“Something to deal with a demon hmm?” said Jordanis as the two of them sat in the great library. The young were-jackal cocked his ears forward inquisitively. He had taken over the post of Royal Mage Counselor after the death of Yurik the sage. Aidan had known him only vaguely when they’d both been active in the Clan, but as Brianna had long ago told him, the Clan of the Lost Dragon was indeed a family, whose members were always willing to help one another. And if anyone could help Aidan with his problem it was Jordanis. He’d been the youngest member of the Clan when he first joined, hardly more than a child, but even then he’d been unusually gifted. “Demons,” said the mage, “are notoriously difficult to truly kill. You can kill the body they inhabit, and it delays them a few years while they make a new one. But I think in your case there might be a way to kill one permanently. Tell me, how much do you know about that torc of yours?”

“That it has a lot to do with demons, especially protecting somebody from one.”

“Yes, yes indeed. I never brought the subject up but I’ve been curious bout that thing ever since I first saw you, and I did a bit of research into it. I actually managed to find out who made it. He’s been dead now for quite a few years, and it seems that he wasn’t the best sort. Those who deal with demons seldom are. But it turns out he made the torc with certain powers so that he could safely master demons. It has three main powers. The first you know, it protects one from direct physical injury from demons. The second power you probably aren’t aware of. It forces any being who swears an oath on the stone to abide by it.”

“Actually, I did know about that one. But what’s the third power?”

“When the correct spell is performed the stone can charge a weapon, enabling that weapon to kill a demon, fully and finally.”

“And do you know the correct spell?” Aidan tried not to be too hopeful. If Jordanis didn’t know it, likely the only person who did was the original mage, and he was long dead.

The mage smiled a sharp-toothed canine smile. “I do.”