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“Stay with me. There’s one more checkpoint before getting inside the city.”

Magda gritted her teeth as she whispered in Ishani’s ear. “Why are you helping me?”

“You’re not just any Azuremi girl,” Ishani laughed, before switching back to Azuremi. “Your hair, the lack of dark circles underneath your eyes, and those crystal-studded earrings say it all.”

They approached the next checkpoint, and this one was more secure than the last. There were exactly four lines of people waiting their turn to get into the city. They each were checked by a group of three guards, while another one stood by and observed the entire production. The people that had animals were undergoing even more scrutiny.

When Ishani and Magda approached the guards, Ishani simply flashed a smile to the man in charge of the group. He too, wore a peacock pin attached to his upper-right shoulder, just like Ishani.

With a silent nod that passed between them all, Ishani and Magda walked through the gates and entered the city of Flaustra without showing any identification papers. Odie stayed close to Magda’s legs, his fur brushing up against her knees as they exited the dock.

The streets of Eloquas were jam-packed, almost unwalkable, and all around were merchants pushing carts and wagons, threatening to trample everyone in the roads. To their right and left were tiny store fronts with makeshift, bright-colored signs displaying the prices of the newly bought goods that were being brought in on the ships. Magda spotted a store—full of Azuremi salt cubes—that were going for twenty times their normal prices. Vines and plants snaked around the sandy-colored, dense buildings.

When they reached the end of the street, Magda turned to Ishani, “Thank you, but I can take it from here. I didn’t ask for your help.”

“But you needed it,” Ishani said. “Have a good trip. And if you need to find me to get back home, I live on the Starway. I’m happy to take your money again once you realize that you want to leave Flaustra and head back to Azurem. Don’t be afraid to come find me. I’ll tell my men to expect you.” Ishani began walking away before adding over her shoulder, “Dagmara.”

Magda watched Ishani leave until she was certain she had completely gone. At least she had passed the checkpoints and had safely arrived in Flaustra. It was mid-afternoon, and she wanted to get to the palace as soon as possible to talk to Queen Sanyal.

Magda continued on her way. She headed straight, directly down the overcrowded street, pushing her way through the peddlers that shoved their merchandise in front of her face.

“A dog?” someone on her left whispered. That was vocabulary Magda had mastered in Flaustran.

Magda picked up her pace down the road, and suddenly she and Odie were inside a store covered with a purple tapestry as a roof. Then, upon taking a few more paces, she was outside on the road again. The street continued as so, with storefronts and merchants spilling out in every direction, with no indication of where the street ended or began. She passed stores with items from Celestaire and Azurem, and others that seemed like they would be storefronts for blackmarket goods—those could only be entered for a hefty sum.

Smells of heavy spices and hot porridges, along with Flaustra’s signature tea, filled her senses. Behind the commotion of voices was the sound of a soft but beautiful instrument, singing high over the cacophony of noise. To the left, a young street musician played a dashing tune on a violin. He had drawn a significant crowd, who were in awe over his music, quick fingerwork, and lush bow-strokes. In-between lyrical phrases, the small audience dropped trinkets into a tin can at his feet as a token of appreciation for his efforts.

Odie noticed Magda’s interest in the musician. Shooting ahead, Odie charged forward toward the musician, wagging his tail as he went.

“Odie, come back!” Magda shouted.

But Odie was already charging forward. The curious dog bounded up to the violinist, begging for attention at the start of each new measure.

Magda, embarrassed for pushing to the front of the audience, called Odie back from the tiny semi circle of crowd-members that had gathered to see the show. Odie turned to obey Magda, but as he did, his tail knocked over the violinist’s tin can and the trinkets spilled out all over the street.

The boy instantly stopped playing, and the audience let out a series of gasps. They began whispering to each other:

“Why would she bring her dog outside?”

“Who does she think she is?”

“Let’s get out of here fast.”

Magda blocked out their whispers and turned back to the musician.

“Just give me a minute,” he was saying frantically, rushing to pick up his payment. “I’ll pick these things up, and we’ll get back to the music!”

Magda rushed forward. “I’m sorry about my dog.” She pulled Odie by the scruff closer to her despite his whimpers.

The boy looked at her curiously—it was clear he didn’t understand her rushed Azuremi.

Magda switched to Flaustran, “I’m sorry.”

Together, Magda and the boy began putting the money back in the tin can and the empty violin case.

“Don’t worry about it,” he shrugged. His accent was different, almost easier to understand. “I’m Ravi,” he introduced himself.

“Ma—Dagmara.”