The first day of the journey had passed without incident. They spent the night at the Tummlin Inn. It was a shabby establishment with copious vermin. As Fand surveyed her less than clean bed, Zog said, “Here rub some of this on you. I will keep you vermin free.” He handed her a bottle with an insect drawn on it. She knew who had decorated this bottle and she wondered what had become of Renate, the peddler woman, but she didn’t ask. The smell of the rub was astringent. It stung Fand’s eyes as she applied it to her skin. It did not surprise her that the concoction actually worked. During the night, not a a single bedbug or flea nibbled on her person. That peddler woman was a sorcerer of sorts.

The next day they rode through two villages and could have stayed at another infested inn, but Zog said, “The weather seems fine, let’s camp for the night.”

Uncle Wert said, “All right.”

After they set up camp in the shelter of a hollow, Fand took the opportunity to stretch her legs and look around. Had her parents camped here on their way to Tashe? She walked away from the camp and made her way to a rise. The long blowing grass of the Mitte Prairie was tossed by the evening breeze. It reflected the fire of the setting sun. In the distance the Ruhe Mountains loomed. Tomorrow night if the weather was fine, they would reach the Ruhe Inn. The next night, she would be freed from her marriage.

Sunlight faded from the sky. Zog joined Fand on the top of a grass-covered hill. He put his arm around her shoulders and pointed south east. "See there, Little One, that is the Wall."

Fand had been so intent on the mountains she had not even noticed the Wall. The stone structure looked like a black granite snake in the grass. Beyond the Wall she saw more prairie. It didn't look so different from the land on their side of the Wall. She asked, "What do you think it’s like on the other side?"

"Free. People are not bound to the ways of the Council." He removed his arm from her shoulders and pulled a leather pouch out of his pocket. "I came up here to give you this."

Fand took the pouch and opened it. It contained more gold coins than she had ever seen. "Where did you get these?"

Zog smiled and said, "Providence."

"No. Gambling."

Still smiling Zog said, "Call it what you like. This should be enough to buy you out of your horrible marriage. Gregor will destroy you."

Indeed, he could have, but she she did not say so. The gold may have purchased her freedom and it may not have depending upon what Mr. Zwart’s plans for his son’s union were. She must refuse the coins for now and continue with this ruse. It would be over soon. She said, “I won’t take them.”

Zog's eyes narrowed. "I insist that you take them. You do not know what a man can do to a woman in closed quarters under the legal confines of marriage. You are about to walk into hell and you will want out. These coins can pave the way to your freedom. Please take the gold." He held out the bag to her.

This unexpected generosity was not something Fand trusted. She shook her head and told him, "I won't accept your tainted money."

Zog fixed his eyes on her and bitterly said, "You will regret this as surely as you regret refusing Pyre.”

These words stung. She murmured, “Perhaps.”

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Forcefully he shoved the bag into her hands and said, “Little One, what ever happened to your dream? Isn't it worth whatever you have to pay?"

Though she didn't respond, inside she thought, My dream is as dead as yours is Cousin. She dropped the bag of coins. It hit the earth with a jangling plop.

*

That night a strange wind woke Fand from chaotic dreams. Her throat felt constricted and her palms were sweating in cramped fists. She could not recall her dreams. There was the crackle of fire near the cart. She raised up and looked out of the cart. She sniffed the air. The smell of carrion tainted the air. The full moon shone down turning everything to silver. Behind her, Uncle Wert snored. Outside she heard Zog's voice softly rising and falling. At first she thought he was singing and then by the rhythm of the sound, she knew he was chanting. She turned to the sound. The flames danced blue and purple. In their light she saw him. He had his staff strapped to his back and was wearing his travel pack. What was he doing? He turned to her and smiled. In the strange flickering firelight Fand saw him wink at her. He lifted something round and metallic to the full moon. There was a flash of light. A cloud of blue smoke engulfed him and he vanished.

Fand shook her head hard. This could not be. She stared at the fire. It had returned to its normal flickers of red, orange and yellow. What had Zog done? She asked her self, Am I dreaming? Please let this be a dream! Instinctively, she grabbed her arrows and quiver and scrambled out of the wagon. She went to the fire. On the ground was the bag of gold coins. Tied to the bag was a note. In Zog's messy scrawl were the words, "The elements were right. I have gone beyond. Remember me. Zog."

Like she could forget him! Blast him! Fand asked the night sky, "How stupid can I be? He wasn't getting better he was plotting his escape."

A gust of cold wind hit Fand hard in the face. The sound of thunder rumbled in the distance. Dark lumbering shapes appeared over the rise. Whatever it was, whoever it was had seen the fire. With a quick movement, Fand picked up the water bucket and doused out the fire. She then ran to the wagon, just before she reached it, she saw Uncle Wert. He was fully awake. His eyes were focused on the shapes that were now descending the rise. With eyes were full of terror, Uncle Wert said, "Run girl. Run for all you are worth."

"What?"

He hissed, "Sonpur, they have breached the wall. Run! They have come for you!”

For her? What? The dream. The nightmare was coming true. And Uncle Wert knew? She had never told him anything.

He shouted at her, “GO!”

With one hand she hiked up her skirt. The pounding of the mighty horses hooves was coming closer. The tough grass sliced against her legs and got tangled around her ankles. Her pace was too slow. They would catch her. She felt the vibration of of their rhythm shake the ground. The stench of their bodies filled the air. Manure, sweat and decay. They were close, so close, but she dare not look back. She must not look back. The night was torn open when Uncle Wert cried out in pain. Fand turned to look then. She saw dark shapes beside the wagon. They held Uncle Wert. She must go to him. She hesitated one moment and it was one too many. A rider over took her. The Sonpur’s huge hairy arms arms scooped her up and set her down hard in front of the saddle. Fand struggled against the strong arms that held her. The coarse hair scratched her skin. The more she struggled the tighter the beast gripped her. She couldn't breath.

Uncle Wert moaned. Fand heard something break. She screamed, "Uncle!"

The beast growled at her. His hot breath scorched her neck. As hard as she could Fand wrenched her body. For an instant the Sonpur lost his grip. In that instant, she managed to sink her teeth into the creature's filthy arm. The blood she drew was salty, her teeth were tangled it’s matted fur. The creature did not even flinch or acknowledge that it had been bitten. She bared her teeth to bite again. The Sonpur pulled her roughly against his body. He growled low in his chest. Fand felt the vibration of his growl as it reverberated through her body. A second rider joined them.

In her peripheral vision, Fand saw a white kerchief pass from the second rider to the one that held her. The Sonpur that held her rammed the cloth over her face. Fand breathed in a strange sweet odor. It made her feel sick and light headed at the same time. The night or was it her brain, suddenly became cloudy. She felt her terror ease. The stars and the moon danced above her. One by one the stars began to disappear and then the moon was gone. She felt like she was floating. A delicious feeling of peace settled over her. Her body relaxed against the rider. Oblivion.