That is why the stone is so dangerous, Nabrie,” said Dart. “I would not see you too fall victim to its powers. Let us only hope that Fireskin has truly purified the stone, and not merely intensified the potential for evil that is in it. I fear the fire may only have fuelled the power of the spirits in its heart.

She could hardly believe what she was hearing. How could the man who had taken her from her home—the person she had trusted with her safety, her life, her whole future—suddenly abandon her, and expect her to fend for herself in a foreign kingdom?

You must learn that nobody can control everything in the flow of life,” said Dart. “Control is something we all strive for—but you will find, as you become more experienced with magic, that you gain more control over yourself by releasing your need to control life.