A Court of Queens

A Family Reunion

Snow found Isaac in the common room nursing a glass of spirits and looking at a portrait of Amil hung above the fireplace.

"Hey," Snow said.

Isaac turned his head. "Oh, what's up?" He went back to looking at the painting.

"Is everything alright?" she said.

"Yeah, I'm good what do you mean?" he said.

"Earlier it seemed like the Agrabhic Queen rubbed you the wrong way."

"Yeah not really I just didn't want to hear all that today," he said

"I get it, but you can't just storm off and disappear in front-"

"I did not storm off, I just left," Isaac raised his hands defensively.

"Okay, but still. For appearances, it's not the best look." Snow advised. Issac made a face, shrugged, and rolled his eyes. "It probably didn't make a difference today, but in the future," she said.

"Oh what would you prefer, I freak out like Cesar?" he said. "Ahh me, Cesar. Fist go BLLRRR!" Isaac vibrated his tongue against the roof of his mouth and mimed his hand drilling into the ground.

Snow muffled a laugh with her palm. "I see your point, don't act like that. Just be Isaac, okay? But you have to admit Cesar is a true showcase! Sends the message real quick, verasach uns nict!" Snow smiled.

"Yeah I'll give him that." he nodded.

"By the way, I have a favor to ask of you..." Snow grabbed the glass from Isaac as he went to take another sip. "...that I need you to be sober for," she said.

"Alright."

"I need you to keep tabs on the Agrabhic Queen," she said.

"What the guards aren't good enough?"

"Something feels off. I feel like there's more to her story than she's letting on," she said.

"Yeah, I get that same feeling. Okay, I got you," he said.

"Thanks I'll be with Theodore." Snow jabbed her finger into the side of her head and then pointed at Isaac. "Keep us posted."

"Aye aye."

Later that night Isaac turned on his skin and slowly the surface of his flesh faded in the darkness. Isaac slowly crept down the corridor toward Jazlyn's quarters. The guard stood beside the door, with a lantern by his feet. Issac walked passed the guard slowly. Stationing himself far enough for the sound of his breath to go unnoticed, but near enough to see with the lantern light.

'Hey, Snow? Theo? You guys awake?' Isaac projected.

'Yeah.' They answered.

The guard rubbed his tired eyes and yawned widely. He leaned his back against the wall behind him. His eyes glassed over and he fell unconscious unnaturally quickly.

'Sleeping on the job.' Isaac remarked to himself.

A rodent scurried past Issac's feet, it approached the door and squeezed its body underneath the frame. Isaac heard Jazlyn move inside the room and then uttered a few quiet whispers to the rat.

'There's something really fucking weird going on here. The guard just fainted and then a rat went into her room.' he broadcasted.

'That's weird, maybe Djinn magic?'

'(I wish for the guard to fall asleep) that seems like a waste of a wish.'

Jazlyn slowly opened the door and poked her head into the hallway. She noticed the guard unconscious, which surprised her as much as it did Issac. The rodent scurried down the hallway quickly, and Jazlyn hesitated following.