I dont know, Devin said. He realized that they hadnt seen what hed seen. They hadnt seen him rip through the world to grab power, hadnt seen the black fire around him, only felt the effects of the force hed called.

He could have tried to explain it, but somehow he knew that it would be a bad idea to say too much. Sorcerers like Master Grey were rare and feared, and men like this might not react well to the idea of suddenly traveling with one who didnt know what he was doing.

Rodry stared at Devin with something like awe. You did magic.

I… Devin shook his head. I didnt do anything.

The others stared at him, and in that moment, Devin fully expected them to back away from him; to fear him now that they knew what he could do. Instead, they looked at him with something like awe.

That was… impressive, Sir Twell said. Whatever it was.

Very, Sir Halfin agreed. Can you do it again?

Devin shook his head, even though the feeling of what hed done was down there in him now, buried away and there to touch. He didnt know enough about what he was doing to risk even trying.

Then theres no time to keep standing here, Rodry said. We need to get moving again in case those things come back. We still need to find the star metal. Devin, mount up.

Devin nodded, only too grateful for the distraction, and more grateful that Rodry didnt seem to be treating him like some kind of freak. Of all of them, he was the one whose opinion mattered most.

The others seemed grateful for the chance to put some distance between themselves and the things that had tried to kill them. Gathering himself up, Devin found his horse and managed to mount it. The five of them set off again.

They kept riding until they found a space where the ground fell away even more sharply than it had, and as they rode, the landscape around them was curiously quiet. No more animals came out toward them, or even watched them. It was as if everything there had seen what Devin could do, and was staying back.

He still didnt understand it. How could he do something that powerful? He wasnt some trained magus, like Master Grey, or someone who had made a pact for power. He was just a smith, who knew about steel but not about magic.

There, Rodry said, pointing, and breaking Devins chain of thought.