The lady at the front desk was very kind. She had a smile on her face and the good grace to pull out a piece of paper as soon as I approached. It seemed that wounds like mine were not so uncommon. Perhaps it was an everyday occurrence that girls escaped from pirates with their voices missing. The lady handed me a quill and ink bottle, paper too. It seemed that this city still used quills even though pens were pretty popular. Maybe it was budget cuts.

“My name is Margie, what can I do you for?” Her accent said she was from the north, the clean cut annunciation. She was far from home too.

I wrote out that I was looking to sign myself up as an adventurer and looking to find some people to party with. I was in need of money and a map of this town. 

“I make maps of the city, so I’ll be happy to give you one. It will cost you a copper.”

One copper? This lady was running a charity for christ’s sake! The paper cost at least a bronze to buy. This lady was scamming herself.

My face must have shown my shock because she quickly responded, “Honestly, I do it as a hobby so the amount doesn’t matter.” I happily handed her a silver coin. She raised her eyebrows, “This is too much. I can’t accept it.”

I shook my head, raising my hands. I wrote that she must as it was a gift from me to her. After all, she’d been so kind thus far. I could spare the change anyway, seeing as I had three golds in my pouch, which was enough to stay at a decent inn for a week. But once I got to the capital, I was sure the prices would sky rocket.

Margie sighed, then replied with a smile on her face, “I understand. Thank you very much.” She handed me a map and I found it to be very detailed. Much better than any map I’d ever scene. The inns were specified, which ones had the best food for the best price were marked. The areas of town I should steer clear of were marked. She giggled at my face, “I do try my best you know? Nothing to be that shocked over.”

I nodded my appreciation and was about to leave when she stopped me.

“I know a small party that’s looking for one more member, perhaps you can join them?”

I turned back to her and readied myself. I’ve never worked well with others in the past but this was a whole new experience. When you partied with someone it was almost like you had to entrust them with your life. You were putting your life on the line after all.

“They should be coming in tonight, so why don’t I sit you down with some tea and when they come in I’ll point them your way, does that sound good?” I nodded. “What are your skills?”

I approached the counter again and wrote on the paper she had already placed out. I wrote that I was a seer with some magical support skills. I wasn’t lying per se. I could use the light to blind enemies or coat the group and make us invisible. There were many things I could do, all that mattered was if I had the imagination.

“A seer, huh? Kind like you are pretty rare.” Lily smiled at that, her chest puffing up with pride. Margie continued, “Any party worth their weight is looking for someone like you. Don’t let anyone use you though.” I waved it off with a smile. Margie yawned then apologized, saying it had been a long day. 

I decided to press her about it, asking her to tell me about it.

“There’s this guy that I know,” she started with a roll of her eyes. Margie, despite her name, was rather young and looked beautiful with her pinned up hair and fancy dress. She also had big eyes that she accented with dark kohl. “He’s been pressing me to marry him lately, but I hardly know him!”

I nodded understandingly, but honestly I didn’t care. Lily snickered. So while Margie droned on, I had a secret conversation with Lily.

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Can you by chance read people’s minds? Or perhaps auras?

“Nah. I’m not that skilled. I’m still a newbie angel and this whole thing with being so far from home really puts a damper on my powers.” She floated around Margie’s head, making faces.

I thought as much.

“Why do you ask?”

I was hoping you could tell me if my future party members had any ill intentions.

“If I had such an ability, don’t you think I would have sensed it with Devin?”

I didn’t think that she had bad intentions though, I think she thought she was doing the right thing. Though I didn’t voice such thoughts. I forged on, leaving out my discrepancies, Right. Well anyway, will you be on the lookout? Maybe listen in on some conversations, tell me what they’re saying behind my back?

Lily saluted me. “As you command, Captain.”

I snickered and Margie laughed, thinking that I was laughing at her situation. “Well, what do you think I should do?”

I simply wrote, Feed him to the wolves.

Margie didn’t have time to comment, though I honestly don’t know what she would have said to that. A group of chattering young souls walked in. I only knew they were ‘young souls’ because that’s how Lily described them. Apparently, I was an old soul, and was a saint in a past life. Though I honestly don’t remember any of it. Margie clapped her hands, “Gerald, this is Camelia, a new adventurer just like your group. She would like to join.”

Gerald was a boy only about eighteen years of age. From the looks of him, he was strong. His muscles bulged under his shirt. He seemed like the type that knew what he was doing with his life. For many reasons. But his beady eyes looked me up and down, like he was estimating my worth. Something about him made me think he was older than he was. 

“She’s no good,” he finally said.

Margie spoke up for me, “She’s a seer with some support magic.” She looked a little stricken, I guess because she was the one that suggested them to me.

“If she can’t even defend herself there’s no use for her.”

I stomped my foot. I’m a freaking saint.

Lily cooed, “That’s right baby girl.”

I pointed to my throat then pulled out my notepad. I wrote out that I didn’t have a voice, I had support magic that was useful in a variety of situations and I didn't take crap from anyone. That included him and his stupid face with his stupid beady eyes. 

Okay, that was a little childish, but he deserved it.

He appraised me again. "Perhaps you will be useful."