A deep unease rose up in me, like black water behind a breaking dam. “I’m guessing you don’t mean fires deep in the earth and geological forces.”

“No, no. It was a Witch Lord.”

My fingers curled instinctively around my flare locket. “A Witch Lord.”

“Yes.” Ruven nodded, as if proud of me for understanding at last. “No relation of mine. The Oak Lord, in whose domain Enthalus lay, was quarreling with his neighbor, as is not uncommon in Vaskandar. It is one of the reasons we prefer to focus our aggressions outward when we can. But this time, his opponent was the Lady of Eagles. You know her, perhaps?” His gaze sharpened until it could have cut water, as if the question were particularly important.

“The name is familiar. I fear I am not well versed in the aspects and domains of the seventeen Witch Lords.” I resolved to read up on them as soon as possible.

“Hmm.” Ruven sounded disappointed. “Well, suffice to say the Oak Lord found his forces outmatched. As he prepared for their final battle, near the foot of Mount Enthalus, he sought to awaken the forests on the mountain’s flanks, which lay within his domain. But his power accidentally touched something else instead: the volcano’s fiery heart.”

Hell of Carnage. “He triggered the eruption?”

“Indeed! But the power was too great for him to control. It wiped out his own forces rather than his enemy’s, and destroyed the Oak Lord himself utterly.” He lifted a finger. “But not in vain! We can learn from his experience.”

“That tampering with volcanoes is a terrible idea and you wind up dead if you try?” I suggested.

“No, no. That it can be done.” Ruven’s eyes lit, his mage mark almost glowing violet. “That it is possible to trigger a volcanic eruption. Can you imagine such power? Is it not magnificent?”

“Grace of Mercy.” I could imagine it all too well. “No. That’s not a power we should unlock. Volcanic eruptions bring nothing but fire and ruin.”

Ruven nodded with delight. “Yes, exactly! Precisely. Like your fire warlock, no?”

I stared at him, my flare locket cold in my hand. Words abandoned me.

“So incredible, that one small human body could contain almost the same destructive force as a volcano.” He crooned it, his eyes half lidded, as if savoring the idea. “I am envious, Lady Amalia. Fire warlocks are surely the pinnacle of all humankind. But you see, we do not have one in Vaskandar, so a volcano is the best we can do.” He smiled. “We are the same, you see? You put the jess on Zaira because you wanted to hold the power of fiery devastation in your hands. So do we. You rule through the threat of unanswerable power; we seek to do the same. We are kindred spirits, my lady. Everything I do, I learned from the Serene Empire.”