Dimileios was the last person to arrive in the cramped little room and take his seat at the circular table. Everyone was quiet. Lias looked around the table in confusion. Theonis still wasn’t entirely sure what was going on.

“Alright,” Dimileios told Satiria, “what did you call us all in here for?”

“Last night, several of us went into town to relax. While we were out, we were overheard by someone claiming to be an adventurer himself from the far north. His team is here to find Agathula and plunder the vault that’s supposed to be there. Then they intend to bring that treasure back to their own country to auction it off.”

Dimileios frowned and furled his brow.

“That’s no small undertaking,” he muttered, “especially for foreigners. If he wasn’t lying, then I wonder who’s bankrolling their expedition. That’s an unfathomable investment for something that might not pay off.”

“We have to do something about it,” Satiria insisted.

“Yeah,” Theonis agreed. “We should be the first to find the city.”

Satiria nodded, adding, “It isn’t his place to take away what’s rightfully ours. If this bastard wants to plunder our heritage, we’re going to meet him tooth and claw. I won’t stand for this thief who only cares about taking artifacts for personal gain.”

Most of the table murmured in agreement, but Theonis frowned.

“I think you’re being a little harsh,” he said quietly, drawing the attention of the table.

“What?” Satiria asked.

“Just… he’s just another adventurer. Like us. He doesn’t seem like such a bad guy.”

“Not a bad guy?” Myrova asked.

Kateni nodded, adding, “I had my hand on my knife for the entire conversation. There was just something wrong with that man.”

“We are nothing like him,” Satiria insisted, fuming a little. “We only work for the greater good. People like him are scum and only bring harm to the world.”

Kosgoris placed a hand on Satiria’s shoulder and told her, “Relax. Just focus on your breathing.”

Theonis’ hand unconsciously grabbed at the pendant beneath his shirt. He wasn’t a thief. They’d all agreed that it was okay for him to keep the pendant. What made the things Aylmer was doing so bad that didn’t make Theonis’ actions wrong?

“I think that people should get to keep the things they find for themselves,” he said, staring down at his lap.

“Theonis,” Kosgoris said softly, “this man has made it clear that he doesn’t care about our cultural heritage. He only seeks personal profit, and seemed all too happy to position himself as our enemy. There’s no need to defend him.”

“This is all meaningless,” Dimileios finally said, standing up. “It’s upsetting news and I certainly hope that this man doesn’t achieve his goals, but we know nothing about it. We certainly don’t have any leads on where Agathula might be. There’s nothing we can do but hope that this amounts to nothing. If that’s all, then I suggest we adjourn.”

Everyone departed, and a little while later Theonis found himself sitting in the canteen with Myrova and Polithea having a small meal. He was still a little sour about the way the meeting had gone. He was only barely poking at his salad.

“I wish there was something that you could do,” Polithea said, nabbing a bit of Theonis’ salad. “At the very least, we’d be able to get out of port for a while.”

“It would be an incredible find,” Myrova agreed. “And the thought of that smug bastard succeeding where so many have failed really gets under my skin.”

“He wasn’t that bad,” Theonis muttered.

“Did you not see the way he looked at you? I felt my skin crawl.”

Theonis blushed a little and focused intently on his plate.

“Anyway,” Polithea continued, “I’ve been working on new songs and I need feedback from someone before I share it with the rest of the crew. I know neither of you are doing anything.”

“I do have work, you know,” Theonis told her.

“You’d skip it for me, right?” she asked, flashing him a small smile.

Theonis blushed again and glanced away. Sometimes he thought, or maybe hoped, that Polithea might have a crush on him. It was stupid; there was no way she liked him like that. Besides, he liked having friends who were women and Theonis wasn’t going to screw that up.

“Speaking of work,” Polithea said, standing up, “I have to go for now. You two have fun.”

“No promises,” Myrova retorted, smirking.

The conversation died for a little bit while Theonis and Myrova ate. Briefly, Theonis glanced up at Myrova. She was staring intently at him while she chewed. He waited for her to say something, but she just kept staring.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing is wrong,” she replied. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine?”

“Anything you want to talk about?”

“No?”

“You never… wish you’d wake up as a different person?”

“I…” Theonis shifted uncomfortably. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“…Nothing,” she replied before turning her attention back to her meal.

Theonis sighed. He didn’t know what was wrong with her. She was acting like this more frequently.

“Why are you so worried about me?” he asked.

“I’m not worried. If you say you’re fine, then you’re fine. Are you comfortable with your weight?”

Theonis groaned. So he’d put on about twenty pounds; it wasn’t that big a deal. He felt perfectly fine.

Myrova didn’t press for an answer, so Theonis let his mind wander. He started thinking of Aylmer again. All day, his mind kept returning to Aylmer. There had to be something the team could do, even if Dimileios didn’t think so. And Theonis knew what ship Aylmer was on.

“I know that look,” Myrova said. “You’re going to do something rash, aren’t you?” Theonis opened his mouth to protest, but she held up a hand to silence him. “I don’t need to know the details. Just be careful. Take your medical alarm. If you get hurt I want to know that I need to come save you.”

“Thank you, Myrova.”

Theonis didn’t really think that Aylmer was doing anything wrong. But he was loyal to the people who had saved and welcomed him in. As long as there was a chance that they could get to the fabled city first, Theonis was obligated to try and help.

Returning to his room, Theonis threw on a coat and slipped his alarm into the pocket. It wasn’t too late in the day, so he had plenty of time to find the Prudelyn and talk to Aylmer. He’d have to keep his wits about him if he was going to find whatever lead Aylmer had, but Theonis thought that he could do it.

As he approached the gangplank to leave the ship, though, he heard someone call out to him.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Kateni asked, sliding her sword back into its scabbard.

Theonis turned around to face her.

“Just heading into town for a bit,” he said.

“No, you’re not. You’re going to try something reckless, aren’t you?”

“…I can’t do nothing, Kateni.”

“Alright,” she said, folding her arms. “Just promise me that you’ll stay safe, alright?”

“I promise. I’ll be back before dark. Please don’t tell anyone what I’m doing.”

“Very well. I hope that you find something.”

“I have a good feeling.”

Theonis wandered the harbor, occasionally asking someone if they knew where the Prudelyn was. He could always find someone who knew where he needed to go. It would have been nice if they didn’t frequently refer to him as “Miss,” though. Every time it happened, he got a bubbly feeling in his stomach and didn’t know why.

It wasn’t too hard to find the Prudelyn in the end. It was larger than any of the ships around it and painted in bold blue and gold. People carrying boxes were walking up the gangplank. Seeing an opportunity, Theonis waited patiently and followed the last crew member onto the ship.

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

A blond woman with her hair in braids was glaring at Theonis. Clearly she recognized him from the night before. As she approached, Theonis tried to think up a convincing reason for him to be allowed on the Prudelyn.

“Why are you here? Leave.”

“I’m just here to talk to Aylmer,” Theonis replied. “I was interested in the things he was saying and wanted to learn more.”

“He’s busy, and doesn’t want to see you. Now leave.”

“Eiscilla, don’t be like that.”

The two turned to see Aylmer walking up. He adjusted his spectacles and flashed Theonis a smile. Theonis’ heart skipped a beat and he took a sharp breath.

Eiscilla scowled and insisted, “She’s not welcome here.”

“I’ll take care of the kid, don’t worry.”

Theonis opened his mouth to correct Eiscilla, but Aylmer placed a hand on his shoulder and the objection died in his throat.

“Come,” Aylmer said, directing Theonis across the deck. “Let’s talk in private.”

Theonis was quiet as Aylmer led him below deck and to a locked door. Aylmer took a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door, opening it wide for Theonis and ushering him inside. There was a four-poster bed in this room, so it must have been where Aylmer slept. It was a large room, too. Cabinets and shelves lined the wall, covered in papers and baubles. A large table sat in the center of the room, a globe in the very center. Off to one side of the room was a large, ornate desk.

“I’m very excited to see you again,” Aylmer said, striding over to a cabinet and opening it up. “You struck me as an interesting person and I really wanted to know more about you.” He poured two glasses from a squat bottle of clear liquor. “I’m glad we have the opportunity to talk in private.” He handed Theonis one of the glasses and took a sip of his own. “It’s oude jenever. Have a sip.”

Theonis obeyed, never taking his eyes off of Aylmer. The drink had a malty, smoky, woody flavor to it. It was a strong drink, and Theonis’ mouth puckered a bit as he swallowed. Aylmer smiled softly and walked behind Theonis, placing a hand on his back and pushing him toward the table.

“Let’s sit, shall we?”

For a while, nobody spoke. Aylmer just watched Theonis, periodically swishing his drink or taking a sip. Theonis sat with his hands in his lap, biting his lip.

“You enjoy being an adventurer, don’t you?” Aylmer asked.

“I do,” Theonis replied softly. “I feel like I was made for it. It’s so much better than the life I used to have.”

“It’s amazing, isn’t it? Getting to see the world and discover things! Nothing else compares. You wouldn’t trade this lifestyle for anything, would you?”

“I don’t think I could,” Theonis admitted. “All my friends work with me. I’d be lost without them.”

“You love your friends a lot, then.”

Theonis nodded.

“How much of the world have you seen?”

“Not much… I’ve only been off my island for a couple of months now. Yialetta is beautiful. I can’t wait to see more.”

“Well, I hope you don’t stay in Pelakevi. There’s such a vast world out there to see and it is all beautiful.”

Aylmer smiled broadly at Theonis, who gave him a small smile back. Theonis opened his mouth to say more before a knock at the door interrupted his line of thought. Standing up, Aylmer told Theonis, “One moment, please,” and walked over to the door to open it.

“Forgive me, sir,” the man in the doorway said, before lowering his voice so Theonis couldn’t hear.

After a moment, Aylmer nodded and turned to face Theonis again.

“I’ll be back momentarily,” he said. “Do try to relax while I’m gone.”

Theonis nodded fervently and Aylmer stepped outside, closing the door behind him. After a moment, there was the click of a lock. He’d trapped Theonis inside.

With a deep breath, Theonis stood up. This was his chance. He had to find some clues quickly. Where was the best place to look? Theonis started rummaging through the pages scattered across the table. He couldn’t read whatever language it was all written in. Was there anything with a drawing or diagram that might point him in the right direction?

He darted to the desk and continued riffling. Some pages had bits of Pelakevian writing on them, but nothing that pointed towards finding the ancient capital. Then, at the very bottom of the stack, he found a few large sheets of paper containing navigational charts of the region, where several areas had been circled. Along with this were a few sheets in writing that Theonis could actually read, detailing rumors about the location of the Ancient Apositan capital, along with notes in a different language.

Theonis started folding up the pages and shoving them into his coat pockets. He’d gotten most of them before he heard the lock starting to click again. There was just barely time to get back into his seat and take a long drink before the door opened and Aylmer walked back in.

“That wasn’t so bad,” Aylmer assured Theonis. “Everything is alright. I hope I didn’t worry you.”

“No, I’m okay,” Theonis replied. His face was a little flush, probably from the alcohol. “But, um… I promised I’d get back before it got too late. I really should be going.”

“Oh, so soon? That’s disappointing. Well, do feel free to come back any time.”

Theonis nodded and stood up, walking over to the door.

“By the way,” Alymer continued, “I didn’t catch your name last night.”

“It’s Theonis.”

“Ah. A fitting name for someone as exotic as yourself. I sincerely hope to see more of you in the future, Theonis.”

“Me too,” Theonis replied, unable to hide his smile.

When Theonis got back to the Polaia, Kateni was waiting for him.

“You’re back,” she said.

“And in one piece.”

“For which I’m grateful. Did you succeed?”

“Yes. We need to call a meeting right away.”

Once again, everyone gathered in the meeting room. Theonis stood between Myrova and Kateni. Everyone else was watching him with curiosity, not sure why he had called them there. He was a little nervous. Theonis placed his hands on the table to steady himself. Myrova placed her hand on his and gave it a gentle squeeze of support.

“Theonis,” Dimileios began, “what did you have to share with us?”

Theonis nodded and started pulling the folded up sheets of paper out of his coat pockets, tossing them onto the table.

“I went to Aylmer’s ship and talked to him. When he left me alone, I started looking for any leads about the Apositan capital. Will you look at these and see if—?”

“You did what?!” Satiria cried, springing from her seat. “You stole these papers from someone?! What happens if he goes to the authorities? You could get in a lot of trouble for this.”

“I was just trying to help!” Theonis protested.

Dimileios added, “What you did was incredibly risky. You could have gotten hurt.”

“I brought my medical alarm.”

Satiria turned to Myrova and asked, “So you knew about this?”

“I knew he was going to do something. I didn’t know the details.”

“That is incredibly reckless of you. Kateni, tell them that this was too dangerous.”

Kateni looked away. Satiria scowled and curled her hands into fists. Kosgoris stood up and managed to gently pull her back into her seat, whispering softly to her.

Dimileios had started reading the things Theonis had found.

“This is promising,” he said. “Whoever put this together spent a lot of effort on it.”

“We should follow the lead, then,” Myrova said.

“We shouldn’t reward unethical behavior,” Satiria chided.

“Satiria, relax,” Kosgoris cooed. “You’re less upset that he stole these and more worried for his safety.”

Satiria sighed, then admitted, “You’re right. But I don’t like resorting to theft for clues.”

Dimileios turned to Kosgoris.

“Are we ready to leave? If we plan to follow up on these, we’ll need to be prepared for just about anything.”

“We’re good on tools and nonperishables. There are a few things I was hoping to replace, but if we’re careful and scramble a bit, then we should be able to pull it off.”

“Then we’re agreed that we want to pursue this?” Dimileios asked the room.

Everyone turned to look at Satiria, who sighed and folded her arms before replying, “It would serve the greater good if we found Agathula first. Anything to stop that bastard.”

“In that case,” Dimileios said, standing up, “I’ll alert Captain Markis that we should leave post haste. You did a good job, Theonis. It seems like we’re finally going on another adventure.”

Theonis couldn’t help it; he was grinning ear to ear.

QuillRabbit

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