The next day Damien sat in the carriage across from him sat Seth. Damien thought on the discussion he and Seth had the other night. Seth had said that after the Silverleaf incident. Seth, Jay, Rowan, and Sky traveled around the land. They were in an elven sanctuary when the word of the Old Ones came to Seth. In that time Seth and Jay had a son and Seth was forced to leave Jay and their son to investigate the book. As they headed back to the academy Damien asked, “What are you going to do now Seth”. “I want to learn more about Malik, I get a bad feeling from him” Seth said. Damien nodded “He gives me a bad feeling to, but I am not sure how much you can learn about him”. “I can watch him,” said Seth. As they approached the gates of Academy. Damien saw Luc waiting for him. Damien signaled for his driver to stop, and Seth got out of the carriage and Luc got in. Luc looked at Damien “Who was that?” Luc asked. “That was Seth” Damien said. Luc narrowed his eyes as he looked at Damien “Did you sleep with him?” Luc asked. Damien smiled “No, Seth is spoken for”. “Would not stop me,” said Luc. “That is why you are always in trouble” Damien responded. Luc looked at Damien as the carriage started to move. Luc saw at Damien waist were the handles of 2 Knives. “What's with the Knives” Luc asked “are we going to a dangerous area”. Well yes, we are going down into the lower city to speak to some friends”. Damien said. Luc had a look of shock as the carriage started moving. “The lower city is where the slums are. Why are we going there?” Luc asked. “Think about it the rumors are about Dark Magics being sold and it is Illegal to sell. So, were should we start looking?” Damien replied. “The Black Market, Do I need a weapon?” Luc asked. Damien smiled “I don’t expect there to be trouble but to have on”. Damien lifted another knife from the seat next to him and handed it to Luc. The knife had a plain hilt and scabbard different from the more ornate look of the knives that Damien had. “Just be careful with it” Damien said. Luc took the knife “Why is it valuable?” Luc asked. “No, I just don’t want you to hurt yourself” Damien said smiling. Luc gave Damien a look and said “Ha Ha”. The carriage moved down the city streets until it stopped at a gate leading into a rundown section of the city. “Why did we stop” asked Luc. “We must walk from here I will not leave my carriage in this area. We should be safe enough though” Damien said. Damien got out of he carriage and Luc followed reluctantly. They moved down the cramped cracked streets between the rundown building of the lower city. Damien moved with an air of confidence and Luc was far less confident. As they moved through the street, they saw people going about their business. Few seemed to pay them any attention, but Luc felt watched and noticed in shadowy side streets the form of a large dog or wolf it seemed to be watching and following them. “Damien, I think that a dog is following us,” said Luc. Damien did not stop or look around “I know just keep going Luc” Damien replied. They walk until they came to a large compound the building was better maintained than the surrounding buildings. Damien came to guarded entrance the guards looked at him and waved him through. “You are expected Master Damien” the guard said. Luc looked at Damein “so you are Master here Damien?” Luc asked. Damien smiled and walked into the compound. The came into a darkened hall the dark was broken by pockets of light from torches. Damien and Luc stood in a pocket of light created by an opening in the roof and stared into the dark hall. Damien and Luc heard the padding of pawed feet and out of the dark hall a large shadow flew at Damien.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.