Mags was a Trainee in the Heraldic Collegium in Haven, Valdemar's
capital city. Though his background of poverty and abuse at Cole
Pieters' gem mine set him apart from most other trainees, nonetheless he
had found his own group of friends. Bear, Lena, and Amily were all
students whose situations in life set them apart from more usual
Trainees. The four of them had found mutual support in their shared
misfortunes, and together struggled to help one another find solutions
to their individual problems.
But Mags' friendship with Amily brought him to the attention of the
King's Own. The seemingly immortal Companion Rolan had Chosen Nikolas to
suit the specific needs of the current monarch, and those needs were for
an agent who could collect information surreptitiously. Nikolas
recognized the same traits in Mags that Rolan had recognized in him and
because of Mags' friendship with Amily, no one would think twice about
seeing her overprotective father spending time with Amily's "suitor."
So Mags began training as Nikolas' partner. They worked in disguise at
night with Mags as Nikolas's deaf and mute helper, where his extensive
knowledge of gems--especially his skill at separating the real from the
fake--would be an added benefit. Hiding in the shadows behind the desk,
pretending to neither hear nor speak, Mags could better "observe" the
clients, and even the surrounding neighborhood. And Nikolas could send
him out on "errands" to chase down leads.
But this new job was far more dangerous than Mags had ever considered.
For there were mysterious agents in the city--agents who sought to bring
down the kingdom, and no one knew where they came from or who they
worked for. They were smart, talented, and preternaturally fast. And
most of all they were willing to do anything--anything--to bring
Valdemar to ruin.
