Damien found Jen and Leah in the throne room with the archmage. His sister carried Damien’s rucksack and she’d fitted his sword and dagger to the new harness Dad gave him. Leah and his master were talking about something, he couldn’t make out what from the door and they fell silent when he drew close.

He took the harness from Jen and buckled it on. Someone must have convinced Uncle Andy to go to bed as Dad and the king had both taken their leave.

“Everything sorted out, Damien?” the archmage asked.

“Yes, Master. They ran into an infestation of demon raccoons. The monsters had Alden and Imogen trapped in a protective bubble. I arrived in time, though from the way she acted I almost think Imogen would have preferred to take her chances with the raccoons. I’m pretty sure their aura was a match for the wolves.”

“That figures. Demon raccoons. Heaven’s mercy, what next?” His master sighed. “Imogen’s always been prickly. The important thing is they’re safe. No sign of the urn?”

“Not that I saw.”

“All right. It’s time you three were on your way. Keep in touch.”

“Understood.” Damien turned to Jen and Leah. “All set?”

Jen nodded. She had her bulging pack, sword, and new clothes. Leah spread her hands and smiled. “I have all I need.”

Apparently it wasn’t much. “Okay. Where are we headed? I can have us anywhere in the kingdom by sunset.”

“Oh no,” Leah said. “We can’t fly. If the guilty parties spot a sorcerer approaching they’ll know what the wise one has done. We have to sneak in.”

They didn’t have time to walk or ride and Damien didn’t feel like it anyway. “Can we at least fly partway then walk in?”

“I don’t know…” Leah frowned and looked away.

“How long did it take you to walk here?” Jen asked.

“Ten days.”

“Do you think we have ten days to spare getting back?” Jen raised an eyebrow.

“I take your point. I know a place where we can land. It’s two days from there to the grove.”

“That sounds like a fair compromise.” Damien led the way out of the throne room and toward the main gate. “Which way?”

“Northwest.”

Damien conjured a platform surrounded by a waist-high railing. When they’d all climbed aboard he surrounded it with an invisibility shield and shot into the air. The city blurred below them as they streaked through the pink and orange sky.

Jen stood beside him. “This is much faster than when we flew with Master Shen.”

“Too fast?”

“No. Did you think any more about what you’re going to tell Karrie?”

“No. The demon raccoons distracted me then Imogen insulting me left me too upset to think about it.”

Jen laughed. “All joking aside, you’re going to have to tell her something when we get back.”

Leah joined them at the front of the platform, sparing him from having to answer. Jen was right of course, he couldn’t leave Karrie hanging forever.

“So where do you want me to land?” he asked.

“There’s a mountain meadow halfway up the slope of an especially jagged peak at the edge of the Crescent Ridge Mountains. From there we can climb down to the lowlands. The grove is about ten miles into the Great Green.”

“Rough country,” Damien said. “No wonder it’ll take two days to walk.”

Leah brightened. “Are you familiar with the area?”

“I flew over it once. That probably doesn’t count.”

They reached the meadow a little after noon. Damien settled his transport, the dry meadow grass crunching under the platform. He scanned the area for anyone that might be watching, but sensed nothing beyond a few small animals. Content that they were alone he lowered the invisibility shield.

Leah set out downslope and to the east. She set a brisk pace and Damien found he had no breath for conversation. Damien had always considered himself to be in good condition, but compared to Leah he was way out of shape. He’d have to stop flying so much and run more.

Near dark they stopped in a clearing at the border of the Great Green. Towering oaks just starting to bud surrounded them. He slid down the trunk of the nearest tree and closed his eyes. Heaven’s mercy, if tomorrow was as bad as today he wasn’t going to be in any shape to fight anyone.

When he opened his eyes Jen was standing over him, her pack in her hand. “Unless you want a cold dinner you’re going to have to provide me with some heat.”

Damien groaned. All he wanted was sleep, but from his sister’s tone he knew she was hungry. Warlords burned a lot of energy, two or three times more than a regular person, and needed plenty of food to use their abilities at full strength.

He pointed at the center of the clearing and golden flames sprang to life. He set a trickle of soul force to maintain them and closed his eyes again. The scent of sizzling meat soon filled the air. Damien’s stomach grumbled and his mouth watered. He could sleep after dinner.

Damien glanced at Leah. The druid sat off by herself, her legs crossed, a faint, green glow surrounding her body. It didn’t come from within her, but rather from the ground.

“Is that glow the earth force you mentioned?”

She looked his way and smiled. “Yes. This is one of the sacred groves where initiates come to meditate. The Green Path runs strong in this place.”

“Weren’t you afraid one of your people might be here?”

“If someone was here I planned to introduce you as new members.”

“How come I can see the earth force around you? You said I was too bright and wouldn’t be able to spot it.”

“You can see it because I concentrated it and gathered it around my body. I haven’t slept in four days. The earth force sustains me and will allow me to continue moving until we reach the grove tomorrow.”

“What happens then?”

“I’ll enter a trance for a day or perhaps two where my body will rest and recover. We call it the little death as it appears those in the trance have stopped breathing. Rest assured I will be fine.”

Damien shook his head. It never ceased to amaze him how little he knew about the kingdom. The instant he imagined he knew what was going on he got hit over the head by druids and demon raccoons.

“Food’s ready.” Jen poured stew into three bowls, handed them out, and set to eating. Damien smiled and tore into a chunk of beef. At least he could count on Jen not changing.