“Hey, there is a third kind of witch or wizard, you know?” Martin motioned Elwin and Prin closer, and they slid down the bench to sit across from him.

  Captain Lucien and Aster had gotten distracted again, singing and joking with the other crew members, and had moved on thoroughly from the witch conversation Prin had initiated.

  Elwin supposed it did get to be a bore after a while, to talk yourself in circles with no resolution in sight.

  “What’s that?” Prin asked. He looked cautiously optimistic, like he was no longer in the mood to get his hopes up that anything useful would come of this.

  “The kind who work for kings.” Martin said simply. “The best and the strongest, or so they claim. That would be up for debate as there is no reliable guidebook or something for judging one magician from the other.”

  “Huh.” Prin said. “Is that right?” He had no direct experience with this since his own family had not directly employed such a person. Of course, TallHillde was a smaller community of mostly miners and farming in between a mountain and an ocean. Somewhat isolated.

  “The family I worked for . . . well, before this, they lived at court because they were cousins to the king.” Martin sat up a little straighter. “Actually my own family are distant cousins to another king.” He slumped again slightly, waving his hand in a dismissive fashion. “Ve-ery distant. Anyway, the king and queen there had their own wizard they consulted with. I think he would have turned you into a toad or something if you called him a witch.” He laughed. “Just sos you know, blue-eyed boy, that might not be polite in mixed company.” Martin was giving Prin an interested look, which of course flew right over his head.

  Elwin wondered if he was trying to make the captain jealous.

  “Could he really turn people into toads!?” Prin asked eagerly. Now Martin had his attention.

  “He would have said he could. But I never saw it done or anything.” Martin said. “Might have led to a diplomatic incident if he had.”

  Prin laughed. “I guess it would at that. What did he do then, mostly, if not turn people into animals?”

  “Oh well, you know, predict the outcomes of war and weather. Advise the king generally on who could be trusted and who not.” Martin said. “He was also in charge of the annual fireworks display.”

  “Would someone like that be able to . . . read the magical signature of another witch?” Prin wondered out loud. “I mean like, to trace them or at least tell who they are by the magical traces they leave behind?”

  Martin scratched his head. “I’m not sure I take your meaning.” He grinned. “I don’t know that much about these things. But I would be willing to learn.” He leaned closer to Prin, while casting a furtive glance over his shoulder at Captain Lucien.

  Who wasn’t looking at him at all. Poor kid.

  “I’ll bet he could.” Elwin said. “If he’s a real magic user and not a wannabe.”

  “Oh, he’s real.” Martin assured. “He wouldn’t dare not be, or shrrrk.” He drew his finger across his throat.

  “What’s the most powerful witch or wizard you know of?” Prin asked. “Him?”

  Martin laughed. “Oh, I doubt it. Maybe . . .” He leaned in close to Prin. “The witch queen, you ever heard of her?”

  In answer to Prin’s blank look, Martin continued. “A queen who’s also a witch! Or . . . a witch who’s also a queen? But not the queen of the witches, as far as I know.”

  “Someone real or from a book?” Elwin asked. He felt like cutting to the chase.

  “The queen is real but I guess I don’t know the witch part for absolute certain. It’s what everyone says, though. They’re all scared of her, and if she asks for something you give her what she wants. Is what I heard. Also, she looks really young and has been the queen for practically forever, even though now she co-rules with her son.” Martin had a twinkle in his eye, and Elwin hoped to hell he wasn’t pulling their legs.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  “Where is she?” Prin wanted to know.

  At the same time, Elwin asked. “What’s the name of this kingdom?” He doubted it was anywhere he had heard of, but they had lived sheltered lives, up until recently.

  “It’s called Dromille but people call it Diamond Dromille because it’s up high on a mountain and everything sparkles with frost all the time, also they are big into mining. I suppose that’s where she’s at, at the top of the mountain in her big castle.” Martin said. “I’ve never been there, mind you. All this is second hand information. Very few have, I think.”

  “Are we headed in the right direction?” Prin asked.

  Martin leaned back slightly in his chair and put his hands up. “Hey, don’t ask me! I’m not good with geography and I barely know which direction the ship is headed half the time. Why? Are you going? I told you she was scary . . .”

  Prin turned to Elwin, his eyes alight. “Should we? I think we should.”

  “It’s as good of an idea as any.” Elwin said cautiously. He didn’t want to get Prin’s hopes up. It sounded like a place that would be hard to get into. And what would a queen be doing going around cursing people she never met before, when back home her own kingdom needed her?”

  Martin looked a little alarmed. “I’m sorry if I put you up to something dangerous.” He batted his luxurious eyelashes at Prin. “You’re too pretty to go risking your life climbing a frozen mountain.”

  “Thanks.” Prin said, clearly not paying much attention. He had likely forgotten all about Martin, his mind twisting and turning around this new puzzle. At least he had something to look forward to.

  They had to be going somewhere, Elwin supposed. Wandering around aimlessly wasn’t going to do it.

  Suddenly Aster leaned over the table, past Lucien. “Diamond Dromille sounds like the stage name of this girl I used to know who could make a big crystal magically appear from her – never mind!”

  Aster laughed and most of the pirates sitting nearby burst into gales of contagious laughter in response.

  “Do you think she married really well and became a queen?” Aster asked.

  *

  After everyone finished eating and started to go their separate ways, Aster insisted on dragging Prin and Elwin back to the captain’s quarters with her.

  “Just long enough to get you tucked in.” Prin said.

  “Night cap!” Aster said.

  Elwin couldn’t help but be a little worried, he wondered if Aster was drowning out pain with excessive drinking, or if she was just being her usual boisterous self. It was hard to tell.

  “How are you feeling?” Elwin asked.

  “Fine! Quit asking me that all the time. You’re not a real doctor.” Aster flopped down on Lucien’s bed while Lucien rummaged in a cabinet for a nice bottle of something.

  “I’m asking as your friend.” Elwin clarified.

  “In that case, still fine. But aren’t you sweet for thinking of me.” Aster reached up and gave Elwin’s cheek a pinch.

  “What’s this?” Captain Lucien brought the booze and four pretty cut glass cups over to the bed. He sat them down and wrapped his hand around Aster’s ankle.

  Aster laughed. “Are you getting fresh?” She winked at Lucien.

  Lucien pulled a silver engraved antique dagger from where it was mostly hidden in Aster’s boot. “This is nice. Heirloom or actual protection?”

  “Hopefully both.” Aster said. “Captain Thompson gave it to me.”

  “Ahhh, I thought it looked a little familiar.” Lucien poured thick, sweet smelling liquor into the glasses. “Drink up, kids, this is the good stuff!”

  Elwin cocked his thumb backwards toward the door. “Can’t we invite Martin in?”

  “Is he languishing out there? Again?” Lucien rolled his eyes. His face really was very expressive. “Tell him he can come in if he behaves himself.”

  Elwin opened the door and Martin sheepishly followed him into the room.

  “I wasn’t spying!” Martin declared. “Well . . . I wasn’t trying to anyway.”

  Captain Lucien laughed and clapped him on the back. He drank down his shot of liquor and poured one for Martin handing him the glass.

  Elwin sipped his cautiously, while Prin, in devil may care style, downed his in one gulp and his face turned a few different shades of red as he tried not to cough.

  “Look at this.” Lucien showed the dagger to Martin. “I had better sharpen this up for you, Aster. Not going to gut anyone in one go with this dull blade.” He laughed. “And it’s rather cruel to have to take a second or third try.” He pantomimed stabbing Martin in the abdomen.

  Aster sipped her own drink down and then helped herself to another pour. “Really? I was just going to shake it around for the aesthetic value.”

  The captain laughed. “You kid! But seriously, don’t hide something like this in your boot! Wear it loud and proud where you can easily reach it.” He pointed to his own sheathed knife hanging off his belt. “That a way people know you mean business! Do you know how to use this thing? Here, stand up.” He reached down and took Aster’s hand, lifting her up off the bed and back into a standing position. “Let me show you some moves.”

  “That’s usually my line.” Aster said.

  “Everyone is a little drunk, should we really be . . .” Playing with knives, Elwin would have said. But, just then there was a knock at the door, a glad destruction from what he was sure was coming mayhem.

  Captain Lucien went to the door himself and stepped out. “What is it?” They could hear him say.

  While he was out of the room, Martin glared at Aster, before changing to an appraising look, and then back to glaring again. He clearly didn’t know what to think.

  Lucien came back into the room a moment later, rubbing his hands together gleefully. “Alright! Good bit of pirating at foot, lads.”

  “Ooh, uh oh.” Elwin said.

  Prin cast eager eyes on the captain, aglow like a cat in the dark, partly due to the drink but mostly excitement.

  “Don’t worry, it won’t have naught to do with you lot. I promised Captain Cornelius that I wouldn’t dare do any work with my precious cargo on board.” Lucien said. “That means first thing in the morning, you’ll have to get off the ship.”