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She sees through the fire burning before her, which is fed by wood, but sees also through fire burning an upright pillar of stone This ht attract those who are looking for her But her first words are not those she had intended "How do you make the stone burn?" she demands

"Rashly spoken," he replies With that, he begins to roll flax into rope against his thigh But he appears to be thinking He regards her unsh the veil of fire, but he is not unfriendly "You are of the huift reached you" She grasps the gold feather tightly, auntlets "You have touched that which I have touched I do not kno to read these o you," she says "I need help I made fire--"

"Made it?" His ss It is not made"

"No, no" She speaks quickly because she does not kno long she has before she and Alain are interrupted, and this man--no man--this Aoi sorcerer is the only creature she can ask "I called it It’s as if the element of fire lies quiescent within the wood, and remembers its power suddenly and comes to life"

"Fire is never quiescent Fire rests within most objects, in some more deeply than in others"

"Then in stone it rests more deeply than I can touch Why can that stone burn?"

He pauses, flax rope draped over his thigh "Why do you ask questions, child?"

"Because I need answers, old one I need a teacher"

He lifts the rope and twirls it through his fingers The white shells on his waist-length cloak clack together as softly as the whisper of leaves on the forest floor He turns, glancing once behind hi me to teach you?"

"Who else will teach me? Will you?" The fire does not burn more fiercely than the hope which leaps up in her heart

He considers Shells, stones, and beads wink and dazzle in the firelight He wears a round jade spool in each ear His hair, bound siht, and he has no beard His dark eyes regard her, unblinking "Find me, and I will"