"You're sure that you're all right?"

Matt nodded slowly, his breath escaping in a sigh. Riley had been practically babbling nonstop since they had met at the arrow-strewn construction site. Dysyani had followed them both back to Matt's chambers, quietly observing the lifeguards with something approaching approval and amusement. No other archers had shown up to take a shot at either of them, which had been encouraging to say the least, but the last report he'd received had said there were still one or two of the assassins unaccounted for.

Of course, his lifeguards had taken some of them. Three archers had died in the exchange of magic and arrows; another two had been killed as they tried to escape. It had been good work, due to the fact his lifeguards were getting an unfortunate amount of practice. Mat shrugged off the thought and tried to focus on the anxious young woman in front of him.

"I'm fine, Riley. None of the arrows even came close, and the only person who was hurt was Grebs." Matt made a dismissive gesture. "He's already being seen by the healers now, but they said there probably wasn't even any poison."

Dysyani blinked. The Frost Elf frowned. "It seems like an… inexperienced attempt."

Matt grimaced. "There's been a lot of those lately." He leaned back in his chair and put a hand on the desktop in front of him. "In any case, I wanted to speak with you, and I didn't want a little thing like an assassination attempt to get in the way. How are you doing? None of the archers targeted you, right?"

Riley blinked as if the idea hadn't occurred to her. She shook her head. "No. Nothing got close." With a glance at Dysyani, she continued in a voice that hinted at a little strain. "What did you want to talk about?"

He gave her a reassuring smile. "Nothing much. I just wanted to tell you how impressed I was with your plans for the Library and everything, and check in with your progress."

She brightened, but Dysyani spoke before she could respond. "Would you also be wondering if she is ready to repair your Sources as well, sire?"

Matt looked over at the Frost Elf. He gave her a grudging nod. "That would be helpful, but I'd assume that if you had managed that, you would have come to tell me."

The Speaker hesitated, but Riley spoke first this time. "Of course we would have! Actually, I've managed to build a couple of those Sources we'd need, but the spell we want to use isn't here."

He looked from Riley to Dysyani again, and the Frost Elf sighed. "The spell is known as the Renewed Breath. There are not many who know it; the application for it is rare, to say the least."

Matt frowned. He tapped the desk with a finger. "But you do know someone who has it."

"Yes, sire. I do." Dysyani grimaced. "They are a recluse that can be… difficult to negotiate with. He is an older Speaker who lives in seclusion and is often reluctant to travel or share information. I have sent letters, but have not received a response."

There was something about her tone that suggested that sending soldiers to drag the man here wouldn't have been a great idea. Of course, trusting a spell offered by a man under duress would have been a risky proposition in the first place. "Is there anything I can do to speed things up?"

Dysyani glanced at Riley. "I was going to request permission to take the Maiden of Books with me to go visit him personally, in an attempt to persuade him to offer his help."

His initial, immediate impulse was to say no. After all, Riley, young as she was, was still a person under his protection, and someone who had access to an awful lot of information about his Kingdom, let alone what she knew about Earth. If his enemies captured her, it would be an outright disaster, not just for him, but for everything he had built.

Then again, regaining his damaged Sources wouldn't just allow him to avoid the sudden, occasional bursts of pain that seemed to emanate from his soul when he brushed against them. He'd also give himself the kind of power that had literally shifted the course of battles before now. Combined with the intact Source he already had, and the one he was currently building, it might just prove enough to tip the scales.

He was still weighing the risks versus the rewards when a knock sounded at the door. Matt glanced up at Tiridine, who peered out of the door for a moment before looking back at him. "The Maiden of Song has arrived to speak with you, sire."

Matt raised his eyebrows. Jessica was rarely open about seeing him these days, especially after the disaster at Heartlight. Some part of him wondered if she had gone back to hating him once the news of the massacre had arrived, or if she was simply trying to remain unnoticed amidst all the chaos. Either way, if she had something important enough to come to see him, it likely couldn't wait. "Send her in."

Tiridine nodded and opened the door the rest of the way, allowing Jessica to enter. The Maiden of Song, as she had renamed herself, paused for a moment when she saw Dysyani and Riley already inside. Then she turned her attention to him, her eyes worryingly intense. "I have something you need to hear."

He blinked. There was a note of urgency in her voice… "Is something wrong? Did someone come after you?"

"What? No." She shook her head. "Why would you… oh. That's right. The thing with the poisoner."

Riley's eyebrows shot up into her hairline. "Poisoner? I thought the arrows weren't poisoned?"

Jessica gave her a look that screamed impatience. "Who said anything about arrows? I just heard she had knives."

"It's been a busy few days." Matt tried not to let the weariness in his voice show. He leaned forward, putting both elbows on the desk and resting his chin on top of his folded hands. "If it wasn't assassins, what have you found?"

He saw her eyes dart towards Dysyani again. "I'd prefer to speak privately."

His own patience started to fray. "Speaker Dysyani is working to help repair my magic. I'm confident that she knows how to exercise discretion."

Jessica hesitated again, giving him an exasperated look. Then she shook her head. "We've found them."

Matt blinked. "Who?"

"The false Counselors." A sudden silence fell over the room, and Jessica drew in a slow breath before she continued. "They are in Winterfast now."

He slowly settled back into his seat, leaving his fists clenched on the desktop. "How do you know?"

Her lips twisted. "We're already hearing whispers about new prophecies, things that aren't just echoes of what we heard in Heartlight." She very deliberately did not glance at Dysyani as she continued. "Some of them seem to indicate that certain Frost Elf Houses are in favor with the gods, and that good fortune would come to their followers, while others are accusing the Voice in Winterfast of corruption. A lot are… not favorable to you, or the rest of the Kingdom."

Matt nodded slowly. Winterfast wasn't the most important part of the Kingdom, but it did have plenty of resources, and was among the more difficult regions to reach on the march. It was part of why Lady Itrelia had been such a problem in the beginning. If the Frost Elves rose in rebellion now, when the Kingdom was already reeling from the serf rebellion in Heartlight…

Dysyani spoke quietly, almost as if she were talking to herself. "It is well known that those with spells that see the future can become… ensnared in their visions. Their efforts can often end in madness or worse, if they are not careful." The Speaker glanced at him before she continued. "I would hope that after our recent troubles, my kin would be cautious of such things, but I cannot be sure of their wisdom in this matter."

"All the more reason to remind them, then. A visit by Margrave Morteth and a few friends would do the trick." Matt gave the Speaker a thin smile. He looked back at Jessica. "You think that they are still there, then?"

She nodded. "I do. Though they might leave if they see your troops coming."

His eyes narrowed as he considered the problem. Then a new idea occurred to him. "I guess I'll need to travel quickly, then."

Jessica froze partway through a nod. "What?"

"Whatever they are planning up there, they can't expect me to show up." Matt grinned. "I can meet with the nobility and… reassure them of where their loyalties should lie. While I'm at it, I can see if I can find the Counselor, or whoever is claiming to be them, and put a stop to their plans."

Surgall, still standing at the door, cleared his throat. Matt looked at him in surprise, and the Coldhearth Orc grimaced. "Rethferd might say it would be dangerous, sire."

Matt shrugged. "It's been more than dangerous enough here. I might as well go where they aren't expecting me." He looked at Dysyani. "Speaker, can you think of a reason I shouldn't visit your home?"

The Speaker blinked. Then she shook her head. "No, sire. In fact, this may work out well." When he gave her a questioning look, she made a dismissive gesture. "In point of fact, the Speaker I had mentioned, the recluse, lives in Winterfast. I'm sure that Lady Riley and I would be safer if we joined you on the way to visit him."

"Well, there we go." Matt felt his smile widen slightly. There was something about leaving the city behind that appealed to him, especially if it gave him the chance to hunt down the bastards that had incited the riots in Heartlight. He looked at Jessica. "What do you say, Jessica? Do you want to join us?"

She was shaking her head before he'd even finished the question. "No, I think I'll do more good here. Besides, Jordan needs the support. He's still racking his brain looking for ways to fix the treasury."

Matt gave her a sympathetic nod. As bad as his week had been, he didn't think Jordan's battle with the Kingdom's unrelenting financial situation was all that much better. Then he stood. "Thank you for telling me, Jessica. Riley, Speaker Dysyani, go make whatever preparations you need to. We'll leave just as soon as we can."

Both the Speaker and the Maiden stood and nodded. They filed back out the door, already deep in discussion.

Jessica, on the other hand, paused near the door. She waited until the others had walked far enough to be out of earshot before she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "You know this might be a trap, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I know—but it's a trap I can catch them in, if I play things right." Matt paused. "Thank you, Jessica. This might be the opportunity we needed."

A flash of emotion sped through her eyes for a moment before she nodded. "Thank you, for trusting me." Then she looked up, her expression suddenly fierce. "And Matt, if you catch them… kill them, before they do any more damage."

Matt nodded again, and she turned to leave without further comment. He waited until the door closed before he sank back into his chair and put a hand over his eyes. It wasn't hard to picture Tanya's reaction to what he was about to do, but at least he would be on the move again. Fewer assassins would reach him if they had to try to find him on the trail.

At least, that was what he hoped as he sent for a map and dispatched a messenger to inform Morteth of his imminent departure. Maybe it would even turn out better this way.

He somehow doubted it.

As Matt entered the Council room, he heard a wash of arguments rise in a slow roar ahead of him. The Council had grown more and more agitated over the past few weeks, as the abject terror caused by the serf rebellion had turned into frustrated, anxious bickering. Those who supported the freeholders pointed to the rebellion as a sign that the changes Matt had made needed not only to continue, but accelerate. Others had argued that the small taste of freedom had run wild, and that if they weren't reminded of their place, the Low Folk would turn to massacres the way they had in Lucy's revolution to the south.

Combined with those arguments were the thousands of petty rivalries and disagreements that had always haunted the Kingdom since the first day Matt had arrived. He didn't bother wondering if he could ever stop all of it; those kinds of divisions were likely going to last far longer than his legacy in the Kingdom ever would. His only real hope was to focus on the worst of it and keep it all from spinning completely out of control.

The murmured chaos started to fade as Matt approached the chair waiting for him at the center of the room. As he settled into it, he looked out over the assembled Councilors. He noticed Lord Torth returning to his seat from where he had been speaking with a knot of his fellow nobles; the High Imp leader seemed far more stressed than he ever had before. Off to the side, he saw Voice Girtun waiting for him alone. Voice Cholia was apparently occupied elsewhere.

Matt nodded as the last remnants of conversation faded away into a respectful silence. He smiled. "Thank you, all of you, for agreeing to assemble yourselves and meet with me today. I appreciate your dedication to the service of our people, and I know that your schedule is busy with all of the deliberations that you make on our behalf."

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He paused for a moment, allowing an appreciative murmur to run through the Council. Then he continued. "I have asked you here today so that I can tell you that I will be absent from the capital for the next few weeks."

The murmur of appreciation suddenly turned far more agitated. One of the Council members, a High Imp whose name he did not recall, shot to her feet. "Sire, we understand your desire to return to the warfront, but with the unrest here at home, we would urge you to not abandon us!"

A Red Moon Orc, with fresh scars from the recent uprising, rose as well. "We would further remind you, sire, that the… freeholders in the Summerlands might take the opportunity to claim your forces for themselves. They may even attempt to press you into service for their cause!"

Matt blinked as angry mutters ran through the room. He looked at the noble and tried to hide his amusement as a Leaffall Orc rose to face his fellow Councilors. "I am sure that King Matthew has already considered such possibilities and found a way around them. We should have faith in his abilities!"

A Hard Scythe Orc stood next, her face hard. "Further, I would say that we should not suspect our new allies of such treachery! While they may have asked for Margrave Grufen's help in suppressing rebellions, does this not benefit our nation to strengthen those who would fight with us?"

One of the Blackleaf Councilors rose to face her. "Will they fight with us, or are they just going to confiscate our soldiers like discarded tools? So far, we have already done more than enough for them. We should tend to our own concerns."

Another Red Moon Orc rose, his voice bitterly sarcastic. "I would ask how we can tend to those concerns, when we would need to march through the Summerlands to even reach our enemies? Unless my comrades intend to attempt a march through the Grim Hollows? Perhaps they've forgotten that losing our soldiers in the marsh does nothing for our cause?"

Matt debated whether he should allow things to continue to degrade. Instead, he merely raised his hand, and the Council collectively turned back to him instead of forging ahead with their collection of grudges and feuds. He tried to keep his voice even. "I have not, in fact, planned on marching south. For now, it looks as if Margrave Grufen has held the line against our enemies, and as this Council has previously advised, it may be a time when we can rest and recover our strength."

He paused for a moment before continuing, noting the confusion on some of their faces, and the lack of it on others who were apparently more connected with the military. "Instead, I mean to head north to Winterfast, in order to address some concerns sent to me from that portion of our people."

Lord Torth rose, his expression slightly perplexed. "Concerns, my liege?"

Matt nodded to the High Imp. "There have been several questions that have been sent to me by the Frost Elves that I have not had time to consider. Now I can." It had taken him a decently long search to come up with a handful of letters that he hadn't already answered or pawned off on people, but there were enough that he could hopefully make it convincing. He didn't need some earthshattering crisis to head north, just enough of a problem to provide an official reason.

One of the Frost Elves stood, her expression uncertain. "I am grateful that you would wish to visit my homeland, sire, but I was… unaware of any urgent issues that would require your personal attention."

He gave her a raised eyebrow. "These concerns were communicated directly to me, in confidence, so that is not surprising, Lady Erineaa."

A Hard Scythe noble spoke next, his voice gruff. "Perhaps he merely wishes to make sure our lands there are secure. We spent plenty of blood to regain them, after all."

The Frost Elf gave the Orc a sharp look. "Our people are loyal, Lord Banful. Of that you can be sure."

"As you so recently proved." The Orc gave her a sardonic smile, one which earned a bitter glare in return.

To Matt's gratitude, one of the Gnomes raised her hand. "Perhaps the concerns lie in a threat from the Wildmen? I had heard that there were many more raids than normal this year."

He could hear other Councilors beginning to mutter among themselves, as if they were trying to figure out his reasons, but Matt didn't give them time to question further. "I intend to be gone from the city for only a handful of weeks, at which time I intend to have completed my mission and prepare for one last campaign against the enemy before winter sets in. I trust in you, the leaders of the people, to prepare our armies for that work." The muttering died down as he continued. "In addition to myself, the Maiden of Books will be journeying to Winterfast as well, in order to visit the homelands of her tutor, Speaker Dysyani."

Further mutters followed that announcement, and one of the Red Moons stood. "Am I to understand, then, that you will escort the Maiden during her visit?" Matt nodded, and the Orc smiled knowingly. "Good. It would be unfortunate if harm befell one of our Maidens. It is an honorable task to see her safe."

A few more murmured conversations sprung up, along with a few knowing nods and exasperated looks. Matt tried to ignore them; giving them an 'official' reason that seemed flimsy would allow them to make assumptions about his actual motivations. If they thought he was mostly just going to keep Riley safe, it wasn't an inaccurate thing to assume—but it would also keep his real target obscured. Hopefully, it would be enough of a deception to blind the false Counselors to his approach.

He settled back into his chair for a few more moments, allowing the nobility to speculate to their hearts' content. Then he smiled. "Now, while my time here may be short, I still wish to hear of any concerns that you might have for me before I leave. I would not want to neglect you, after all."

Two hours later, Matt staggered back into his office and grimaced when he found almost every single Human in his Kingdom waiting for him.

They weren't alone, of course. Their collection of lifeguards was standing just outside, and Melren had accompanied them to his chambers. The High Imp was leading them through a collection of mantras, apparently helping them on their way to their next Source. He looked up and bowed as Matt entered. "Sire. I'm glad I was able to speak with you before you left."

"You aren't the only one, Melren." Tanya gave Matt a sharp look. "I heard you almost got Miguel killed yesterday."

Matt rolled his eyes at her. "He's fine, Tanya. Probably got off lighter than I did."

Miguel chuckled to himself. "He's right, you know. Not a scratch on me, as you can attest."

Tanya spared a moment to glare at him. "That's not the point, corazon, and you know it." She looked back at Matt. "Are you really going to go running off into what is clearly a trap?"

He nodded to her as he worked his way around the room to his desk. "I am." She opened her mouth, and he cut her off with a gesture. "Better that they try to trap me instead of setting up another disaster like Heartlight. I can handle whatever they throw at me."

"Not the best comfort, sire." Melren shrugged when Matt gave him an incredulous look. "I have every confidence in your victory, my liege, but it was not long ago that the Frost Elves were attempting to take your head. You shouldn't go without making some precautions."

Matt glanced at Waithaana; the Frost Elf lifeguard merely shrugged, as if she was unaffected by the former nobleman's cautions. Perhaps she even agreed with them, knowing how fractious the nobility could be. "I'll have my lifeguards and my wits about me. Besides, I doubt that they would try anything right now."

Miguel snorted. "Well, that sounds like someone's famous last words."

Jordan raised a hand. The Master of Coin looked bedraggled and worn, but his lips still quirked with half a smile. "I mean, they are already trying to kill you here, aren't they? What would keep them from trying up in Winterfast?"

"If they are already trying here, all of their preparations and people will be here. When I'm in Winterfast instead, they'll have to change things. I'll be safer as a moving target." Matt tried to put a little more assurance into his voice, but Tanya's look told him he'd only partially succeeded. "Besides, it's not like I'm leaving my lifeguard behind. I might even take a banner or two of troops with me too, just in case."

Jordan nodded. "That does sound a little more secure. What do you think?"

He looked at Jessica, who nodded slowly. "That might work. I'd suggest you take troops that you are sure are reliable. Ones that won't suddenly switch their loyalty partway through the trip."

Riley raised her hand. "I might have an idea about that." They all looked at her in surprise, and she shrugged. "I got a letter from Alicia the other day. She said there was a banner escorting her back here. One sent back from the front. If they escorted her safely, that means it would work for us, right?"

Matt blinked. He shuffled through some of the reports he'd received from Morteth until he found one. "The Winterknights, led by Captain Maysellein." He paused. "They're Frost Elves, so it would make sense if they escorted us back home."

Tanya's eyes narrowed. "I know that voice. What are you trying not to tell us?"

Jessica was glaring at him now. "Captain Maysellein. That's the Frost Elf who told you that you killed her father, isn't it?"

There was a stir of cold wind, and Matt made a calming gesture in Tanya's direction. "She's been a loyal soldier, and served with me during the campaign against the Onyx Clans. If Alicia gets here safely, then we won't have to worry about her bringing us north."

Melren sounded hesitant. "I will point out, sire, that she had many other banners watching her actions during the campaign. She'll have far less to worry about if she tries anything with you alone."

Jordan grinned. "That didn't stop that one idiot, though. And most of his banner didn't make it back afterwards." Jessica gave him a quick glare, and he shrugged. "I'm just saying, even if she does want to settle a grudge, she might not try for it. Not if she's smart."

Matt snorted. "If only I could count on all of my enemies being smart." He shook his head. "I'll make sure to bring along a few additional lifeguards, and I'll check with Morteth to see if he is concerned. Aside from that, is there anything else?"

There was a brief pause, and then Jordan raised his hand. "If things are checking out, could I come to Winterfast as well?" Jessica opened her mouth to protest, and he went on before she could say anything. "There's a few interesting bits of information that I've heard about the place, and I think I might be able to encourage more trade between our Elves and the ones in the west. More trade means more taxes, which might help out with the whole treasury thing."

Before Matt answered, he glanced at Jessica. She made a frustrated motion, and he nodded. "Sure. As long as you know that I can't spend a lot of time looking out for you while we're there."

The Master of Coin gave him another lopsided grin. "I can look out for myself, thanks." He glanced at Jessica. "You can trust me on that. I promise."

Riley spoke up as well, her voice still a little uncertain. "Alicia might come along too? At least, she mentioned wanting to see something in the north as well, in her last letter. If that's all right, I mean."

Matt tried not to grimace. His quick move to the north was gathering a few too many hangers-on for his liking, but he just nodded. "If she wants to come, she can. Anyone else want to go on a trip?" The others just shook their heads. Jessica still looked frustrated, but she apparently still believed that she'd do the most good in Redspire, even if she obviously wanted to keep Jordan safe.

With another nod, Matt stood and gestured for them to leave. "All right, then. Thank you for coming by, but I need to make a few more arrangements before we leave. I'll let you all know if anything changes."

The Humans started to head for the door, with a few whispered arguments already starting. Melren, on the other hand, stood his ground for a moment longer, at least until the door was swinging closed. Then he turned to look back at Matt. "Sire, if I could just have a quick word?"

He gestured for the former nobleman to take a seat. "Go ahead. What's on your mind?"

"Aside from the danger you'll be in and the training schedule for the Steel Legion?" Melren cracked a smile. "Only the sudden awareness that I might have neglected you, my liege. Have you already completed your next Source?"

Matt winced. "Not yet, no." He shook his head. "Things have just been so busy lately. I have already completed the Winter portion, but the Soul…"

"About that, sire." Melren's tone grew cautious again. "I don't mean to question your plans, but are you certain that you wish to use Soul for this Source? I know it might seem like it would provide you with more advantages, but there would be so many more spells available through Mind or Heart instead."

He studied the High Imp for a moment, wondering how much came from a reasonable caution, and how much came from a simple unfamiliarity with spells that used Soul as a base. There was no reason Melren's reluctance couldn't come from both, after all. "I'm fairly sure that is what I want, Melren. I've been able to make quite a few non-combat spells rather useful, after all."

Melren nodded, but his reluctance didn't fade at all. "I know, sire. Again, I don't doubt that your sheer power would be incredible. In fact, that might be part of the problem."

Matt blinked. "What do you mean?"

"As I'm sure you're aware, the Red Sorceress was a master of several Soul related spells. She was something of a genius when it came to such arts." Melren hesitated. "Her mastery of such spells was part of the reason that many other rulers distrusted her, even before her rise to power here. Very few Soul users, outside of the Speakers, tend to be looked at with trust."

Leaning back in his chair, Matt frowned. "You're saying that taking Soul spells might make people think that I'm like the Red Sorceress."

Melren grimaced. "Like her, and other unfortunate legacies left behind by previous masters of the art, yes."

Matt's eyes narrowed. "You say this, but the Speakers seem to not have a similar problem. They're everywhere, from what I've understood, and none of the local rulers appear to have gone after them."

"Not in obvious ways, perhaps, but part of the reason why they are tolerated is the fact that the Speakers usually lack any sort of noticeable magic strength. Their spells tend to be heavily restricted or limited in effect, and most of their Sources are of low enough quality that they can't put very much power into any one of them." Melren paused. "That will not be the case for you."

Understanding dawned. "Because no matter what spells I learn, they are going to hit like a battering ram, and even if the spells I learn are usually harmless…"

The High Imp nodded. "You're going to turn them into a nightmare. Respectfully, of course."

Matt snorted. "Of course." He tapped a finger on the desk as he thought. "How badly would it come across? Would it convince our trading partners to turn on us?"

Melren shook his head. "No. The treaties they signed would still be in effect, regardless of their opinion of you. They might, however, limit their interactions with us, and try to avoid contact with you specifically."

He raised an eyebrow. "They might think I'd do something to them? I thought the treaty would reassure them on that front, at least."

"Soul is not clearly understood by many, sire, and with good reason." Melren's lips twisted. "The effects it can unleash can be… terrifying to say the least. At the very least, you may find many reluctant to shake your hand in the future."

The comment made Matt chuckle softly, though he could see what the High Imp meant. He'd heard that some spells could use physical contact to great effect, and Dysyani herself had warned him about Soul spells in particular. "Would it help if I restricted myself to the kinds of spells a Speaker might use?"

Melren coughed into his hand. "They would have to trust that you had actually done so, sire, rather than dipping into the Red Sorceress' vaults for something less… wholesome." He shook his head. "I'm not sure how you would be able to demonstrate that to someone already suspicious of you."

"If they're already suspicious of me, how much power would I need to give up just to reassure them?" Matt gave the High Imp a small smile. "I've already heard a few rumors about what my Heart magic can do, especially after Heartlight and the campaign against the Onyx Clans. I still wouldn't want to give any of that power up just to reassure our enemies."

His magic tutor sighed. "Yes, sire. I know." He offered a small smile. "What makes this all the more frustrating is that some nobles and rulers do use Sources with Soul as a Foundation, but they usually aren't as… obvious as you are, my liege. The trap you described at Greyhenge was likely created with such a spell, but the creator of it likely only learned or developed it in such secrecy that we never heard of it."

"Whereas whatever I get is going to be pretty obvious." Matt rocked back in his chair for just a moment. "Well, in any case, I think I'll take the risk anyway. Speaker Dysyani will be trustworthy enough to steer me away from anything that would be particularly heinous at least, and maybe that will reassure enough people."

Melren gave him a flat look. "You took a spell meant for harmless pranks and killed entire banners with it."

Matt blinked. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

The High Imp raised an eyebrow. Then he grimaced. "At the very least, I can give you all of the mantras that the Sorceress had gathered. It should help speed your progress." He shook his head. "Then perhaps once you are done, you can begin a more… conventional Source."

"Thank you, Melren. I appreciate your help." Matt stood, and the High Imp did as well. Melren bowed and headed for the door, leaving Matt to look back at his paperwork and wonder just how much more he could fit into a simple trip to the north. At least there were no more ways that it could get even more complicated. Hopefully.

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