“Those things always suck,” I muttered as I stepped out from the portal, dusting myself off. I glanced to my right, catching the Ring Gate operator’s eye. Before she could say anything, I flipped her a golden rost, pressing a single finger to my lips as I quietly shushed.
I’d rather not have an operator report usage of the Ring Gate if I can avoid it.
The operator’s eyes widened, but she nodded after only a moment, pocketing the coin and looking away from me as if trying to erase my existence from her mind.
Oh, the joys of money.
I had more of where that came from, specifically, fifty-nine more. I smiled briefly, recalling the sight of the money exchange when I handed them my winnings slip from my ‘unexpected’ loss in the arena. The odds had been sixty to one in my favor, so I’d walked away with a considerable amount of wealth, the most I’d ever had since I’d been effectively bought off for my participation in a duel against the once-famous Iris Steel Haze.
Right, another person I murderer.
My mood souring, I quickly made my way outside the small building where the Ring Gate was located. Outside, I quickly covered my eyes, the sun beating down on me far more intensely than I had experienced in the last few years.
Ahh, yes, I forgot how it felt to be back in the central region.
Technically I wasn’t ‘actually’ back in the central region. The area where the city of Akadia had been established existed as a sort of “no-mans” land, the border divide between the southern region ruled over by the capital of the country, Songhold, and the central desert, which was primarily governed by Dunehold. While the sun beating down on me reminded me of my time spent in Dunehold, the geography was like the two lands had collided. Windswept dunes met the greener lushness of the southern plains, forming a karst landscape of hardy green grass and towering pillars of stone intermixed with sandy slopes and dusty dunes. Most striking was the river that cut through the landscape, a divide that seemed almost unnatural in its width and that it seemed to line up so perfectly with the location of the Ring Gate hub.
“Itsa no accident.” A voice cut in, causing me to jump.
“Hello?”
“Down here.”
Looking down at the river, I noticed what, on second glance, appeared to be a sort of dock, a rock outcropping protecting it from the elements while also obscuring it so that I had overlooked it on initial inspection.
“Lotsa people make use of that Ring Gate, but since Akadia is still a good twelve leagues away, we needa way to transport them and their stuff.”
I narrowed my eyes, looking for the man I could hear speaking from inside the dock cove. It wasn’t until what I had mistaken as a pile of cloth removed its obscuring hood that I realized it was no pile of fabric but a relatively short man wearing excessive amounts of burlap robes.
“River was cut deeper to allow for travel, and some earth mages shored the surrounding stone.”
“Uhm, and you are?” I finally asked; I hadn’t expected to meet someone so soon after leaving the Ring Gate.
“Gate Ferry.” The short man nodded. “Unless you plan to make the remainder of the trek by foot?”
“I think I’ll pass.”
“Then get’er on down ‘ere.” The man shouted up at me. “Right behind you is a path that cuts down here.”
I turned around, where sure enough, there was a surprisingly smooth path of stone steps cut into the hill upon which the Ring Gate was situated.
“How much will it cost me?” I questioned as I carefully made my way down the steps, not feeling like tripping on potentially slick steps.
“Nuffin.” The man shook his hand. “I get paid by the hour, not by how many people I ferry.”
I smiled weakly. I could imagine how dull his job must be most days, hanging around just waiting for anybody to come through so he would have something to do. It alone was reason enough to explain why the man seemed so talkative with someone he’d just met.
“So what brings you on ‘round these parts? Lookin fer’ a fresh start?” The man questioned as I crossed a gangway that bridged the two sides of the artificially widened river together.
“You could say that,” I said with a chuckle.
“Ahh, fair, fair.” The man nodded empathetically. “Lotsa people comin’ round these parts ‘fer that very reason.”
“Did you come here for that?” I questioned the man as I settled into the medium-sized barge he operated.
“Nah.” The man shook his head, hopping over the railing and directing himself toward the till of the vessel. “I’ve been here since I was a kid.”
“I thought Akadia was a new city?” I questioned.
“Akadia tha’ city, sure. But there had always been people living here. Before, s’was a small fishing village. The ocean currents meet off the coasts out here; fish of all sorts can be found in these waters.”
I looked down at the river we had begun to float down, but the man only made a tsk sound as I did.
“I dun’t mean these waters. The only thing you find in here be the blood lampreys.”
“Lamprey?” I raised an eyebrow, unfamiliar with the creature.
“Think of ‘em like big ole leech eels.”
“Oh.” I shuddered. “That sounds… unpleasant.”
“Mhmm. The karst rivers ain’t a place you wanna take a dip. Those suckers will drain a cow dry in seconds. I should know. A friend ‘o mine had that happen to one of his flock right before his eyes.”
“That sounds unpleasant,” I repeated the words back, no better way to phrase it.
“Hah, well, the karst can be an unforgivin’ mistress. Or, well, it used to be.”
“Used to?”
“Once that school was decided it would be built here, a bunch ole soldiers and the like came through, cleared out the area of the monsters and their ilk for the most part. Can’t have such an important city be a gamble to visit now, can ya?”
“I guess not.”
“Mhmm. Used to be the home of all sorts of things. Stone Hoppers, migrating Khans, Dune Buzzers, Cliff Rattlers, Grabbers, Ulcer Flies, you name it, they were here.”
“I’m surprised they decided this would be a good location for such a prestigious academy then,” I responded, my eyes slowly drifting across the landscape, imaging the monsters that had been driven out.
“S’was only place that made sense from what our village chief told us.” The man huffed. “I dun’t exactly understand them Ring Gates much myself, but from what I hear, stable Gates like fish that catch themselves, a rarity.”
“Yeah, you could say that.” I scoffed, having my own rather unpleasant experiences with unstable Gates.
“Yee. Plus, since we ain’t in the jurisdiction of neither the south nor the central holds, we beholden to the national laws alone, but most of ‘er time, we just were left to our own business, aside from the occasional fishing vessel that would dock next to the village for a short reprieve.”
“I see.” I nodded, beginning to understand the standing of where I was headed.
“I can’t say it’s been a bad thing.” The man sighed for a moment, looking out longingly at the rocky pillars of the karst. “But you get a sort of reminiscing ‘bout the way things used to be. Quiet, simple. Sure, the monsters could be a hassle, but we ain’t often head out to these parts anyway. Sorta makes one miss for things, ya’know?”
Memories of my youth, swinging my training sword outside my house as my mom baked fresh bread, replayed through my mind, and suddenly I was a kid again, blissfully unaware of the reality of growing up.
“Yeah, I think I understand.” I sighed as well.
Perhaps it was because of our conversation’s direction, but the flow of discussion dried up, the two of us longing for memories of things long passed.
“We be arrivin’ shortly after nightfall-” The man spoke up after a moment of silence. “So feel free to take a rest.”
I nodded to the man before laying back, resting my head on a seat behind me as I closed my eyes, pulling a simple hat out of my back and resting it over my eyes.
Nightfall. The start of my new life.
---------------------------------------------------------
“Oye, ye may want to wake up.”
My eyes instantly snapped open, my hand reflexively darting toward where I kept my sword strapped.
Except, of course, it wasn’t there. I’d been forced to leave it behind in Songhold, not looking to bring a weapon that might tie me to my old life.
“You good, sonny?”
Sitting upright, I rubbed my eyes before nodding to the man.
“Well, we made it.”
Our vessel had docked at a surprisingly large wharf. Dozens of much larger and nicer ships anchored within the man-made waterway, two channels flowing from the estuary, one connecting to the ocean, the other being the river we had just traveled down.
“What’s with all the ships?” I questioned, pointing at a rather large schooner.
“Well, most don’t attempt traveling by Ring Gate, so for many, the journey here is either through an escort over land or chartering a boat.”
“I guess that makes sense,” I said. Looking away from the dock, I took in my first sight of the city itself.
“Wow.” I sucked in a breath, admiring the city. I could understand why my boat captain talked of nostalgia and how things used to be, considering the city I was looking at was nothing like a small fishing village. It wasn’t as large as any of the regional capitals, I’d been to all three, so I could speak on it directly, but it was perhaps the most extravagant of any of the cities, even Songhold itself. Surrounded by towering walls, though nowhere near as high as the walls surrounding Theronhold, the walls were made of glistening white marble, intermittently stacked with watchtowers stationed with soldiers. While I couldn’t see the entirety of the city, obscured by the walls as it was, what I could see were buildings carved of the same marble, a material I could bet was surprisingly abundant in the area, given the volume of limestone that made up the karst itself.
While the marble spoke of opulence, it was the fact that the city was so brightly lit that really accentuated its wealth. Electricity, as it was, was still relatively novel. Even the main holds had only barely adopted it for general purposes. Looking at the many lights of electric lamps dotting that city, I couldn’t help but compare it to Songhold, but even there, it had been almost entirely lit by natural or magical means.
I found a part of me rather curious about how they readily produced so much electricity. Theronhold had its electricity from the limited burning of firestones, Dunehold made use of saline vats placed in the direct sun to generate electricity from heat, and Songhold provided its electrical needs through giant wind turbines outside the city itself.
All three options worked well considering the relatively low electrical demands of the cities, yet looking at how freely Akadia was lit, I could estimate the electrical burden within the young metropolis as magnitudes higher than even the regional holds.
Maybe some sort of magic-based method?
As curious as it was, I put the thought aside for the time being. I’d have plenty of time to investigate once I’d settled into the city. Instead, I turned to the man who had ferried me here, offering him a deep nod of my head in appreciation.
“Thank you for delivering me here safely.”
“Ahh, you’sa ain’t need to say nothin’.” The man rubbed his bearded chin, averting his eyes as if unused to dealing with such appreciation. “Simply doin’ my job.”
“Well, I truly appreciate it.” Before frowning momentarily, I offered him one last deep nod of my head in thanks. “Uh, by the way, would you happen to know of a place I could find lodging?”
“Hmm, lodging.” The man rubbed once more at his beard. “Depends.”
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“On?”
“How much money you got?”
“Money isn’t an issue,” I said with what I hoped was a mysterious smile.
“Well, then I suggest seein’ the Parisian.”
“Isn’t that the name of the academy?” I arched an eyebrow at the man in question.
“It’s the academy lodging where important nobles can stay as they check in on their children or other important people coming to visit, but one doesn’t need to have any relation to the school to make use of it, especially since the school hasn’t ‘ffically opened. Knowin’ who their clientele be, ya’ can assume it be… pricy.”
“Well, I think I shall pay them a visit,” I said with a smile.
I won’t deny, finding myself in a new city with plenty of money, part of me simply wanted to treat myself as if I were filthy rich and live a life I’d never experienced.
Even if only for a limited period.
“Suppose if you are insistin’.” The man gave me a gruff nod. “Lad, you take care of yourself then. I best be returning to my post.”
“What, you don’t get to stay the night?”
“Sadly, no.” The man sighed. “But it is what it is.”
I frowned at the man but kept silent as I instead disembarked, watching as the man returned the way he had come, the only sound the low buzz of the tiny engine.
“Well, best of luck to you as well,” I mumbled before turning away, hands on my hips.
“And good luck to me, I guess.”
-------------------------------------------------------
“Hello there. May I ask for your reason for visiting?”
I took a moment to answer, taken aback by the guard manning the gate into the city. It wasn’t that anything was out of the ordinary, the major holds had similar reception into the city bounds, but the enthusiasm with which the man questioned me came as a surprise. He was perhaps the first gate guard I’d met who didn’t appear to hate their job.
“I’m, uh, here looking for employment.”
“Oh?” The man scrunched his eyebrows. “Where at?”
“Uhm, the academy?” I felt strangely unsure of myself, still reeling from his positivity.
“Excellent! You must be quite the esteemed gentleman than if that is the case!”
“S-sure.” I nodded.
“Well, have a wonderful stay, and I wish you luck in your endeavors.”
Turning away from the man brimming with positivity, I watched as the metal portcullis before me rose, allowing me entrance into the city.
Well, that was interesting, to say the least.
Crossing through the threshold, I took a moment to let my first impression sink in. The city, now past the walls, was as I had imagined it from the outside. Even during the darkness of night, it was still bustling with activity as people came and went.
“Wow,” I whispered. For such a new city to be so abuzz with activity was unheard of, or at least, so I assumed.
All because a single academy had been chosen to be built here.
“Really pumped in the money, didn’t they?” I spoke under my breath as I made my way down a nearby street, intending to flag down some transportation along a populated road.
“Pardon Sir, can I interest you in some spirits?” A woman from nearby called out to me, gesturing toward an open entrance to what I imagined was some sort of tavern.
I ignored her. After years spent living in the regional holds across the country, be it Dunehold or Songhold, I’d come to understand the best way to avoid interaction was to simply fail to engage in the first place.
Transport…transport.. come on, there must be something?
Walking through the night, I was pleasantly surprised by how warm it was. Within Dunehold, even though it was deep within the central desert, the nights could become frighteningly cold, the sands doing a poor job of retaining the heat of the day.
Here though, I would occasionally be greeted with the gentle scent of a warm ocean breeze. Worst case scenario, I’d be forced to wander in the comfortable warmth of the still young night.
Of course, this was precisely when I finally spotted what looked to be some form of transport.
“Over here,” I yelled, waving at the woman leading a cart driven by… something. It reminded me of the prideful Khan’s flying monsters that resembled a cross between a bird of prey and one of the predatory big cats of the southern plains. While the creature pulling the cart resembled a Khan, it was clearly not a Khan, given the lack of wings, distinctive beak, and the fact that it was only a little larger than a shepherd dog.
The cart soon pulled alongside me, the woman directing it looking at me with a bored expression.
“Where to?”
“The Parisian lodging.”
The woman raised an eyebrow, her demeanor visibly lightening.
“Yes, Sir, right away, Sir.”
I wanted to laugh at the sudden shift in attitude, but I remained quiet. It would do no harm to keep my amusement to myself, and it wasn’t as if I couldn’t understand her reasoning. After all, schmoozing up to someone who would be staying at a place such as the Parisian couldn’t hurt.
Hopping in, the cart quickly took off, the mini-Khan trudging along at a quick pace as we soon made our way onto what was obviously the main street, swerving around others pulling their own carts or the like.
“So, Sir, if I may ask, what brings you here?” The woman asked me after a while, breaking the silence.
“Education.”
“Oh?” I couldn’t see her reaction from the cart, but I could hear the surprise in her voice. “No offense, good Sir, but you seem a bit… old for such education. If I am correct, the academy services those who have not yet reached adulthood, or perhaps you simply look more mature for your age?”
“No, you would be correct. I am not here to receive an education.” I answered, figuring there was little harm in humoring the woman and her conversation. “I am here on the basis of applying to be an educator.”
“Oh, my apologies.” The woman lowered her head as she continued guiding the cart through traffic. “If I may, you also seem rather young to be an educator. What field of education is your, uhh-” The woman froze for a moment, clearly trying to wrack her mind for a sophisticated sounding word. “-specialty?”
Perhaps I was in a good mood after arriving in the city, but I flicked my hand upward with a single muttered word before a ring of water appeared over her head, circling like a rapidly spinning halo.
“Magic,” I answered with a smile.
“Holy shit.” The woman balked, staring overhead before she quickly covered her mouth. “Err, apologies. I mean, I’ve never seen magic in person before.”
I flicked my wrist once more, dismissing the rotating disk of water.
Probably shouldn’t mention how something as insignificant as that drains me a decent amount.
“Yes, well, I’ve had years of experience with magic,” I answered. “So upon hearing the academy was looking to hire a magic educator, I figured I would be better poised than many of the more… scholarly-natured variety of potential educators.”
“Indeed, Sir.” The woman had slipped back into her overly formal speech. “Would you perhaps care to tour the city while we are about?”
I considered it for a moment. It would be nice, but after traveling most of the day upon the river barge, the thought of simply calling it for the night was simply too appealing.
“I believe I shall pass. I’ve been traveling all day.”
“If you insist, Sir.” The woman nodded, but in the undercurrents of her voice, I could hear dismay. She’d likely been looking to give me a tour and earn a hopefully large tip, but I’d shut down the opportunity by denying her offer.
We continued traveling for some time, weaving through the city’s traffic which was bustling even at night, until we finally made it to what I assumed was the city’s heart. We had veered into a large city pavilion dominated by a massive fountain in the center and wrapped around by a pleasant-looking walkway. The most awe-inspiring of all was the enormous construct across from the fountain, three pyramidal structures equidistance from one another and connected by just as impressive walkways, a level of stone masonry I had never seen before.
“And there you have the city’s pride, Parisian Academy.”
“I expected something less extravagant,” I responded, my mouth feeling dry.
“Well, it is well known to serve as a foundation of friendship and relationships. Nobles and the powerful from around the country will be educated here by some of the finest educators.”
Part of me wondered how often she had given the explanation; the practiced manner of her speech told me of countless repetitions.
“And there-” She pointed to ninety degrees from the main academy, where an ornate-looking building of black and white marble intermixed with gold-lined arches and a courtyard that belonged as part of a castle proudly proclaiming itself to the world. “-is the Parisian lodge.”
I now understand why the barge captain seemed hesitant about suggesting such a place.
I could almost smell the privilege and wealth oozing from such a building, but I’d already clarified my intention of staying here.
“Continue ahead,” I said with a pleasant smile.
“If you say so, Sir.” The woman guided the cart toward the lodging, which could have been a campus or government complex, given the scale of the place. As we neared it, golden gates pulled aside, letting us through.
I’m surprised they let just anyone enter.
Only a second later, when I understood why, I could feel the prickle of charged mana contained with the gates.
So, there is security, likely some countermeasure against any who would propose harm.
Finally pulling up to the front entrance of the grand-looking complex, I stepped out of the cart before glancing at the woman, who was watching me with an expectant look in her eyes.
Right, probably looking for a nice payout.
I was sure the regular fee would have only been a few pench, but pulling a golden coin free, I flicked it to the woman, who caught it surprisingly dexterously.
“Thank you, Sir.” She bowed low, even seated in the front of her cart as she was.
“Think nothing of it,” I answered.
No, really, please don’t. I can’t afford to shell out a rost for every trip I take.
I was rich, filthy rich by most standards, but I understood how fast even nizeium Hast could go, having once spent several in one good after ordering three specialty swords.
The thought of my swords, well, sword singular, two of the three had been destroyed shortly after obtaining them, hurt me. Whoever got their hands on the expensive blade would find themselves pleasantly surprised upon learning what it was made of.
Whatever there was no helping it.
Quickly making my way toward the front doors of the lodge, I had to hold myself back from marveling at the craftsmanship that went into the construction.
Don’t gawk, don’t want to come across as out of your element.
Entering the building, I was unsurprised to see the same level of detail within the interior, to the point where I was growing desensitized to it.
It wasn’t as if I’d never seen wealth before, but I’d rarely had it thrust in my face so brazenly.
“Welcome, Sir.”
“Good evening.” As I drew closer, I nodded to the receptionist, a silver-haired man in expensive-looking garb, an interesting fusion of the central garments and the more traditional look of the southern state.
By comparison, I looked much more typical for a southlander. It had been some time since I’d discarded my desert garbs, now wearing a loose-fitting blouse and dark-colored traveling pants. Perhaps the only thing that remained of my old attire from my time in Dunehold was the fabric wrist wraps covering everything from my wrists down to just above my elbows.
Perhaps for some, it would come across as a fashion statement, something I wasn’t about to correct of their true nature as divine cloth given to me by an enigmatic thread weaver.
“How may I help you?” The man questioned, his accent clearly more reminiscence of the desert region than the Southlands of the capital.
“A room for one, please.”
“Would you like an ocean-side or city-side room?”
“Ocean, if you will,” I answered instantly. I hadn’t often seen the ocean, but on the rare occasions I did, the vastness of such a body of water never ceased to amaze me.
“Right away, Sir.” The man looked down, flipping through some sheets before a faint frown colored his expression. “Apologies, Sir, but it appears all the ocean rooms are taken.”
I frowned, but it was a minor, unthreatening issue. I began to open my mouth to explain that such a thing didn’t bother me, but the man raised a hand as if in relief.
“Oh, but I believe we can find you a room. How long are you looking to stay?”
I thought about it for a moment before nodding to myself. I had a large amount of money on me, and I was confident I could afford a ‘simple’ room, if you could call any room in such a place ‘simple,’ for an extended period.
“I will be looking to stay for at least a few months.”
“Oh, I see.” The man nodded, jotting something down. “Yes… yes, I believe I can find you a room. Let’s see… yes, that will be three Hast.”
I forced myself to stifle the sputtered response that nearly blurted free from my lips.
Three Hast!?
I knew it was expensive, but three hast was something else entirely. I could purchase entire villages with that much.
Calm yourself, Rook. Not like you’ve got much else to spend your money on.
Wincing softly, I reached where I kept my money, pulling out a stack of coins and passing them over.
“Ahh, traveling with change, I see. Very clever of you, Sir, given few places outside the Parisian will break such ordinary sums.”
Change? Did he just refer to rost as pocket change?
I was reminded of the wealth disparity between the wealth of a successful adventurer and true generational wealth that the upper echelon had access to.
It’s okay. It’s okay.
Still attempting to self-gaslight into relaxing, the man handed me a black-looking card, a silver crest emblazed upon it.
“As your room will need to be readied, in apology, we will provide you with a night pass to the lounge.”
“Lounge?” I raised an eyebrow, the man smiling pleasantly at me as he explained.
“Yes, the Lounge is where our guests will often gather. Those staying for a single day or the like are offered to purchase a pass in a bundle with their room. For those such as yourself who will be having an extended stay, you may purchase an unlimited pass at your discretion for a discount given your extended patronage. As we, unfortunately, can’t provide your room this instant, we would like you to have this on us as reparation.”
Three Hast, and it doesn’t even come with the pass included?
I kept my dismay from visibly showing, smiling cordially as I nodded, albeit somewhat meekly.
“Thank you.” My words were on the verge of quivering, but I reeled them in.
C’mon Rook. You’ve fought monsters and madmen. A little money won’t kill you.
“Well then, Sir, if you wait for a moment, I will have a chaperone show you the way.”
I nodded, walking a short distance away as I plopped myself on a black couch made up of some unknown but likely horrifically expensive material.
Which, by the way, was the cushiest thing I’ve ever sat in.
After waiting for several minutes, a sharply dressed woman sound made her way toward me as I came to terms with the rather sudden hit to my finances.
“Hello, Sir.”
“Good evening.” I smiled pleasantly at her as I stood up.
“I will be your chaperone assigned for your stay. Any needs you have, and I will do my best to ensure we can meet them.”
Could this be what it feels like to be rich?
I smiled, doing my best to come across as in my element.
I wonder what he would do?
The memory of my black-maned master came to the forefront of my mind, the savage man-beast capable of being frighteningly charming.
You know what, I can do that too.
“Well, if that’s the case-” I offered my arm to the woman, who linked her own arm through. “Please lead the way.”
Guiding me, the woman showed me through a fancy hall until we made our way out a pair of glamorous doors out the back of the lodge, leading to a fancy-looking outdoor bar and lounge. The bar was stocked with alcohol I was sure was stupendously expensive, as well as nearby seats that were positioned to be out of immediate view of the other patrons, lit by sultry candlelight. There was even an expensive looking pool and hot tub to the right, a blue light shining through the water for extra effect.
You know, I could get used to this.
“Know then, Sir,” The woman reached into the interior of her blazer, pulling out what I could only describe as a button. “If you need me, just give this a press.”
Nodding, I smiled once more as she handed me the button.
“Or, if you simply enjoy some… company, feel free to press it as well.” She added after a moment, giving me a rather charming smile and wink before walking off.
Oh. Ohhhh.
Part of me was curious about whether that part of her offer had come from more personal interests than work, but I brushed it aside; I had no intention of following up on such an offer either way.
Now then.
Striding toward the bar, I caught the bartender’s attention, a man wearing a similar blazer to my guide.
“May I help you, Sir?”
“Yes.” I pondered for a moment before simply shrugging. “Bring me your strongest drink.”
“If that is what you wish, Sir.” The man inclined his head, never bothering to question my reasoning as I flashed the black pass.
“I will have the drink brought to you, sir, so please, make yourself comfortable.”
“Thank you,” I answered, intending to do just that. Leaving the bar behind, I found a nearby couch positioned toward the corner of the Lounge, taking my time in simply observing the other patrons. While there weren’t too many cleanly visible, many nestled within their own similarly obscured coves, the few I could readily see looked like the pictures of wealth I had always associated with status and power.
In hindsight, I probably stick out a bit.
I wasn’t wearing shabby clothes, not by a long shot, but neither was I draped in fabrics that could themselves fund the needs of an entire village.
Still people-watching, I noted as someone approached my corner.
“You can leave the drink on the table,” I answered, unwilling to take time away from my quiet observation.
“Look at you, sounding a bit like a big shot now, aren’t we?”
That voice?
Startled, I turned my attention to who I had assumed had been a waiter bringing me my drink, only for my jaw to drop.
“Wha-?” I stared in disbelief, my mind trying to process who I was seeing.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” The woman flashed a smile at me, and suddenly I was no more than a teenager, confuddled and awed by a girl barely my senior with the vitality to face the whole world and come out and top.
“Scyla?”