his income on housing; he needed capital to fund his future plans. He answered, "Well, I can afford up to 20 Crowns a month, but I''d rather spend less and save up for a rainy day." Carlyle looked a bit puzzled by the ''rainy day'' comment, but he seemed to figure it out through context. He said, "That makes sense. You said you have a girlfriend after all. It''s wise to save for your future." Then he plucked a page from the folio and placed in before Zach. "This might be exactly what you''re looking for." Zach read the page full of data about a townhouse just south of the castle. It had two floors and a basement storage area, and the front room could easily be turned into a snug but functional public shop. It had internal plumbing and four fireplaces for heat, one in each major room. And it even came with furniture, since the previous resident hadn''t bothered to take it with them. And the whole place was only 15 Crowns a month, about $1500 in his old hometown''s money. He hummed in admiration. It looked like a great fit. "This looks pretty good. Can I see it in person?" Carlyle smiled. "Absolutely. I can call a carriage right now if that works for you. I am free all afternoon." As Zach got into the carriage a few minutes later, he felt vaguely uncomfortable about the entire house hunt and he didn''t know why. I''m doing exactly what Riley and I both wanted, so why does it feel like I''m making a mistake? 50. Questions The townhouse was basically perfect. It was in a cute and quiet neighborhood within sight of the castle, and it had everything Zach might need. The bedroom was a huge improvement over Riley''s room at the castle, the basement could hold plenty of inventory if Zach got into selling physical goods, and the front room was practically a storefront already. Carlyle explained, "The previous owner, before I bought the place and started renting it out, ran a travel business here. People came to him with ideas of where they''d like to go, and he''d organize the Bridges to get them there. I converted it back to a living room, but it would be easy to change again." "Ah, alright," Zach said. He was terrible at keeping this conversation going, partly because he was so far out of his normal element. But Carlyle was an excellent salesman and kept things moving forward. "What kind of business were you thinking of opening?" Zach fidgeted. He hadn''t really put much thought into it. "Um, maybe a consultancy, giving investment advice. That''s how I make my money at least." Carlyle stepped close, clearly excited. His bulk was more than a little intimidating, however. "That''s interesting, and I''d love to know more. If you''re working at the castle, I can guess who your clients might be. Anything you can talk about?" Zach was sure that his gold claim wasn''t classified, so he decided to stick to that. And strictly speaking, his work with the Princess had been unpaid, or at the least compensated through non-monetary means like food and board. Zach would need to talk to the Princess about new compensation if he and Riley did end up moving out. He refocused to the conversation at hand and said, "My main contract is with the kingdom''s expedition leader, a claim to a few gold mines. It pays out monthly based on the gold they excavate." Carlyle smiled. "Very nice. That''s stable income, and that''s music to any landlord''s ears." Then he stepped back and waved a hand at the fully furnished kitchen they were standing in. "But enough about that. What are your thoughts on this lovely home?" "It''s very nice¡­" Zach hesitated. "But?" But what? Zach thought, Why am I hesitating. It really is perfect, and it''s not like I can''t change plans later. He only wants a six-month lease. Then he said, "Um, I''d like to talk to my girlfriend about it, hear her opinion." Carlyle nodded. "Fair enough. But make it quick, since multi-function places like this are in high demand." "Can you hold it for me?" The big man hummed to himself, then said, "I suppose I can do that. But only until the day after tomorrow. Unoccupied land is costly." "That should be more than enough time. Thank you, Carlyle."
When Zach got back to the castle, the staff kitchens had already cleaned up after lunch. If he wanted to eat before dinner, the best they could offer him was a cold sandwich and milk, so he took it and sat by himself in the empty dining area. Why didn''t I just take the townhouse? Zach thought as he ate. It really was everything I wanted, and Riley isn''t picky about her living space so I doubt she''d have minded if I grabbed the place. It''d be a huge upgrade over her servant''s quarters, for sure. The more he thought, the more the possibilities narrowed, until he was pretty sure he knew exactly why he hadn''t taken the place. And he didn''t like the answer one bit. Zach was afraid of commitment. Of course he was a little flustered about officially moving in with Riley, but he was most concerned about putting down roots in New Albion. It felt as if doing so would close the book on his old life. And if what Eloise had said was true, about his connection to this world growing too strong, it really might be the wrong move. Zach already had a hard enough time picturing the cars and streets and electric lights of Denver; once he had a real home with his girlfriend and maybe a little shop too, there might be no going back. Would I give up my world to live here with Riley? he asked himself. Even with the danger of the elves? He could tell himself that his old world was dangerous too, but he knew that it wasn''t even close to the same. Denver had never been at risk of foreign attack, and it definitely didn''t have to worry about monsters or magic spells. Zach couldn''t answer his own question. He needed time to think, needed to talk to Riley and Evelyn, the two people with the best understanding of his dilemma. And he wasn''t sure two days would be long enough.
Alexia closed the tower door behind her, then immediately briefed the Princess, "News of the elves'' attack has slipped to the public. International trade dipped noticeably, travel to the fringe towns dried up almost entirely, and a small but significant number of people are selling their belongings and leaving the city." "Why?" Evelyn asked, a puzzled frown on her face. "It''s safer here within the walls than out in the wilds."Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Alexia shrugged. "Perhaps. Maybe they are afraid of a large scale assault on the city. It''s not impossible, though it is unlikely. The elves just don''t have the population for anything so reckless. And subtlety has always been their game." "In any case," Alexia said, changing the topic, "The kobolds are also taking action. They notified the King that they''ve closed their borders, even to humans. It seems they''re afraid of elves magically disguised as humans." Evelyn blinked. "Can elves do that? And if so, couldn''t they just look like kobolds and get in anyway?" Alexia shook her head. "No idea. Nobody''s behaving rationally right now. Fear has its teeth in everyone. Your father is currently planning an announcement to try to calm people down." Evelyn stood up. "I''ll go help him. My knowledge of the other world might help here. They got public speaking down to an art form."
Less than 12 hours later, Alexia was running through the stone hallways of a barracks near the south gate. A guard ran ahead of her, explaining what he could between breaths. They both had to shout over the clanging of his armor. "A mage stationed at the south gate spotted her leaving the city with a cart of supplies and a young boy. The mage said something looked off so he went to investigate, and when he got close, her disguise shimmered with mana." Alexia didn''t want to believe it. Apparently the elves could imitate humans well enough to infiltrate New Albion. In fact, they already had. And now they were leaving town. Why? "The boy, he''s an elf too?" "Yes ma''am. Claims to be her son. And his disguise was harder to crack. Maybe he''s more talented, or he''s just a quick learner like kids tend to be. Take my son for exa¡ª" Alexia cut him off. This wasn''t the time for idle chatter. "I want to meet the woman first." The guard came to a stop by a sturdy wooden door, reinforced with iron bars. "She''s in here. Two battle mages and three guards are standing by inside, for your protection." Alexia grabbed the door handle, then paused. She took a slow breath, trying to calm herself. The last time she''d seen an elf, she''d barely escaped with her life. And now she was walking into a closed room with one. Alexia stepped inside and her first thought was, She looks so plain. Truly, the elf looked like any peasant woman you might see on the streets of New Albion. Except for her ears and her eyes. The ears were long and pointed, and her eyes a cold and piercing grey, like a stormy winter''s night. Her clothes were simple: an apron over a pale green dress with just enough frills to give some femininity to an otherwise utilitarian outfit. "I assume you know King''s Speech?" Alexia said. She sat down in a chair across from the woman, whose hands were bound behind her own chair. The guards and mages stood at the ready a few feet away. The woman nodded, but said nothing. Is it fear keeping her silent? Alexia wondered, Or something more sinister? Alexia cut off that line of thought and tried to relax. The woman wasn''t the same elf who had nearly killed Tal. She might not even be a combatant, except for the fact she''s in enemy territory. "May I ask your name? Mine is Alexia." "I go by Cora." Alexia smiled. "I really appreciate your cooperation, Cora. I just want some information so I can understand the situation." When Cora nodded again, Alexia gently asked, "Why do you have a young child with you?" Despite the gentle tone, the question was a grim reminder that her son was in custody somewhere beyond the stone walls of this room. Cora blanched, then started to speak, "He''s my son. He''s all I have in the world. Please don''t hurt him, please." "But you brought him into enemy territory?" Cora shook her head firmly. "No, humans aren''t my enemies, and it''s far safer here than where I fled from." Alexia leaned forward slightly. The questioning wasn''t going the way she''d expected, but it was proving very interesting indeed. "And where was that?" "The elf lands. Nowhere within is safe for people like my son and I." "What do you mean?" Alexia leaned closer still. "We''re Weavers. We can use mana to change our appearance. Val¡ª" she suddenly cut off, clamping a hand over her mouth. After a second, she lowered the hand and continued, "Elven leadership wants us in their army. I''d rather die than work for them." Alexia sat back in her chair and waited a bit before her next question. The elf was getting emotional and these were sensitive matters. She needed to be careful. "How long have you lived among us humans?" she finally asked. Alexia was expecting somewhere between two weeks and six months, but any amount was worrisome. To not know that New Albion had been infiltrated until after such a major attack? It was proof of a major failure in the kingdom''s security. "Five years." One of the guards coughed in surprise and a mage muttered, "Mana save us," under his breath. The mood in the room immediately shifted to one of alarm and uncertainty. Alexia remained stoic. Her fortitude was impressive as always. "And how old is your son?" "Seven." "Where is his father, if I may ask?" The woman looked down at the floor in silence. After several seconds, she finally answered. "He was captured, when we fled together. Under current leadership, desertion is punishable by death. He''s almost certainly dead." "And why are you fleeing New Albion now?" "We heard about the attack on the kobold diplomats. It''s finally started. He''s coming, and he will find us if we stay. The wilds are safer." Alexia nodded. "And you''d be killed for desertion?" "No." Cora looked back up, her eyes wide and terrified. "After living here this long, we aren''t deserters. We''re traitors, and he tortures traitors. Horribly. I''d sooner slit my own son''s throat than let him suffer that fate." "Who is this ''he'' you mentioned?" Cora just shook her head and stared at the floor, refusing to speak. Tears fell from her eyes and she soon started to sob. Then she begged, "Please, let me see my son. Please tell me he''s okay." Alexia turned to face the guard blocking the door. "Bring her child. I don''t think either of them are dangerous, and we''ll learn more if they are treated humanely." The guard looked surprised, but he did as asked. The boy had been held nearby and it took less than a minute to fetch him. Without his disguise, he looked even less human than his mother. His eyes were overlarge, ears too pointy, and his hair was too fair, nearly white. "What''s your name?" Alexia asked him as he fled to his mother''s recently released arms. "I''m Alexia." The boy didn''t speak, but his mother did. She asked, "Why are you doing this? Will you let us go?" "That''s not my decision to make," Alexia answered and the woman wilted. Then Alexia tried to smile. "But after today, after you share what you know, I will argue as hard as possible for your freedom. Just as not all humans are on the same side, you''ve proved that not all elves are against New Albion. That''s wonderful news, and useful information in the coming conflict." Cora sniffed back tears. "Thank you." Don''t thank me yet, Alexia thought, I doubt I''ll be able to convince the Guard leadership to let two elves go free, especially not with everything you must know about us¡­