Page 70 of Age of Magic

“Oh, one thing though.”

“Hm?” Takako hummed, turning.

“If you end up going down to Zakon to find your cousin—”

“I doubt I will,” Takako interjected. “Hiro has always been a bit of a wild child for his parents. This is hardly the first time he’s pulled a stunt like this. I’m sure he’ll be back soon, talking about how he ‘found himself’ in some remote mountain village.”

“Still, if you do, be careful.” The genuine caution in Jo’s voice caught her attention. “I’m sure it’s nothing . . . but I’ve been seeing weird reports pop up online about merfolk attacks down there.”

“Merfolk attacks?” Takako repeated. “I haven’t heard anything.”

“It’s just rumors right now. Who knows if they’re true. No reporting seems to confirm. . .” Jo glanced up at her. “Still, be careful.”

“I will,” Takako vowed. It was easy to make such a promise. While she had jumped head-first into research about her new world when she’d first woken in this new Age of Magic, there was still much to learn, and ignorance bred caution.

In a time like this, when elves were real and dragons streaked across the sky, who knew what could happen?