Alex is adamant when asked the most obvious question on Jack’s mind. “No, you cannot accompany us, Jack. It can be hard to accept sometimes, but we are well capable of looking after ourselves on a long journey and, despite your good qualities, you are not a fighter.”

“But, my lord?”

“There are no ‘buts’. You did not know me before I became the ambassador. I was a guard, not a lord, with all that goes with that. Jamie is also surprisingly adaptable and soon became a seasoned traveller. I do understand. You have become accustomed to looking after the two of us and we do rely on you. Just remember that we do not actually need to be protected.”

“It just feels wrong.”

“Well, as I say, I do understand. It is far more important that you remain here and maintain the embassy. I don’t want to come back and find my home in ruins.”

“As my lord commands.”

“Oh, no, don’t go all formal on me. I’ll throw you in the ocean,” Alex tells his servant with a wicked grin. “Then I’ll have to do my own packing.”

Jack lets out a final sigh of resignation and his shoulders slump visibly. “On that subject, my lord?”

“I think just one trunk each. I’ve no wish to travel with baggage. We’ll actually leave much of it in Mekalla. Just one formal outfit for each of us, as I’m sure we will have to meet with the Emperor.”

“Warmer clothing?”

“Oh, yes. Don’t bother with anything suitable for Fundis too much. It’ll be good to have light clothing for the ocean crossing, but once ashore it will be cooler from the offset. The Mekallan Prince has assured us that clothing suitable for the snow and ice will be provided.”

One of the housemaids appears from the back of the residence. “His highness is ready to leave, my lord,” she says with a small curtsey. “They are waiting in the gardens.”

“Thank you. We’ll finalize either later today or tomorrow, Jack. I’m sure Jamie will have ideas about what to take as well. It’s up to you and me both to rein him in.”

“Yes, my lord,” Jack agrees, finally back to just the hint of a smile. “Will you be back for dinner?”

“I honestly don’t know. Assume we might need something light?” Alex suggests as they walk through the short passageway to the back of the residence. “I’m sure we will be welcomed, but I have no idea what that might entail. This whole meeting is at Shara’s insistence. It is long overdue, but also a step into the unknown.”

Jamie is standing in the middle of the transport point, dressed casually but comfortably. He looks relaxed and ready to leave, right hand resting gently on Shara’s head between his ears. The leopard is sitting comfortably but he stands as Alex approaches.

Alex stands on the other side of the great cat, resting his hand on his head as well, fingers slipping between Jamie’s outspread digits. Closing his eyes Alex lets his senses spread out, exploring the part of the world that he can see clearly.

“Show me where to go,” he sends in thought to Shara, sharing his vision of the world like a map in their heads. He can sense that Jamie can also see what he is seeing through their magical link.

With thoughts alone, Shara guides Alex’s vision into the mountains to the north of Novatus, eventually settling on what could easily be called a small city – certainly a very large town – deep in a secluded valley some small distance from the ocean. “Here,” he thinks back. “The middle of the city square.”

Alex shifts them to the indicated spot and opens his eyes. Jamie’s hand snaps out to grab his shoulder as Alex staggers, momentarily overcome by the almost overwhelming amount of magic he can sense. His ability to sense magic in others has never had to deal with what feels like dozens of people all around him with strong magical abilities.

Concern floods through his bond with Shara, even as he steadies himself with a wry smile towards his husband. “I’m fine, my love. It was the shock of so much magic.”

“I know. It is so all-pervading that even I can feel it to some degree.” He releases his hold on Alex’s shoulder and instead offers it to Alex’s hanging hand. Alex takes his offered hand and holds on with a comfortable grip, squeezing a couple of times in reassurance.

Their arrival in a busy square, with perhaps a hundred people around them, has certainly not gone unnoticed, but it is clear that most – if not all – of the people here know Shara. There’s no real surprise at their arrival, just a healthy dose of curiosity. People step away from the market stalls and towards the new arrivals curiously. Two young children, a boy and a girl who look like they might be siblings a couple of years apart come dashing through the slowly gathering crowd to fall onto Shara with cries and hugs of welcome.

“You really do have a way with children,” Alex tells his feline friend through their link. “If a potential enemy ever saw you like this, it’d ruin your reputation for fierceness.”

Shara simply lets out a contented rumble and makes a half-hearted attempt to shake the children from around his neck. Quickly enough, a small group of people make their way through the crowd, clearly heading towards the visitors.

The leader of the group of three is a woman, perhaps in here late fifties. She has long dark hair that’s beginning to be streaked with grey, deep brown eyes that are almost black and an indulgent smile on her face. Two men, of similar age accompany her, just a step behind.

“Come along children,” she begins in a commanding voice. “I’m sure Shara isn’t here to play. He has brought important guests with him.”

“Sorry,” the little girl mutters, stepping back towards the woman.

“Sorry Grandma,” the little boy – the older of the two – says more firmly. He too steps back from the leopard and moves to stand next to his sister and grandmother.

“Now, be off with the two of you. Your mother was looking for you.”

“Forgive them,” she continues, turning towards Alex and Jamie as the children dash off through the crowd. “Being mobbed by a crowd is no way to welcome guests. Moreso when they are such esteemed and important guests. I can guess who you are, but perhaps proper introductions are a good place to start?”

“Especially when we arrive unannounced,” Jamie begins. “I’m Jamie. Prince Jamethon of Taneria. This is my husband, Alex. Lord Alexion Varga of Salicia.”

“You are both most welcome. I am Melita. We don’t have titles, but I’m the leader of the elected city council. Shara has only recently departed from visiting us and has told us much about the two of you. It’s hardly needed. I can sense the immense power that both of you are controlling.”

“That will be because of this,” Jamie suggests as he draws the Flame of the West from inside his shirt and makes the light dance within.

“The four great jewels have an almost mythical status among our people,” Melita says slowly. “To see that one of them has been taken as prophesied is a remarkable event that I’m sure most of us never though would come to pass within our lifetimes.”

“I was led to believe that it wasn’t so much the taking of the Flame that was unexpected, more the fact that the two of us took it together,” Alex suggests.

“More that your appearance was totally unexpected, Alex. When Shara was born and the prophecy of his destiny was spoken, no clue to your immense power and ability was known. There must be something in your ancestry that would give a clue to how you have come to us.”

“I’m sorry that I know so little. My father had lost his parents before I was born and my mother died giving birth to me. She was also an orphan, or so my father told me. I can’t give you much to go on, I’m afraid.”

“No matter, Alex. You are who and what you are. Please, why don’t we go and make ourselves more comfortable.”

Alex, Jamie and Shara follow Melita and the others towards one of the large buildings on the edge of the square. The architecture is plain and simple, well-dressed stone walls with none of the buildings having more than two stories. Everything has a slightly rustic and homely feel to it that instantly brings a sense of relaxation and belonging. Alex has recovered completely from his first shock at being surrounded by magic and is now bathing in the calmness of the forces around him. Hand-in-hand with his husband they walk with a feeling of contentment and relaxation.

“I told you we should have come here sooner,” Jamie tells him in a whisper. “This is a sense of calmness that I could easily get used to.”

“So could I, my love. Still, I feel as if it could make me soft very quickly.”

“Yes, and we still have too much work to do.”

The inside of the building is less formal and more comfortable that Alex expected. Instead of a stuffy hall, there is a large room that is clearly used for meetings, but the furniture is well-padded and arranged without seeming order. Melita gestures to a set of chairs and they all take seats.

“So,” Melita asks when they are comfortable and refreshingly chilled fruit juices have been served. “What brings the two of you to our city?”

“We are leaving for the north in a couple of days,” Alex begins. “We have been approached by Mekalla – well their ambassador and one of the princes – to help them.”

“I did wonder. The problem with the Star of the North is real, then?” Melita asks. When Alex and Jamie both look surprised, she continues to explain. “Another prophecy, I’m afraid. This one was far vaguer. Little more than a mention of the Star losing its power and plunging the world into endless winter.”

“Essentially correct,” Jamie agrees. “Temperatures are already falling and several of the northern states are on the verge of panic. If crops fail there will be famine. This will inevitably lead to conflict and war.”

“Do you think that you can help?” Melita asks.

“Honestly, we don’t know,” Alex volunteers. “What we do know is that we have been asked to lead an expedition and I don’t believe that we will make matters worse.”

“Well, I can see why Shara thought to bring you here first,” Melita says before turning to one of the other councillors. “Damis, will you please go and find Tarmon for us. This is his area of expertise.”

“Tarmon is my son,” Melita tells her guests. “He is stronger in air and fire magic than any we have known. Perhaps as strong as you are in earth magic, Alex. As you are naturally, of course; not when amplified by the Flame.”

“I’ve never explained to Alex what type of magic he has,” Jamie confesses. “Both his and my own are very similar, even if they manifest in different skills. I have some air magic and Alex has a little fire, but we are both rooted in the earth.”

“Yes, a little fire explains much. I heard what you did to King Haran, Alex.” Melita says.

“I think it mostly manifests in my temper,” Alex agrees. “What happened to Haran will live with me for the rest of my life – and probably beyond – but I have no regrets regarding his passing.”

“You’ll find no complaining about his fate here,” Horath, another council member tells him with a grin. “He sent a delegation – if it could be called that – to try and persuade us to help him in his conquests. He offered us gold and security. Neither of these were things that we needed from him or from anybody else, for that matter. By all accounts he was an odious man and the world is better off without him.”

Damis returns, another man following along close behind him. He is short and slim, less than athletic but not unhealthy. His hair is a startling copper-red colour, just long enough to need to be tied behind the nape of his neck into a ponytail. His large eyes are a striking green, almost alight in their brightness.

His complexion is marked by a speckling of dark golden freckles on an otherwise pale skin, a band under each eye and across his small nose. Above all, however, he is stunningly attractive and very young. It’s all Alex can do to hold his mouth closed.

“Stop staring,” Jamie whispers as Melita makes her son welcome and asks him to sit with them. Tarmon manages a whispered greeting when his mother makes introductions, but he struggles to make eye contact with the two strangers. When she explains the situation to him, however, he brightens immediately and is suddenly much more focussed and self-confident.

“I must go with you,” Tarmon almost yells when he learns of their intentions. “I must study the Star.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Melita says softly. “You are unfamiliar with the ways of the outside world.”

“Yet I’m sure I know more about the Star than anyone else. I must go with them. I can only learn more by being there.”

“It is a very long and potentially dangerous journey,” Alex suggests. “I will not be able to shift us once we reach the northern continent. Too much magic is being drawn by the Star.”

“If it is already drawing that much power, then that is all the more reason for me to go with you,” Tarmon says simply but firmly.

“I cannot over-emphasise how dangerous it might be,” Alex repeats.

“And I can assure you that I can look after myself,” Tarmon responds. “I’m not without abilities of my own.”

“As much as I don’t want my son to go into danger,” Melita says with a sigh of resignation, “I’m afraid that he is correct. He is the greatest expert on this subject that there is. I cannot stop him from going if you will take him.”

Alex takes his head in his hands, running his fingers through his hair a couple of times with a deep sigh. “I didn’t come here looking to take someone with us, but I think that you are right. We know little about our task and we need an expert. Tarmon, how quickly can you be ready to leave?”