Thero unwrapped the black opal and just sat there staring at it for a moment. “How?”

“We’re on an island, and Deep Harbor is the only city. I took my chances there and it paid off. The workman who stole the seal swallowed the stone to conceal it, and it killed him. Most of the gold part had been hacked away to pawn, but there was a piece left and I had the goldsmith incorporate it in this new casting. I thought it might help.”

“You are brilliant, both of you.”

“It was Seregil who figured it out. I just did the digging,” said Micum.

Mika reached for the stone, but Thero caught his hand. “It’s dangerous,” he warned. “Fetch me the medium-sized toolbox, please.”

Mika opened one of the large chests Thero had brought and returned with what looked like a workman’s caddy. Thero took out a large forceps and carefully picked up the stone to examine it. “Should I ask what this dark matter is caught in the carving?”

“Let’s just say it needs a good wash,” said Micum.

Thero rinsed it in a bowl of water, then picked up the rosette and set the stone into the space at the center. It fit. Thero covered it with his hand for a moment, and when he took it away the stone was perfectly beveled into the gold. He set it down and regarded it pensively. “Thank you both. This is incredibly powerful. But—”

“But what?” asked Micum.

“Mika, please go to the fire circle and have your supper. Stay there until I send for you.”

“But Master—”

“Go on now.”

As soon as Mika was gone, Thero cast a silencing spell on the tent, so that no one outside could hear their conversation.

“So what’s the ‘but’?” asked Seregil.

“Alec and I have done some research while you were gone, and have been talking things over. The boundary between our plane and Rhazat’s is permeable in a very limited way. Alec and Mika can get through, but I can’t. We tried and failed. As I told you earlier, Nysander refused to teach me any magic that would allow me to cross. Klia and Rhazat’s other prisoners were brought through by dra’gorgos controlled by the dyrmagnos.”

“She possessed Zella with one, as well,” said Seregil. “The poor woman was a puppet, for all intents and purposes, and a spy.”

He explained what had happened in the carriage.

“Are you sure it was a dra’gorgos and not a demon?” asked Alec.

“If it had been a demon I wouldn’t be standing here now. She attacked me, but when she touched the amulet Thero made, it drove the dra’gorgos from her and it disappeared.”

“And Kordira witnessed all this?” said Thero.

“Yes. It couldn’t be helped. For what it’s worth, she kept a remarkably cool head about it, and was very helpful.”