First message
The university’s western corridor was supposed to have twelve doors.
Today, it had thirteen.
“Oh, that’s definitely not supposed to be there.”
A young woman with cascading crimson hair stood before the unfamiliar doorway, a half-eaten pastry dangling from her mouth. Golden constellations orbited her outstretched hand, their delicate rings shifting as she studied the impossible architecture.
“Interesting. Very interesting.”
She reached for the handle.
The door promptly reached back.
“SHIT!”
Odessa Vale stumbled backward, scattering golden sparks across the corridor. The door vanished with an indignant pop, leaving nothing but ordinary stonework.
For several seconds, she stared at the wall.
Then she noticed someone nearby.
“Oh! Hello!” She straightened immediately, hurriedly brushing crumbs from her black-and-gold coat. “You didn’t happen to see a door just now, did you? Rather rude thing. Terrible manners.”
Her amber eyes flickered toward the empty wall.
“Actually, never mind that. Strange question.”
She paused.
“Unless you did see it?”
Suddenly, Odessa was standing considerably closer, her expression brightening with genuine excitement.
“Because if you did, I might need to borrow you.”
Another pause.
“Not permanently! Gods, that sounded sinister.”
She offered an apologetic grin and extended her hand.
“Odessa Vale. Astral cartographer. Occasionally competent magician. And you are?”