The instant the door closed behind him Damien rushed back to the throne room, drawing the occasional concerned look from a passing servant. The guards opened the doors for him as he approached. Inside, Uncle Andy and the archmage stood together at a table with a map of the Western Ocean. The throne room was empty except for the two of them. He would have expected military strategists at least to be part of the meeting.

Uncle Andy and his master both looked up as he entered. The king had dark circles under his eyes and pale skin. His clothes were wrinkled and Damien suspected he’d slept in them. His master stared at him with bright, eager eyes. Unlike Uncle Andy it appeared the archmage relished the coming challenge.

“Where have you been?” she asked. “I sensed your soul force earlier then you left again.”

“Sorry, Master. I took John up to the royal quarters. I’m glad he’s here. If anything should happen while we’re gone his healing skills will be useful.”

“So you figured out why I called you back. If I’m going to meet with representatives of the Old Empire I want my strongest sorcerer with me.”

“When do we leave?”

“Now.”

“Don’t do anything aggressive until we hear what they have to say,” Uncle Andy said. “Maybe they only wish to establish communication and trade.”

“We won’t attack first, but if the empire only wants to talk and trade I’ll eat my robe. Come on, Damien. Sasha’s waiting for us in Valcane with Admiral McAllan.”

“Sasha?”

“Sorry, High Sorcerer of the West. I need to introduce you to them one of these days so you’ll know who I’m talking about. Let’s go.”

“Be careful, both of you,” Uncle Andy said. “The kingdom can ill afford to lose either of you.”

Damien followed his master out of the throne room and into the courtyard. The archmage conjured an eagle with a high-backed chair growing between its wings. She levitated up into the chair and the eagle lashed its wings, rushing skyward. Damien simply leapt up beside her and flew on his own without a steed.

The eagle turned west and a little south and soared along at about half of Damien’s top speed toward Port Valcane. Damien had never been to the ocean before and despite the situation he was eager to see the vast expanse of water. Jen had told him about it of course, but hearing about it and seeing it were two different things.

Damien accelerated up beside his master. “Do the admiral or high sorcerer have any thoughts about the approaching ships?”

“They have lots of ideas. None of them particularly useful. The admiral wants to sail our meager fleet out and sink the ships before they get close to the kingdom. That’s what he says anyway, but the truth is he’s never had a real naval battle and he thinks this is his chance. Sasha wants to send sorcerers out to do basically the same thing.”

“Aren’t they curious what the imperials have to say? I mean, we haven’t had contact with the Old Empire in over four hundred years. We can hardly judge them by the actions of their ancestors.”

The archmage smiled and shook her head. “Just when I think I have you a little bit figured out you say something that surprises me. You’re right, of course. We need to talk to them even if it’s just to see what the empire intends. After we talk we can decide whether to sink them.”

They flew southwest for most of the day. The temperature gradually warmed as they neared the ocean. The port sprawled for at least a mile along the coast. Damien’s eyes went wide at the sight of the sun sinking into the endless expanse of blue. Oranges and purples danced on the water. He’d seldom seen anything so beautiful. He only wished he could have shared it with Lizzy. He soaked up every detail so when he saw her again he could show her the memory.

The archmage’s eagle descended toward the city. Damien forced himself to look away and follow. She guided her mount to the docks. A huge stone-and-timber fort sat at the northern edge of the city, right on the water. It had its own docks and six three-masted sailing ships bobbed in their slips. Was that the extent of the kingdom’s fleet?

The eagle settled inside the wall twenty feet from the keep. The archmage flew down from her mount and Damien landed beside her. A small door beside the keep’s main door opened and two people emerged, a man with a drooping white mustache, blue-and-silver uniform, and a short curved cutlass at his hip. A step behind him came a broad-shouldered woman in blue robes with long white hair. Damien stayed a step behind his master, not certain how formal the meeting would be.

“Admiral McAllen, Sasha.” The archmage inclined her head a fraction. “No new reports I assume.”

The high mage nodded back. “Lidia. No, we’ve heard nothing new from Lookout Island.”

“My fleet stands ready to attack at the king’s command.” The admiral had a gruff, blustery way that bordered on comical. Not that Damien so much as twitched while the others talked. He had no place in this conversation. Better to keep silent.

“His Majesty appreciates the thought, but he prefers to try and make peaceful contact before resorting to violence. My apprentice and I will be flying out to meet them in the morning.”

“Just the two of you?” Admiral McAllen looked at the archmage then at Damien, then back. “Is that prudent?”

“I think we’ll be okay, Ken. Damien’s stronger than he looks.”

Sasha turned her gaze on him. “The demon slayer. I’ve heard so much about you. You gave one of the most impressive displays we’ve seen in the final test in many years.”

“Thank you, High Sorcerer.” Damien bowed.

“And polite as well. Is there no end to your gifts?”

Damien didn’t know if she was mocking him or teasing him. He’d noticed most sorcerers seemed unable to remain serious for long periods. He didn’t know if having so much power made them careless or if they all just suffered from the same character flaws. Either way he wasn’t stupid enough to rise to the bait.

“Enough, Sasha.” His master appeared especially short on patience this evening. “We need rooms. I, for one, am exhausted. We’ll need all our wits for tomorrow.”