Merlin, who had been doing his best to catch up on fourteen hundred years' worth of history, was surprised and not entirely happy to see Damien here. Even without the fact that he and the man shared an uncanny resemblance, Damien perturbed him; what was worse, he did not know why. Damien was powerful--he could sense that much without even trying--and what was worse, his power seemed to be nothing of the good.

"Bit of research?" he asked, regarding the man closely as he passed with an armload of books.