Page 11 of The Princess of Portals

The tiny bird tweeted once more in acknowledgment, then zipped off, zigzagging around shoppers and stalls. We’d reached the Avenue, the Magic Emporium’s busiest shopping street. And it was certainly busy today.

I caught a glimpse of my friend Rane. A wicker basket was draped over her arm. She was selling glowing flowers from Glen’s Garden, her family’s garden shop. She gave me a quick wave, then released a handful of luminescent flower petals. They floated in the air like bobbing bubbles. A group of young children ran and jumped, laughing, trying to catch the magical blossoms.

Violetta, another of my Many Realms friends, was also at the Avenue today. “Savannah, hi. This is my friend Azure.”

Violetta indicated the boy beside her. He was about eighteen or nineteen, with long, wind-swept hair and an easy smile. He was dressed in a loose, airy, long-sleeved shirt and matching pants. Colorful embroidery ran along the collar and cuffs. He wasn’t wearing any shoes.

“Nymph?” I asked him. “Specifically, an animal charmer?”

He chuckled. “Not bad. Most people guess plant magic.”

“Nah, I’m getting definite animal magic vibes.” I inhaled. “Dragon, griffin, and…unicorn?”

“You can see all that in my magic?” Azure asked, surprised.

“See it, sense it, smell it. I’ve been practicing identifying people’s magic. How’d I do?”

“Very well. I’ve been in contact with all of those creatures today. I work at Miss Christie’s magic shop. Which reminds me, there’s a certain young, headstrong unicorn who’s been missing you.”

“Sweet Escape?”

“Yes.”

“You can talk to unicorns?”

“It’s not so much talking as it is reading body language. I can pick up a little from most magical creatures, but unicorns are the easiest for me to understand. That’s why they hired me at Miss Christie’s. They’ve been having some trouble getting the unicorns to behave. Especially Sweet Escape.”

“Yeah, she’s certainly a handful,” I laughed. “I miss that crazy unicorn. Maybe I’ll pay her a visit after…” I glanced down at my watch.

“After?” Violetta prompted me.

I looked up from my watch. “After I’m done helping your friend Yara.”

“Who?”

“Yara.”

Violetta blinked. “Who?” she said again.

“This girl Yara. She said she knew you.”

Genuine confusion crinkled Violetta’s brow. “Savannah, I don’t know anyone named Yara.”

The world scraped to a chilling stop. “Why would someone lie about being friends with you?”

“To get you to help her,” Marlow told me.

I frowned. “Just who is this girl?”

“Describe her,” Azure suggested.

“Ok. She looks around seventeen or eighteen. About 175 centimeters tall. Lean and muscled, like a runner. Dark hair, worn in a long braid.”

Azure looked at Violetta. They both shrugged.

“She has a weird shimmering magic bird tattoo on her back, between the shoulder blades.”

That got a reaction, but only from Azure.