When we arrived in Fairview, I was immediately struck by how much nicer it was than anywhere else I'd been in Reial. Not that I'd been to more than a few places, but this one was obviously nicer than the rest.

  As the wagon rolled through the large plastered wall surrounding the town, the cobblestone street leading up to the town proper was flanked by a line of large, two-story buildings on either side. Each was made of white stone, and their walls were broken up by a dozen or more glass windows. There were wooden accents that reminded me of pictures of German towns I'd seen back on Earth. The buildings were clean and bright, and the streets were completely free of dirt and debris.

  We passed a number of carts and wagons similar to ours being parked and unloaded outside the buildings. A number of men and women were moving between the many shops that inhabited the bottom floor of many of the buildings, loading and unloading a variety of goods and chatting among one another.

  "Welcome to Fairview. The finest resort town in Istaera." Borun was standing at the front of the wagon, steering the oxen along the busy street. "We'll be heading to the inn shortly. After that, you can explore or rest as you'd like. The inn has hot water and warm beds." He glanced at the four of us sitting in the back. "And baths. You'd all benefit from a soak."

  Vral smelled herself, Tristan grumbled, and Sophia blushed.

  I nodded to him. "Thank you. We appreciate it."

  "It's the least we can do for the four of you. You put your lives on the line for us. We won't forget that." With that, he turned and navigated down the busy street.

  A short while later, we were outside an inn that was even nicer than the surrounding buildings. The exterior was all white stone and wood accents. It was a large five-story building, and windows lining the ground indicated there was a basement floor as well. As we approached, I saw a sign above the door that read, "The Golden Sea."

  Pulling into an alley behind the building, Borun hopped down from his seat and entered the building. A moment later, Eadrun followed him. Rather than following, Vassa fiddled with a few things on the side of the wagon before opening its rear gate.

  The instant the door opened, I swung my legs over the side and got out. One by one, I offered my hand to the girls, and when they were standing beside me, I climbed back up into the wagon and pulled down our packs. By the time we were done, Borun marched out of the rear door and up to the cart.

  "The rooms are paid for."

  "You didn't have to do that, Borun." I knew they were strapped.

  "I didn't. This was one of our stops, and the innmaster said they're slow this time of year. More importantly, he's an old friend, and I'm doing him a favor. Since we went out of our way to come here, he agreed to put us all up for the night." He nodded to the girls. "I took the liberty of getting the you three a large bed. I didn't think you'd mind, especially since one of your takes up about as room as a cat." Sophia and Tristan both looked down at Vral, who shrugged. "If you'd prefer two smaller ones, just let him know. Alex, I got you a small room at the end of the hall. It was all he had left. Again, I hope you won't mind."

  "Not even slightly. I can't wait to sleep in a bed."

  "Good. Now, off with you. We're heading out at dawn, so rest well." He turned and walked away, Vassa and Eadrun close on his heels.

  "Well, let's not waste a moment." Sophia turned to the rest of us. "I believe a nice bath is in order, yes?"

  "Goddess, I could soak for a week," Tristan groaned as she hobbled to the rear entrance.

  "And food. I could eat a dragon," Vral grumbled and followed Tristan into the building.

  I followed. "After you." I gestured at the door.

  Sophia curtsied, said, "Thank you, Alex," and headed inside.

  Before I entered, I remembered my armor. Heading back to the wagon, I scoopped up my armor and brought it inside. After some wandering, I found a servant. When they saw me, they nodded and approached.

  "Is there anywhere I could get these cleaned?"

  "Yes sir. Would you like me to take your..." He looked at my gear with a mixture of disgust and discomfort," ... all of that for cleaning?"

  Not wanting to put him out, I shook my head. "I can handle it. Just tell me where to go."

  The servant scoffed. "We can't have that sir. Hand it to me." Without waiting for me to respond, he plucked my gear out of my hands. "You are with the dwarf, yes?"

  "Yeah, but—"

  "We will have it cleaned by this evening. Enjoy your stay." He turned and disappeared down a side hallway.

  With a shrug, I wandered around until I could smell the smells of flowers and herbs. Turning down a hallway, I saw two open doorways. One was filled with a chorus of giggles and chatter, the voices familiar. I went to enter, but a sign signaled that it was women's only. Reluctantly, I took the other door.

  Fifteen minutes later, I found myself soaking in a heated, scented bath in the men's bathing area, feeling like a new man and without a care in the world. The bathwater was heavenly—warm, fragrant, and wonderfully devoid of the

  grime of the road. I soaked it in.

  By the time I emerged, my skin was pruned, and my

  muscles had melted into blissful numbness. When I finally emerged, a servant appeared from nowhere and handed me fresh

  clothes. They were simple but well-made linen and wool. Dressing as fast as I could, I belted my magical sword back on and headed out of the baths to reunite with the others.

  From the sounds of their voices, they were still busy bathing, so I wandered around until I found the front desk. Lined in brass and some sort of blue stone, the desk could easily have been found in the nicest hotel back on earth. The snottiest-looking blonde elf I'd ever seen stood behind it. When I appeared, I was pretty sure their nose lifted several inches.

  "How may we help you today... sir." The elf's accent was different than I'd gotten used to. I'd never heard it before.

  "I'm looking for my room. I'm with Borun"

  "Ah. I see." The elf pulled on a drawer, retrieved a stone, and handed it to me.

  I turned it over in my palm. There were glowing marks on either side. "How does this work?"

  I could feel the elf's eye roll. "Place it against the door, and it will open. Now, if there's anything else..."

  "No. Thank you." Turning back the way I came, I heard the elf's voice behind me.

  "That way." He was pointing the other way.

  "Ah, thanks."

  "Mmm."

  Pompous prick.

  I went the way he pointed and found a long hallway with doors on either side. Following Borun's instructions from earlier, I found a door at the far right side of the hallway. It was about half as wide as the others and directly next to an open broom closet. Two servants were organizing supplies in it. They both looked up when I walked up to my door. Both bowed deeply and kept their eyes leveled at the ground.

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  "Good afternoon," I said to the two, but neither responded besides giving me another bow. Knowing that would be it, I placed the stone against the door and waited.

  Nothing happened.

  Looking back over into the closet, I asked, "Could either of you help me with this?"

  Both of them rushed out of the closet to help me. One, a halfling that was small even for halflings, pointed at a spot on the door. "Place the stone against that spot, my lord." I followed his point and saw that there was the smallest impression set into the door. I could barely make it out even with him pointing it out.

  Doing as I was told, I pressed the stone to the indentation. With a loud click, the door opened inward several inches.

  "Thank you."

  The servant looked shocked. "You're... you're welcome, my lord." Clearly flustered, the halfling disappeared back into the closet. Looking around, I realized the other servant had disappeared.

  Entering the room, I was greeted with a space that was about the same size as my room back at the temple. However, every single thing inside of it was about ten times fancier than that room. The sheets were silk, the bed was carved out of stone, and every piece of furniture was cut from that same bluish stone that the front desk was carved from.

  Throwing my sack in the corner, I threw myself back onto the bed. Then I remembered what happened in Galden. Tightening for impact, I struck the bed. However, to my complete relief, I didn't hit a hard stone slab. No. It was like a fluffy cloud of silk and feathers.

  It was the most comfortable thing I'd ever laid on.

  Within moments, I felt myself drifting off.

  ***

  "Knock knock!" I heard a woman's voice.

  Opening my eyes, I was greeted by the sight of a black-haired beauty entering my door. Wiping my sleepy eyes, my vision came into focus. It was Tristan.

  "Hey, beautiful," I said as she entered.

  She smiled broadly. "Hey, handsome."

  A small form entered my room behind her. From it emitted a whistle. "Damn. You look almost civilized," Vral said as she walked up to my bed. "Who would have thought?"

  "Coming from you, that’s high praise." I swung my legs off the bed and stood. "What's up?"

  "We were wondering if you felt like exploring a little."

  "Of course! What are you thinking?"

  Tristan stepped up and took my hand in hers, her eyes bright. "From what Sophia told us, Fairview has the best shops in Istaera. I'd love to explore them with you."

  Vral added, "Yeah, and Fairview has the best food. Trust me, I've been here before."

  I smiled at both of them. But a worry bubbled up in me. "What about Sophia? I know we gave her a makeover, but couldn't someone recognize her?"

  Vral grinned. "Oh, you'll see it. I knew that mask thing would come in handy."

  "It really is remarkable what you can smell, Vral. Could you really smell the magic on it?" Tristan patted the goblin's head.

  "Yeah, I could, and yeah, I'm pretty great."

  I nodded. "If you're sure?"

  "We are."

  "Sounds great. Lead the way."

  ***

  The

  Golden Way was everything the name promised—a broad, cobbled avenue

  lined with shops whose windows glittered with silks, jewels, and

  curiosities from across Reial. The air smelled of roasting meat, fresh

  bread, and something sweet I couldn’t place. That smell was coming from a confectionary that absolutely made my mouth water when we passed it by.

  "Later." Tristan squeezed my hand. "After we've tried everything else, we'll come back."

  "Sounds like a plan."

  We wandered

  aimlessly, pausing to gawk at displays of enchanted trinkets, barrels of

  exotic spices, and racks of fine clothing. Sophia pointed out places

  she remembered from her times here—a bakery that made honey cakes, a

  tailor who’d once mended her favorite dress, a fountain where she’d

  tossed a coin and made a wish. She pouted when she revealed that her wish hadn't come true. It involved getting a unicorn and meeting a fairy prince. She'd only gotten the unicorn.

  Vral chimed in. "I

  came here once. With her." She jerked her chin at Sophia. "Stole a whole

  wheel of cheese from that stall." She pointed to a nearby vendor, who

  was eyeing her suspiciously.

  Tristan snorted. "Of course you did."

  "And she left me behind when she ran away. I got into so much trouble that day." Sophia shook her head. "Little devil."

  As she spoke, I took the opportunity to look at Sophia. When we'd met in the hallway, she was herself. But, when we'd left the back door, she'd tied the silk mask around her head, and an instant later, she was someone else. Instead of her porcelain skin and ample figure, she was a thin, waifish middle-aged woman in a brown priestess robe. Her skin was dusky, and her cheeks were sunken. Even her voice changed.

  She noticed me looking at her. "That bad, huh?" Her tanned skins grew red.

  "Not at all," I lied.

  "I like that you don't lie well. It suits you." She smiled her bright smile at me. That hadn't changed.

  Shaking my head, I looked away and saw a shop I knew they'd like. It was filled with odds and ends and looked like it had something for everyone. "Let's go into that one."

  "Okay, but no spending. We should conserve our funds for now." Tristan was always the voice of reason.

  "Don't be a wet sack, Tris. Live a little!"

  "She's right, Vral." Sophia took my other arm in hers. "But it doesn't hurt to window shop, now does it?"

  I nodded and pulled the girls toward the shop. After we entered, it only took a few moments before the girls were cooing at the various treasures they found. Tristan and Sophia unraveled from me and explored with Vral while I watched. After a few minutes, I had a good idea about what each girl liked most.

  "Hey, they have some really neat stuff in the back!" I pointed to a rear room in the shop.

  "But you never went back there." Vral eyed me suspiciously.

  "He's got good eyes. Come on, let's go check it out." Tristan took Vral's arm and pulled her into the back. Sophia followed.

  Laughs and giggles sounded from the room as I gathered up their favorite things and walked up to the counter. Placing my finger over my lips, the shopkeeper, an older but admittedly beautiful woman, smiled at me and nodded. She wrote the total down and handed it to me. Fishing out some crystals from my pouch, I bought them each a souvenir: A silver hairpin set with a blue-green stone for Sophia, a

  leather-bound notebook for Tristan, and a large bag of candied nuts for

  Vral.

  When the girls returned, I handed them their gifts with a big smile.

  "You didn't." Tristan shook her head.

  "I did."

  "See, what did I say? A good man knows how to window shop with a woman." Sophia curtseyed as she took her hairpin. "I'll treasure it always."

  Tristan gingerly pulled her notebook from my hands and held it to her chest. "Thanks..." She leaned in and pecked my cheek. "I really did want it."

  Vral's nose twitched. When she saw the bag of nuts, she snatched it from my hands and immediately tore into it like a starved squirrel. "So good!"

  Nodding to the shopkeeper, we exited the establishment and continued up the street. A few buildings down, the girls disappeared into a clothing shop. I decided to stay outside this time to preserve my wallet. Waving the girls off, I headed to a nearby bench. Passing a narrow shop with a faded green awning, from inside, I heard something familiar... a woman’s voice echoing from within.

  My steps faltered.

  Where did I know that voice from? She sounded so similar to... someone.

  Before

  I could place it, the voice cut off. I tried to shake it off, but the hairs on my arms stood on end. I turned, pushing open the shop

  door, but all I saw was the flick of long brown hair disappearing

  through a back exit. The shopkeeper—a wisp of a man with

  spectacles—blinked at me.

  "Can I help you?"

  I hesitated. "Wrong shop. Sorry."

  I walked back out, but

  the voice nagged at me. Without thinking, I walked down a nearby alley and circled the building, but when I got to the other side,

  there was no sign of her. Just the distant murmur of the crowd and the

  faint scent of lavender.

  "Alex?" Sophia called from the street. "Everything alright?"

  I shook my head. "Yeah. Thought I recognized someone."

  Tristan raised an eyebrow. "An old flame?"

  I laughed. "More like an old memory."

  ***

  We

  reached the waterfront as the sky began to darken. A stone

  path down the cliffs led to a lighthouse at the end of a rocky outcrop. Its beacon was already lit against the gathering dusk. The Solara Sea stretched beyond,

  vast and endless, its surface shimmering with the last golden light of the Great Tower far, far to the east.

  "Look at the Tower!" Tristan pointed to the east.

  The tower looked incredible from here. It rose high into the clouds, looking almost infinite in the deep blue sky. The yellow glowing ball at the top was shimmering, its light for the day nearly spent. Behind it, the moon was just beginning to rise. "Wow..."

  Tristan wrapped her arm around mine. Hearing voices down below, I looked over the cliff. Far below, ships crowded the docks. Most were small and clearly meant

  for fishing or short coastal hauls. However, one vessel stood out, its hull

  scarred and its mast splintered. A dozen craftsmen were setting up the tools for the night.

  "Monster attack," Vral said, following my gaze. "See the claw marks?"

  Tristan shuddered. "I hope the crew made it."

  Sophia crossed her arms. "I don't understand why they would attempt the journey. Too dangerous. I'd never allow my people to cross."

  I frowned. "Was it ever safe to?"

  Tristan nodded. "Stories from early in the Third Age say people did all the time back then. When the Great Dragon appeared from the Wilds, monsters became more common, and that's when the tales about the treachery of the Solara Sea became commonplace. It's a shame, too. I'd love to go out there one day."

  Sophia nodded. "Indeed. My ancestors were some of the earliest to cross the sea. High King Thadvar was the first to sail it in the Third Age. Alongside him were three companions, one of whom was my ancestor, Duke Galbrant. They founded Istaera together."

  "I had no idea you were so important."

  "I'm nobody, remember?" The disguised woman stuck out her tongue. "Just a junior priestess traveling with her senior. Please don't think of me any other way."

  Tristan nodded, but Vral scoffed. "That's right. Know your place, Elowen. You damn stray."

  Sophia grabbed Vral's neck and pulled her close. Wrapping her arms around the little goblin, she softly said, "stray or no, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

  Vral placed her hands on top of Sophia's and fought off a smile. Together we watched as the light of the orb faded away. As the sky grew dark, the breeze picked up, carrying the scent of

  salt and far-off lands.

  I knew we couldn't stay there forever, but for the moment, it was enough to stand there, shoulder

  to shoulder with my friends, watching the waves roll in.