'His door, it seems, is no longer visible.' They both know what that means. 'I have not spoken to him myself; I do not know the specifics of his arrival. But unless I greatly miss my guess, he will only be free to leave when the Black Pearl leaves this lake. Shortly before, or shortly afterward. He, too, will have a part to play in the story to come.'

There is another pause, as Merriman attempts to figure out how best to explain enough without explaining more than is his place to explain.

'You have seen how magic can work through objects, and thereby affect individuals who have a connection to those objects.' Again, there is no need to elaborate further -- the subject is sensitive enough as it stands. 'The closer the connection to the individual, the stronger the pull of the magic. There is quite a lot that can be done with something as small and fragile as a single strand of hair, for example.'

He runs a hand through his own wild white hair, almost without thinking about it. 'That kind of power is similar to what most men would consider malevolent magic. A connection can easily become a binding, and thereby a means of direct control. And I believe we have spoken before of the Company's interest in controlling the seas.'