by Dan Oakley
I nodded. I wanted to believe that, but couldn’t help thinking there was some truth in what Trella had said. As an untrained mage, I was a liability.
Still I made an effort to smile at Kira, even though I didn’t feel much like smiling.
“I just wish she’d let us help. Helping her sister will be a big undertaking.”
“Do you know what she’s going to do?” Finn asked in a low voice.
I shook my head. I hadn’t got a clue. I only hoped she didn’t do something too risky and endanger her own life.
I rubbed a hand over my face as I looked around the bar. We seemed to be attracting attention from some unsavoury types. They were probably thinking we were easy marks. The three of us didn’t exactly fit in here.
Even though Finn had spent most of his life on the Marrachi space stations, he didn’t look like a natural born Marrachi. His pale skin marked him as an outsider.
“You should probably get back to your family, Finn. Kira and I will be fine now.”
“Yes, but give us your comms number so we can keep in touch,” Kira said.
I programmed Finn’s number into my wrist device as he recited it from memory.
“Is there anywhere we can get one of these for Kira?” I pointed to the personal computer on my wrist.
We only had the money we had taken from the pirates, so I hoped it wouldn’t be too expensive. We still had to figure out accommodation as well as clothing and feeding ourselves. We would need to make the money last. I didn’t know how long it would take to find some kind of employment on the space station.
Although Kira seemed reluctant to track down her family now, I was sure she would change her mind soon.
With a job, perhaps I’d even be able to afford the travel fees to move Maureena out here to settle on the space station. I wondered how she’d feel about living on a planet in a system where magic was permitted and even respected.
“Why don’t I take you to the mage district on level six?” Finn suggested. “That’s where my parents live. So it’s on my way. I think it’s probably better to try and find accommodation in the mage district. That is, if you’re sure you don’t want to stay with us. My parents would be happy to put you up, I’m sure.”
“Thanks, Finn, but I’m sure your parents would like to spend some time with you without us hanging around. We have money so we should be able to find decent accommodation.”
We paid the bar tab, which in my opinion was expensive considering we had barely sipped the awful beer, and then headed out.
The corridor outside the bar was narrow and mostly in shadow. The frontages of the shops were dingy and dark, and I decided I wasn’t so keen on this part of the Marrachi space station.
I supposed it was the same on every planet. There were good, affluent areas and there were no-go areas.
As good as his word, Finn delivered us to the mage district on level six. As soon as we entered level six, I stopped and stared in awe.
I’d never seen anything like it in my entire life.
It was crammed with three-storey buildings squeezed in together, crammed around cobbled streets. To my surprise, most of the buildings were made of wood and looked extremely old-fashioned. It was like stepping back in time. Nothing like the sleek glass and cream interior of the atrium.
I ran my hand along the side of one of the windowsills, and it felt rough just like real wood.
Finn led us onto a small square, which had a fountain in its centre.
The smells of incense and burning oils washed over me, and the area was full of bustling crowds. The red hair and dark brown skin was less common here. There was a wider variety of people. Dark haired men mingled among others with fair-hair and alabaster skin. A tall man, perusing one of the stalls at the end of the narrow cobbled street, had skin as dark as carved ebony.
Everyone was far too busy to pay us much attention.
A beautiful woman with long blonde hair walked past us, trying to balance her parcels in one arm and eat an apple at the same time.
“What do you think?” Finn asked as we stepped out of the way of the crowds bustling along the thoroughfare and peered into a bookshop window.
“I think I’m going to like it here,” I said, mustering a genuine smile.
Truth be told, I was still worrying about Trella heading out on her own, but I needed to push that from my mind. If she didn’t want my help, there wasn’t much I could do about it.
“It’s incredible,” Kira said, gaping at the sights around us.
A group of children ran past, chasing each other. A small domesticated cat curled up on the stone wall surrounding the fountain in the middle of the square.
It was just like an old-fashioned town, yet we were on a space station.
The concept of a town aboard a space station was so alien to me, but it felt so real. The smells were like that of a normal marketplace. Above us, the fake sky was cloudy and slightly tinged with grey. It even looked like it might rain, but I doubted that was possible. It would cause havoc with the drainage.
“I live here,” Finn said sending me a message through my wrist device. “It’s not far from here. We are in the central square of the mage district. You should be able to find lodgings nearby. There are plenty of boarding houses, which are cheap enough. Do you want me to stick around and help you find some?”
“No, you’ve done enough. You must be eager to see your family. Don’t let us keep you from them any longer.”
“Right,” he said, clasping his hands together and looking at me and Kira. “Do keep in touch, though, promise?”
Kira nodded and I said, “Of course.”
Finn left us, and we watched him until he got swallowed up by the crowd.
“So what do you want to do now?” I asked Kira.
“Honestly, I’m absolutely worn out. I could really do with some sleep.”
I tried to figure out how long we’d been without sleep, but quickly lost track of the time difference. Whichever way I tried to calculate it, we’d been awake for a long time, so it wasn’t surprising Kira was flagging.
“I’m feeling pretty tired myself, so finding accommodation should be our first priority. Let’s take a walk and try to find a lodging house.”
We passed a variety of stalls, some sold pickled vegetables, others hawked hot pies and brightly coloured candies.
Kira held onto the money pouch she’d attached to her belt as we weaved our way through the crowds, wary of pickpockets.
We turned a corner and headed away from the bustle of the market. Not far from the main street we passed a row of crooked houses with sloping roofs and chimneys. Did they have fireplaces in these houses? On the space station? That seemed a little risky to me.
Kira spotted a sign hanging in one of the windows.
“Here’s a boarding house.”
I looked the property up and down. It looked quirky and old, but if the price was right, it would do. “Let’s hope they have rooms available.”
We entered the small wooden house, and I felt like I was in one of the fairy tales Maureena used to tell me when I was a young boy. I half expected to see a goblin come out to greet us.
The room was dark and there was a fire burning in the grate. It looked pretty realistic and gave off heat, but there was no smell of smoke and no crackling of fuel. It had to be a synthetic fire, maybe conjured by magic.
We paused and I spotted a silver bell on the windowsill. I rang the bell and waited.
A large woman, with dark skin, a long bulky skirt and her grey streaked red hair tied in a bun, greeted us. Her cheeks dimpled when she smiled.
“Ah, travellers, are you after a bed for the night or just food?”
“Both please,” Kira said.
“Will you be needing one room or two? I have three rooms free. The room with the best view is on the top floor. It’s also the larger of the three. I’m Madam Loren and I’m known to have the best boarding house in the district.”
“Can I ask
your prices?” I asked. We needed to be sensible with money and we didn’t need a view.
“The largest room on the top floor is five international credits per night. Dinner and breakfast will cost you an extra credit per day. We do not serve luncheon, so you’ll have to go somewhere else to dine at lunchtime. The smaller rooms are just four international credits, and I have two of those on the first floor.”
Kira removed the pouch from around her waist dug into it, frowned and then looked up at me. We had divided the money equally, but since we had no idea how long the money needed to last, I figured we should be frugal.
But after what we had been through, I thought we deserved a room of our own.
“Two rooms?” I suggested.
Kira nodded.
“We’ll take the two smaller rooms,” I said as Kira handed the money to Madam Loren, who smiled broadly, making me wonder if we should have bartered for a cheaper price.
“I will show you to your rooms. Dinner will be served at eight.”
“Eight o’clock is fine for us,” I said and Kira nodded sleepily.
We followed Madam Loren as she led us up the stairs to our rooms.
They were plainly furnished but perfectly functional and looked clean. The beds were narrow but covered with fresh cotton bedding. There was a small mirror on the wall.
“The communal bathroom is just along the hall,” she said before giving us one last dimpled smile and leaving us to it.
The rooms were linked with an adjoining door which made me feel more comfortable. I hoped we would be safe here, but if we needed to make a quick getaway the door could come in handy.
With a sigh, Kira flopped down on the bed and kicked off her boots. “I’m beat. I’m going to sleep until dinner if that’s okay.”
Without waiting for me to reply, she plumped up a pillow and closed her eyes.
“All right. I might go for a walk. Are you okay here on your own?” I asked.
“I’m fine,” Kira mumbled sleepily.
I told her to lock the door behind me and then left her to sleep as I entered the adjoining room.
My room was much the same as Kira’s. I had a small window that looked out onto the street below.
I tested the bed, which seemed comfortable enough. The mattress was a little hard, but nothing I couldn’t live with.
I was tired, but I knew I would find it difficult to sleep when I had so much of Marrachi to explore. I was desperate to visit one of the bookstores and purchase some learning materials. I wanted to experience the sights and sounds Marrachi had to offer.
I hid some of my money behind the nightstand and some under the mattress. Putting just enough in my belt pouch to buy a book or two.
The streets were a heady mix of colours, unusual smells and noise.
I walked past an inn, which looked far more welcoming than the one we’d just visited, but beer would only make me feel more sleepy. I moved on, passing bakeries, butchers and clothing stores.
We would need to get some new clothes soon.
All we had to wear were our Kingdoms uniforms, and they marked us clearly as Kingdoms crew. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, as Kingdoms officers were found on every inhabited planet in the system. But it might lead to some awkward conversations. Dressing as an ordinary Marrachi citizen would give us a better chance to blend in.
I decided new clothes could wait until tomorrow and carried on walking, searching for one of the specialist mage shops Trella had told me about.
I found one on the main thoroughfare. It was a two-storey shop with the second story slightly overhanging the main street. The building was so crooked it looked as though it might be able to topple over at any moment.
The windows were made of thick mullioned glass. I glanced over the artefacts on display. A number of crystals nestled against rich burgundy velvet. A pair of tuning forks lay next to each other. An item that looked like an old-fashioned pocket watch took pride of place in the centre of the window.
Inside, the shop smelled of old age and dust.
Books lined the walls, sitting on shelves that bowed under their weight. What little I could see of the walls that hadn’t been covered by books, told me this was definitely a mage shop. Runes decorated the walls and ceilings. They seemed to glow and spark all at the same time. I looked up frowning, but didn’t recognise any of the ones on the ceiling. I wondered if they had been painted with a special type of glowing paint.
I turned in a circle, taking it all in and then noticed the old man sitting behind the counter.
“Can I help you?” His face wrinkled up like discarded paper as he peered at me. “Are you a mage?”
I nodded. For the first time in my life, I felt proud to admit I was a mage. “I am. I’m looking to improve my abilities.”
“A very wise attitude, if I may say so. So many of the younger generation don’t put the effort in these days. Do you have any special skills?” he asked as he made his way from behind the counter, leaning heavily on a wooden cane. White hair sprouted around his ears but the top of his head was completely bald.
“Not especially,” I said, not wanting to give too much away. Although magic was permitted on Marrachi, I still didn’t want anyone to know too much about my abilities.
He leaned heavily on the cane. “Is there anything in particular I can help you with?”
“I was hoping to purchase a book on runes, and I’d also like to try something I’ve heard about called focus tea.”
“Oh yes, the tea is very popular. Unfortunately the effects only last a couple of hours before they wear off. But they’re worth it, especially if you have an examination or an interview coming up. Here come with me.”
He beckoned me forward with an old gnarled finger and led me up the creaky wooden staircase to the second floor. He walked so slowly. I peered over his shoulder in my eagerness to see what was on the top floor.
It almost sounded as though it were his knees creaking rather than the stairs.
When we finally reached the top step, I saw this level was full of shelving, mainly storing crystals and glass bottles of dried leaves and powders.
He stepped behind the counter and used a set of brass measuring scales to weigh out some pink and white petals.
Tipping them into a white and red striped paper bag, he grinned at me, showing a missing front tooth. “This is what you need. Perfect for focusing your magic, and it has none of the side effects of some of the newer teas.”
“How do I take it?”
“Add it to a cup of boiled water and let it steep for three minutes. Drink the entire cup as soon as it’s cool enough to drink. The effects take ten minutes or so to appear, and as I said, they last a couple of hours.”
I took the bag from him. “Thank you. How much is the tea?”
I probably should have asked that question before allowing him to bag it up for me. I hoped it wasn’t too expensive because I really wanted to try it.
“It can be your free gift when you buy a book,” the old man said with a wink. “The books are much more expensive than the tea.”
He led me over to a bookcase containing various leather bound books. Some of them were huge.
“I’ve heard Morcellino’s Comprehensive Guide to Runes is good, but I’d prefer a small book if possible,” I said, and the old man looked disappointed.
He thought for a moment, scratching the top of his bald head and then said, “Ah, I think I have a copy.”
He leaned down stiffly and pulled out a navy blue book from the bottom shelf. It was embossed with silver moons and stars.
“It’s not a modern volume,” he said, handing me the book. “But it has all the basics. And it’s just three international credits.”
I smiled as I flicked through the pages, which contained diagrams and illustrations as well as dense text. “Perfect,” I said. “Thank you so much for your help.”
I handed over the credits, and then nose deep in the book, I left the store. I was so involve
d in the book I didn’t even notice the ruckus going on outside.
I really should have paid more attention.
Chapter 19
Exiting a shop with your nose in a book is never a good idea, especially when you’re in an unfamiliar place.
As soon as I stepped out of the shop onto the main street I heard a woman’s piercing scream and looked up. Too late. Before I could get out of the way. A man, who’d been sprinting along the street, slammed into me.
The wind was knocked from my chest, and I crashed back against the shop wall. My head knocked the dangling sign.
“Stop him! He’s a thief.”
There were gasps of outrage from people around us, but nobody tried to stop him. Instead they stood back, not wanting to get involved.
The woman who had screamed was running after the man.
“He stole my bag.”
I clutched my newly purchased book to my chest and took a split second to think things through. I had no desire to draw attention to myself, but could I really let that go?
No.
I took off after the thief. My boots hit the street as I nimbly weaved in between the crowds of shoppers.
Ahead, the thief was already some distance away. He’d had a good head start. He was wearing narrow brown cotton pants and a lightweight brown leather jacket, which flapped out behind him as he sped along the street.
I put my head down, kicking my legs hard and pumping my arms so I could gain on him.
Behind me I could hear the woman’s shouts growing a little weaker.
But nobody tried to tackle the thief or even trip him up.
Instead, they shuffled out of the way as he rushed past, muttering outraged comments.
I chased him into a side street, which was filled with carts, stalls and shops. I ducked under a large striped awning, then passed a store selling pungent cheese, almost colliding with a cart piled high with different types of fruits.
The thief purposefully toppled a small cart of potatoes, which almost tripped me, but I managed to jump out of the way.
Ahead of me, the thief disappeared into the crowds, and I thought I’d lost him.
