Looking around at his vast store of treasure, Cafer was still unhappy. He had had all the power of the world within his grasp, and it slipped through his fingers all because of one useless human. Worse than that: a little girl. He would have his revenge. It had been nearly a decade since the final battle with Her Majesty, Empress Aurora, and her Consort, Devrim, but the wound was still fresh in Cafer's mind. Gnomes had long memories, and his was longer than most. He rested against the large golden chair inside his lair below the earth, grumbling quietly.

Cafer lifted the gilded mirror that sat on the table next to him. There was no message waiting for him in the glass. Prince Alaron had not sent him anything in several days. This was unusual. Perhaps the boy, now nearly sixteen, had found other interests to occupy his time. Cafer did not like thinking about that. He needed to keep his hooks in the young prince in order to exact his sweet revenge on the boy's mother and regain his rightful place in the lap of luxury at the palace. He missed his old room. Humans were useless for many things, but they knew how to make warm beds and silky smooth sheets.

The gnome tapped his finger on a book as he thought. Earlier that morning he had been researching magical objects, and the book below his hand had been one of the few that were available in the gnomes' lair. The short creatures valued many shiny and valuable things, but books were not among them. Absentmindedly, Cafer flipped through the pages.

His eye caught something that looked vaguely familiar. He stared at the picture of an intricately woven silver necklace. Cafer had seen something like this before, only in gold. He quickly read the inscription below the picture. "Key to the Storehouse of Magical Knowledge. One of many. Each key opens a specific portal to enter the Storehouse from different creature groups."

Ah ha! That is how that brat Empress got a hold of the magical book and map to the Fates all those years ago. Cafer mulled over the facts in his head. If she had not left the palace to get them, then the entrance from the land of humans must be inside the palace. Cafer had never been in the storehouse himself, but when he was young, some of the older gnomes told of the knowledge it held. His forefathers had abused the power, and lost their entrance to the ancient wisdom. An idea formed in Cafer's head. He knew exactly what to tell the prince. Raising the mirror in both hands, Cafer began his new cunning plan.

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As the sun made its final stand on the horizon, a green-eyed woman walked swiftly through the streets of a small town near the Western coast. Unconsciously she scratched at her ears as she scanned the street for trouble. Just as she thought that she was in the clear, a man's voice called after her. "Hey you!"

The woman rolled her eyes before turning around and smiling at him flirtatiously. "Who me?" She asked as she lowered one eye in a wink.

The surly sailor whistled. "You didn't let me buy you a drink last night," he said as he tried to wrap his hand around her waist. "And I didn't even catch your name."

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

The woman evaded his embrace and swayed as she took a step back. "I do not drink while I am on the job," she said in the ancient tongue, but the man did not understand her.

"What?" he raised his eyebrows, afraid his afternoon drinking had messed with his hearing.

"I said I do not drink with men I hardly know."

The man gave her a mischievous smile. "How about you come close and get to know me better?" He stepped toward her.

"You should keep your distance. I'm not so friendly if you touch me." The woman spoke through her plastered smile. The sailor missed the dangerous glint in her eye.

"You were friendly enough yesterday. Asking me all about what I do. I'd like to learn a little bit about you too." His lascivious gaze was all too clear. He reached out his hand to grab the woman's arm. As fast as lightning, she gripped his index finger and bent it back until it gave a loud snap. He screamed in pain.

"I did warn you," she answered with a shrug. Two more men appeared behind her. The three had obviously meant to ambush her. She did not want to think about their intentions.

"What happened?" The men asked the first sailor.

"She broke my finger!" The sailor said as he held his injury against his chest. His gaze became fierce. "Grab her, and I will really teach her a lesson!"

The few onlookers on the street disappeared except for one man who thought to intervene. The woman smiled at his kindness, but waved him off. "There will be no grabbing me today, I'm afraid." The woman pulled a knife.

"What do you intend to do with that, little Missy?"

"The last man who called me 'little Missy' lost his tongue." She smiled innocently and tucked a stray strand of red hair behind her ear.

The three men all attacked at once. The lady jumped over their heads, cutting the belt and barely missing the more delicate parts of the man closest to her before she leapt. She landed beyond them and turned to see if they would give chase. Only two could, as the third was desperately trying to keep his pants from tumbling to the ground.

The remaining two sailors chased her toward the wharf. The dock here was small but long and had a ship tied up along one side. The other side was bare as most ships were beached on the sloping shore. The woman ran to the edge of the dock and turned, looking distraught.

"Seems like you have run out of room. Do not worry, I will take good care of you," one of the men jeered. Other sailors looked down from the ship and called to their comrades. This would be a good show.

"Oh, did you think I was upset because I think you have cornered me? No, I was simply deciding which of you to take care of first. It is so hard to pick!" The woman furrowed her brow as if in deep thought. "You both need a bath. Who wants to go first?"

The two sailors did not like being taunted in front of their shipmates. They lunged at the maiden and she tiptoed around the first causing him to fall headlong into the water. The second barely missed the same fate, teetering dangerously on the wooden edge of the dock.

The woman clicked her tongue. "Tsk tsk. In you go!" She threw her hip against him, and he went tumbling into the water nearly hitting the first. She dusted off her hands. "Much better! Make sure you scrub behind your ears."

The sailors on board the ship erupted in laughter as the maid walked back toward town unhindered. After a few turns to make sure no one had followed her, she ducked into the house she was renting. A man awaited her inside.

"Fix your face," she told him as she puckered her lips. The thin blond man raised his eyebrows.

"You first," he responded. Both of them let their disguises melt away, and Brinn's pointy ears and Gandr's dark hair and bulky frame took form.

"You are late," Gandr said. They had been working together for nearly eight years now, and Brinn was generally punctual.

The spymaster shrugged. "I thought I would take a brisk walk by the sea." When Gandr looked incredulous she added, "I got held up by some lowlifes, but nothing I could not handle."

"Find anything?" Gandr asked. They had been investigating this port for smuggling for a couple weeks.

"More than I hoped. We head home first thing in the morning. The Empress needs to hear this in person."

Gandr smiled. "Good! I am looking forward to a bed that doesn't have rats for foot warmers."