Magic

Chapter 16: Bronzadelle

About three, maybe four or five hard knocks were enough to jolt Anna awake, hitting her head against the post of her bed. She rubbed her head, blinking to a cabin with clutter filling the shelves, clothes strewn over the floor, and rays of sunlight glaring through the window.

"Anna!" Kristoff's voice called from outside the door. "Come on up! We're almost in Bronzadelle!"

"Okay, I'll be there!"

"And don't fall back asleep!"

Anna rubbed her eyes, releasing an enormous yawn from her mouth. She peered at a mirror straight across from her, which cast a reflection of her in her nightgown and mused hair. Her lips trilled and she threw her head back, her eyes still fluttering. Once she drew her legs out of bed, she started over to her wardrobe when her arms went flailing and she fell into the ocean of scattered clothes that lay on the ground. Draped in the fallen clothes, Anna scrambled from the mess and went over to her wardrobe. Right when she opened it, piles of clothes came falling out, sending her back to the ground.

After she changed into a dark blue gown and plaited her hair in braids, Anna glanced over at the night stand where the map case stood. She picked it up and peered at it with a tingling of curiosity. Feeling the hard metal texture, she moved the map case in her hands, peering for a way to open it to no avail. Anna had never seen a map case like this before. She narrowed her eyes at the lock, laying her thumb on it. This was without a doubt, not an ordinary map case and she bet that there must be something special about this map. If so, no wonder Lady Caine, Puck, and Calkins had fought over it. She wondered if Scott had seen this map before; he at least knew about it and likely had seen what it looked like.

"Hey, Max!" Eugene's voice hollered from outside, causing Anna to jump. The map case flew out of her hands, but she was able to catch it when it was inches away from being lost in her mess.

Anna heaved a sigh of relief. "That was close!" She let out a chuckle as she regained her balance. "Now, how could I open this?"

Her fingers drummed on the map case as Anna looked over the nightstand for a key but couldn't find one. Her eyes widened once they fell upon a pin. Anna picked up the pin and glanced over her shoulder at her room. She tried to use it as a key to no avail. Still, she put it in her pocket in case she needed it for something else. Even if her room weren't a mess, she still would not have found a key anyway. She was tempted to open it here, but she felt like she should get on deck first. That way, Quirin, Kristoff, Maximus, and Sven could see the map too.

. . . . .

As Anna entered the deck, the sound of soft waves and other passengers chatting could be heard until they were overwhelmed by a seagull's squawk. She held the map case closer against her chest as she stepped further on deck. The cool temperature reminded her that today was the first official day of fall. Anna couldn't help but peer around the ship as she looked for her group.

"Ah, Quirin," a man's voice said. Anna peered over to where an older man was approaching Quirin by the railing. "It's been so long. How have you and Varian been?"

"We've been doing well," Quirin answered. Anna started to make her way towards them, holding the map case against her chest. She nearly stumbled but recovered.

"I'm glad to hear that." The man peered around the area before he glanced back to Quirin. "Where is Varian? Is he back in Old Corona?"

"That's why I'm on here. I'm going to see him."

"Oh, why is he not with you or in Old Corona?"

"A few months ago," Quirin began, "Professor Hector Turner arrived in Corona and was impressed by Corona's heated water system and my son's inventions. The professor asked Varian if he would be interested in traveling to Bronzadelle to give them hot water and he eventually accepted."