An odd calmness had settled over Fand. She knew she should be grieving Zog but she felt nothing unpleasant. She tested her memory of Uncle Wert screaming in the darkness. Nothing there either. It was odd. And even though it was odd Fand couldn't seem to worry over its oddness. She couldn't seem to worry at all. Around her every shiny object in the room reflected the rainbow colored light that poured through the crystal ceiling. She smiled to herself and pulled the white linen sheet up to her chin. Sleep would be good. Sleep was always good here.

The door opened and the old woman, Kerzee came in. Fand smiled and said, "Hello Kerzee."

The woman did not return her smile. Instead she asked, "You have been here many days and yet you remain calm. How is it that you are so at peace?"

"Isn't everyone at peace in heaven?"

Kerzee's dark eyes narrowed. "This is far from heaven. I thought you knew where you were."

Fand didn't have a clue and she didn't care either.

"Haven't you ever heard of Kammin Spire?"

"No."

Kerzee's eyes squinted into thin slits. She asked, "What about Angs?"

"No."

The old woman asked, "Where are you from child?"

"Tashe."

Kerzee's eyes opened wide. "No. This can not be."

Amused by Kerzee's reaction Fand asked, "Why? Aren't people from Tashe allowed into heaven?"

Kerzee frowned. "Heaven yes, here no."

A strange tingling sensation emanated from the nape of Fand's neck to the base of her spine. It was the disc. The thing was getting hot. Pain radiated from it. Instinctively she knew she must not react. She willed herself not to cry out, even though the pain was spiking.

Kerzee asked, "Is something wrong?"

As best as she could, she calmly said,"No." This woman might want to take the disc out of her, but it had come from Zog. There was no way she would give it up. The uncanny peace she had been experiencing began to dissipate. The old woman closely watched Fand's face. Fand felt a strange warmth invade her mind. It was a gentle warmth. All at once Fand realized she was not alone in her thoughts. She told Kerzee, "Don't do that."

The warmth receded.

Fand said, "That is not allowed. No one is allowed in another's thoughts without permission." Then it struck her, a woman possessed this sacred ability. "How is it that you can do that?"

Kerzee bit her lip. Her eyes seemed to reach inside Fand. She said, "It is necessary for me to do my work."

"What is your work?"

In a low voice Kerzee said, "Caring for Angs concubine."

"Who would that be?"

Kerzee dropped her eyes to the floor. She whispered, "You."

A surge of hot anger gushed inside Fand. She yelled, "No! The Keeper will not bless my womb if it is invaded before marriage."

Kerzee sighed and said, "And Angs will not marry you if you are infertile."

Fand rose from the bed. She wanted to hurt this woman. Then all at once her anger cooled as if it had never existed. Her body relaxed and she sank back down into the soft pillows. The calmness had returned and the pain was gone.

*

Later Fand sat in bed eating roasted grain soaked in goat's milk. A panel slid open in the west wall. An old wrinkled man with sparse hair on his chin and head entered. He was dressed in rusty black robes. He eyed Fand and shouted, "Kerzee!"

From the kitchen Kerzee called back, "What is it Father?"

The old man shouted, "Don't be bellowin' at me. Come in here."

Kerzee entered the room holding a pan and a dishtowel. She asked, "What?"

The old man jabbed a thumb in Fand's direction and said, "His Lordship wants to see the girl."

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Kerzee argued, "She's still too weak. And Trug bruised her. Angs won't like that."

Kerzee's father glared at her. He said, "He wants to see her at sunset and he will. Have her ready."

"I don't think it's a good idea."

As the old man passed back through the panel he said, "What you think is of no account." The panel clicked shut.

Under her breath Kerzee muttered. Fand could not make out what she said but she was obviously very perturbed. The older woman looked at Fand. "You must bathe. I will prepare a bath for you."

"I don't want to bathe. I am not going to meet this Angs person."

Kerzee didn't argue with her. She took Fand's empty bowl and left the room.

Fand settled back on her pillows and stared up at the ceiling. The afternoon light was fading. Several minutes passed before Kerzee returned and said, "Your bath is ready."

"I'm not bathing."

"Yes, you are. It will not bode well for you if you don't obey my father."

Fand laughed, "That old man? What can he do to me?"

"Never judge another by outward appearances. My father, Folgen, is very powerful. If you value your life you will do as you are told."

"Is that supposed to frighten me into obedience?"

In a firm voice Kerzee said, "It is the truth. You will go to Angs no matter what. The only choice you have is the way you conduct yourself. You can follow my instructions or suffer the consequences of your own stubbornness. Which shall it be?"

A voice inside of Fand said, obey. That was all. Fand didn't know what or who the source of this voice was, but she trusted it. With Kerzee's help she hobbled into the kitchen and then was ushered into a closet containing a huge wooden tub.

Kerzee helped her undress and get into the tub. The warm water was soothing. It smelled of lavender and rosemary. Kerzee said, "If you need anything just call."

Fand nodded. She took the bar of lavender and rosemary soap. The smell of it reminded her of Zolla. She scrubbed herself and washed her hair. The lather was sweet. It left no residue.

Cleansed, she climbed out of the tub and toweled herself off. When she ran the towel over her hair, she felt a peculiar tingle at the nape of her neck. The disc.There was a strange sloshing sound and the disc slipped out. It spun to her empty hand. She dropped the towel. Clutching the disc with both hands she studied it. On its silver surface was etched a man on a horse. She turned it over. On the other side was a man at prayer. She flipped again, now there was a man propped up in bed. A chubby man. Immediately she recognized him. Uncle Wert. He was alive! She flipped the disc back over. The man in prayer wore robes. Was this Pyre? But who was the man on the horse?

The disc quivered in her fingers. The words Beideneung EIUI Kavos shimmered across its surface. What was this thing? A relic? It had to be. How had Zog come by it? Panic seized her. She began to shake. The disc slipped out of her fingers and clattered on the floor. The instant she lost contact with it a black wave of grief engulfed her. She saw Zog's dead body. She heard Uncle Wert's cry of pain.

The disc rose from the floor and lodged itself back into the skin at the nape of her neck. Her black grief evaporated. The sense of calm returned. It would be okay. She could do this. She put on the shimmering silk undergarments and the dark blue silk gown. The fabric seemed to have twinkling stars in it. It felt light and cool. She slipped her feet into the satin dancer shoes. The instant her feet were in them, they wanted to dance. This was a strange and enticing magic. She went to her room to wait.

It was not long before the wall clicked open and the ugly little man reappeared. His eyes traveled the length of her. In a raspy whisper he said, “Tha will do. Come.”

Fand rose from her bed and followed him up the winding staircase to the spire above. The huge circular room was magnificent. The crystal floor and ceiling shimmered. She could make out the blurred images of the floor below. When she looked up, the evening sun cast rainbows all over the room. For several moments she was blinded by them. Slowly her eyes adjusted and she saw a mural painted along wainscoting of the spire.

Folgers said, "Sit there." He pointed to a throne in the middle of the room. It was gold. On its back were carved three circles. The center circle was hollow.

Fand went to the throne and sat down. She felt that odd tingling sensation at the nape of her neck. The disc.

Folgen said, "His lordship will be here presently." He went to the eastern wall and sat down on a little chair. Carved in the wood above his head was his name, Folgen.

As Fand waited for Angs to arrive she studied the mural on the wall. One panel depicted the city and next displayed the of the building of the spire. On the third panel there was a picture of a huge winged man. He hovered over a girl wearing a crown. The fourth panel portrayed the birth of a flaming child. For several panels there were paintings of this child growing up.

Fand craned her neck around to see the last scene. It depicted a wedding. A beautiful young man stood beside a girl with long black hair. Her eyes were the color of the moon. At her throat was a pendant exactly like the one Fand wore. Startled Fand realized this was a portrait of her. How did they know she was coming? From a heavy door beside this last panel, a man emerged. An acrid smell accompanied him. Fand had smelled this odor before. She looked at the man and immediately recognized him. He was the man in the forest, the one who Zog told her to be wary of. Was this Angs?

The man smiled at her, but did not speak. His eyes held a fascinating light. Fand felt herself drawn to it. She rose and went to the man. The instant she touched him a delicious feeling stole through her. His eyes echoed her emotion. Was this the man of her dreams? Her True Love?

Folgen began to play a recorder. The music was sweet like the trill of birds at dawn. The man put his arm around her waist and took her hand in his. Slowly, they began to dance. With each pass around the room, Fand felt her heart grow larger with love. Dreams did come true after all. She looked up into his pale blue eyes and felt herself drowning. The sensation was not unpleasant, in fact it was glorious. They danced until the sun set and then he let go of her. He nodded to Folgen. Fand had forgotten the old man was even in the room. She didn't want to leave Angs. She wanted to stay. Angs placed a finger to her lips and shook his head. Fand kissed his finger. This pleased him but he did not relent. He nodded to Folgen.

Fand felt Folgen's fingers wrap around her arm. With surprising strength he pulled her away from Angs and led her back down the stairs. At the base of the stairs he pressed a panel and the door slid open. Folgen pushed Fand through the opening into her room. She heard a sharp clink as the wall closed behind her. Why had Angs sent her away? Desolation filled her.