The morning sun was too white and it was already too warm. Pyre ran his finger around the neckline of his woolen robe. His scars were itching. He wished Jerue would finish his prayers. Moments, eternal moments passed before Jerue at long last said the waited for Amen. The Apprentices quickly dispersed. Pyre headed across the Common to his first class. He was feeling a bit off, like something had happened and he couldn't remember what it was. Half way across the Common Jerue stopped him. He said, "Son, I fear I have an unpleasant task for you. Come this way."

What now? Much to Pyre's dismay, Jerue lead him to the Infirmary. Since his accident he did not like the place, too many bad memories of long and painful hours, days and weeks. Loren Uhr met them at the door. By the expression on Loren's face Pyre surmised he was about to engage in something very, very unpleasant. Loren led them down the long central hall and to the back of the building. He pushed through a heavy door at the end of the hall. Pyre had heard about this room. It was the morgue. Why would Jerue take him to the morgue?

In the room on a table was a single draped body. Jerue said, "Loren, you may go."

Loren nodded and left them.

Jerue said, "I thought you might like to say good bye to your friend."

Good bye? Pyre did not want to know who the deceased was. His heart began to hammer hard inside his chest. His breath came in short gasps. Something, some memory was trying to rise to the surface, to push its way through. What was it? What?

Jerue pulled the sheet back. Pyre saw his friend's face. His left side was badly burned. Badly burned, just like Pyre's had been in his Transferrance accident. And yet, his friend's face held a strange calmness. Never had he seen Zog truly at peace in life and yet, in death he was. There was something else. Something...again Pyre felt a memory, a thought, trying to surface. Jerue said, "He was killed trying to escape across The Wall. The magic he used was faulty and started a fire. The Mitte Grasslands are burned. His uncle and cousin were caught in the fire."

"No!"

Jerue's eyes held a tender light. Softly he said, "I am sorry. What remains of their bodies are being sent to be buried in Tashe.”

This could not be! He asked, “Are they still here?”

Kindly, Jerue said, “No. There was no reason for them to be brought here. As for your friend, we need to discover how he managed to apply such magic. An autopsy has been ordered.”

Dumbly, Pyre nodded. Inside his head the question echoed, If Fand is dead wouldn't I feel it? Wouldn't I know? An image of rainbow light came to mind, nothing more.

From his pocket Jerue pulled a prayer book. It was Zog's. Pyre recognized the worn binding. How many times had he seen Zog read this book? Jerue handed it to him and said, "Somehow this remained unscathed by the fire. Perhaps, it is a gift from the Keeper as a token of your friendship."

The Keeper would give him a book and not save his friends' lives? What sort of deity did he worship? Pyre took the extended book and said, "Thank you, Sir."

"This is very hard I know. Take some time. Go to your cubicle."

Pyre said, "Thank you," and Jerue dismissed him. After a bow of respect, Pyre walked through the doors. Outside of the Infirmary his grief overwhelmed him. He did not want to break down in the street. Swiftly, he made his way to his cubicle and hurled himself on his cot. His mind flooded with vivid images he could not turn off. He saw Zog’s face broken with laughter. He heard the beauty of his voice, his head tilted back...it was always a triumph when he made Zog laugh. Next he remembered the feel of Zog’s hands on shoulders. He heard his voice full of wonder and hope. These images and sensations faded and other images came. Unfamiliar ones. A room with books. Flesh covering mended bone. A man with dark skin and hair, another man who looked like Zog, only old, and then Uncle Wert, broken and bloody. Had it all just been a dream. Somewhere inside of him a voice said, “No.” Something happened.

Desperate for answers, Pyre opened Zog's prayer book. Inside the book was one of Fand's parents' letters. He had often wondered over their content, but she never shared them. How had the letter come to be in Zog's book?

Pyre unfolded the letter and read:

"Dear Stella, Tonight, when I saw you, I knew I had been made to love you. I never expected to feel anything so strong for another. Then, there you were, dancing at the harvest festival, so lovely. You stole my heart, and I shall never get it back. Stella means star, and that is truly what you will be for me. The guiding light of my life…"

There was a knock at his door. Pyre shoved the letter back into Zog's book. He got up and answered the door.

Appocca stood in the entry. He had a finger to his lips. He motioned for Pyre to follow him. In the Elder Councilman's eyes was a sharpness Pyre had never seen before. Appocca led him out of the dormitory, cut across the Common and headed for the Library. Once inside the Elder Councilman took Pyre to a hallway he had never noticed before. The hallway led to a stairwell. Pyre followed Appocca down it into a dark room. When he closed the door. Total darkness. There was a sputtering sound and then a flame flickered in the palm of Appocca’s hand. Its light illumined the small room. It contained a desk, two chairs and several stacks of books. For the first time, Appocca spoke. He said, "Sit."

Pyre took the seat nearest him. He waited for Appocca to speak again. Several minutes passed. The Elder Councilman had his eyes closed. He seemed to be elsewhere. Finally when he opened his eyes, he whispered, "Things are not as they seem. You must be wary. Your thoughts are being observed. For what purpose, I cannot say at this time. Images are breaking forth in your mind. Do you know where they come from?"

Pyre shook his head.

"Your recent past. They are not dream images, though someone has engineered them to appear so." Appocca ran his hand down his long white beard and asked, "You saw Zog?"

"Yes."

Appocca shook his head. "All that potential lost. If only he had heeded my words."

An image flashed across Pyre's mind. It was of Uncle Wert. He was lying in a strange bed sleeping. Pyre glanced at Appocca. The older man nodded. Had he seen the image too? Pyre tried to read Appocca's eyes. They were veiled. Something was stirring behind that veil but Pyre couldn't tell what.

Appocca said, "Feel this."

Pyre felt a warmth enter his mind. It seemed to grab hold of his thoughts. The veil dropped from Appocca's eyes. He said, "When this sensation comes over you, stop what you are thinking. It means someone has entered your mind. Remember how this feels." He sent out the sensation again. It was more distinct this time.

"Yes, Sir."

Appocca said, "You are dismissed."

Pyre rose and headed toward the door. When he touched the latch he felt the warmth enter his mind again. He looked back at Appocca. The older man mouthed, It is not I.

Pyre asked, "Who then?"

Appocca closed his eyes. He shook his head but didn't answer.

A coldness came over Pyre. It wound around his head and seemed to penetrate his skull. The warmth disappeared. Frightened Pyre asked, "What was that?"

"Your thoughts are being monitored from Beyond."

The word Beyond reverberated in Pyre's mind. Fast images slid across his inner eye. Everything came back all at once. Fand was not dead she had been kidnapped. Pyre began to shake.

Appocca put a hand on his shoulder. He said, "You remembered."

Pyre nodded and asked, "Who was in my head?"

He said, "Petran."

"You know he isn't dead?"

Appocca nodded. "Yes." He squeezed Pyre's shoulder and said, "Now that you remember, you must be careful not to think these things. You must offer them up to the Keeper each time they enter your mind. Fand's life depends upon it. Can you do this for her?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good. Speak to no one of our encounter." Appocca let go of his shoulder. "If you get frightened or find your thoughts running away from you, turn to me. I will protect the privacy of your mind."

Pyre said, "Thank you Sir." He opened the door and went up the stairs alone. As he passed through the hallway into the Library he turned and looked back. The hall had disappeared.