The excitement builds as the release of 

Kriki's Gift, Book Two of the Geometry of Power 

draws near.

The air was suddenly rent with an unearthly screech of outrage. The scream was immediately followed by a roaring sound akin to a wind rushing towards them. When the blast of energy reached them a vision of darkness exploded into everyone's thoughts. There was no hiding from this overwhelming sense of doom. Some men staggered against the crushing will filling their minds with madness and held their hands to their ears in an ineffectual attempt to block out the insanity being forced into their thoughts. Others became unmoving statues for they were powerless to do anything for their minds were so weighed down by the torment. Eventually, several of the men were utterly overwhelmed by the Valkea's mental assault and they lost consciousness and collapsed, falling off the wagons or from their saddles.

Carra leaned against Badger's neck, buried her face in his mane, and hid beneath her shield. Her thoughts were filled with writhing and twisted shadows of evil, things of darkness beyond the knowledge of human beings. She couldn't escape from this nightmare and wished she could faint or even die to escape this horror.

Just when she felt she couldn't take any more of the punishing assault on her senses, the madness abruptly ended and she was suddenly freed of the nightmare. It was like a door had slammed shut in her mind to keep the darkness out. She gasped for air almost as if she'd been saved from drowning by being pulled from a dark and muddy quagmire. She breathed heavily and tried her best not to even think about what had just happened to her.

"My Lady?" Haxton finally queried and he grasped her arm gently. "Are you well?" His voice was concerned, but strained as well for he was still battling the effects of the Valkea's attack on his own sanity.

She pushed up and was glad for his supportive hold for she felt dizzy and disoriented. When she turned to look at him, her attention was instead drawn to a blazing light far up on the slope.

Chapter X, Reading 6

"Let me fetch some pillows and then I'll help you sit up."

"I don't need help," she protested as she tried to sit up on her own. A wave of dizziness overwhelmed her and she would have collapsed back to the mattress if Kewero hadn't reached over to support her.

"Easy, little one," Kewero warned. "Let's not push things too fast." She stacked a number of pillows behind her patient so she could lean comfortably against the headboard. Then she eased her back against the fluffy mountain. Again, she touched Flindra lightly on the brow.

"Comfortable?"

She nodded.

"It'll take me just a minute to fetch the broth. Would you care for some bread to go with it?"

"That sounds good."

"Try to stay awake, little one. You need the nourishment."

Flindra smiled. "I will."

Kewero left the room and was soon back with a bowl of broth and several slices of bread.

"Let me feed you. I don't want to wear you out unnecessarily."

"Whatever you think is best."

Kewero placed the tray on a stool beside the bed and then tucked a napkin into the neckline of Flindra's sleeping gown.

Flindra smiled at the motherly attention and allowed herself to be so pampered. It was easier on her and she thought that Kewero was enjoying it.

"This is wonderful broth," Flindra remarked after Kewero had spooned some into her mouth.

"I made it from what was left of the ptarmigan. I'm sorry Flindra but I had to eat it before it spoiled."

"Good," she said with a smile. "I'm glad you didn't let it go to waste. Did you enjoy it?"

"Yes, but it would have been much better if you'd been there to share it with me."

"I'm sharing it now."

"So you are."

Kewero took a piece of the bread, dipped it into the broth, and then held it for Flindra to take a bite. She alternated between the broth and the bread until she was finished with both.

"Do you need anything else?"

"No, Kewero," Flindra answered sleepily.

"In that case I think you need to get more sleep. You're starting to look a little pale."

She helped her sit, moved the pillows away and then eased her back to the bed.

"Your only concern now is to get some rest. Rest now, my little one. Just close your eyes and sleep."

Flindra answered by closing her eyes and allowing sleep to take her. Kewero stayed by her side until she was deeply asleep. She was pleased by what she saw. She could tell that this was a normal, healthy and healing rest. Flindra had made it back.

Flindra dreamt of her home and her family. Without knowing she did it, she reached out across space and time and thanked the two who had helped her find her way back.

Chapter VI, Reading 4

To wake up, she got out of the water and reached in one of her saddlebags to retrieve a stiff hairbrush and a bar of Dakra's homemade soap. She returned to the water and unbraided her hair. The loose curls floated on the water and coiled about her. It took her a while to brush the tangles out for she didn't want to pull too hard on her damp hair. When Flindra could slip the brush effortlessly through her hair, she rubbed the soap in until she had a rich lather. She then worked the lather next to her scalp and rubbed vigorously.

The scent of the soap brought back vivid memories of her mother and her home. Her Momma had scented the soap with juniper berries and sage. This combination had always been Flindra's favorite. Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought of the love and kindness she had always known.

"I hope you don't miss me too much," Flindra said aloud. She had become used to talking to herself during the long journey north.

"What did you say, my dear?" Kewero asked as she returned to the pool with a stack of clothes in her arms.

Flindra blushed with embarrassment. "I was only talking to myself," she explained sheepishly.

"Don't be embarrassed, Flindra. I've been alone for so many years that the only ears I've had to talk to have been my own. Now tell me what concerns you enough to talk to yourself about it."

"I'm worried about my family, especially Momma."

"Dakra is a good woman, strong and capable. The Spirit chose well when He selected her to be your mother. She will miss you and will worry about you - mothers always do, you know. We can help her though. I will teach you how to use your crystal to give a message to her dreams."

"I can do that?" she asked in surprise.

"That and much more. It takes a great deal of energy to establish the contact, so perhaps it would be better for you to wait until after you've rested."

"I would like to do it now, if I may. I would like to tell her that I've made it to you safely. Perhaps that will ease her worries."

Kewero smiled in understanding. "I'll show you how when you are finished with your bath. Do you mind if I keep you company? It's nice to hear your voice."

"I don't mind at all, Kewero."

The old woman smiled as she sat on a rock at the side of the pool.

Flindra could tell that Kewero was lonely and she took pity on her. She had learned since leaving home that loneliness was a hard burden to bear. It made her feel a little better about imposing on Kewero's hospitality to know that she had some need for her. Friendship would be a nice exchange for the old woman's knowledge.

"You look much like your mother," Kewero noted. "You have your father's height and there is a little of him in your chin."

"Did you know my parents well?"

She nodded sadly. "Yes, I looked after your mother in the same way I've seen to your care. She was a fosterling just as you were."

Flindra looked sad. "Why?"

"To hide you both from your enemies."

"Who were they? I don't even know their names," she confessed with a catch in her voice.

"Bherek and Andha were the Baron and Baroness of Surwel."

Flindra dropped her eyes to hide her sorrow. "I'd hoped that I'd be able to find them someday and learn to know them."

"I didn't mean to make you so sad, child. Understand that your parents loved you very deeply and that they wouldn't have given you away if your safety hadn't required it."

"That helps."

Chapter VI, Reading 3

Kewero smiled. "There will be time enough for you to understand and to master the knowledge you need to fight your enemies. There is no point in rushing your lessons."

"As you wish, Kewero." She smiled and realized her face was chapped from the cold and was slightly windburn.

"You may put your horse in there," Kewero said as she pointed toward an opening of a smaller cave. "When you are through, come back here and then I will see to your needs."

Flindra led Deru into the smaller cave. Her nose gave her evidence that this small cave had sheltered horses before. It was spotlessly clean, but there was a lingering scent of horses. It was a pleasant odor and reminded her of the barn back home. Fresh hay had already been placed in a recess in the wall. There was fresh water pooling around a spring in a natural basin towards the back of the cave. The overflow from the spring trickled down a crack and disappeared behind the cave wall. This kept the floor from becoming wet.

She slipped the bridle off so Deru could start eating the hay. Then she removed the saddle and placed the tack on a wooden rack several feet above the floor. She left her bow, quiver of arrows, hatchet, and bedroll under the rack. While the horse stood contentedly and ate, she brushed him to remove the sweat and dirt lingering in his coat. When she was through, she sighed and leaned against him.

"We made it, Deru," she whispered while she slipped her hand beneath his mane and patted his neck. "I feel like I've been traveling for an eternity. It seems so long ago that I left home."

Deru turned and looked at her. His mouth was full of hay, which he rubbed against her face as he tried to nuzzle her. Flindra couldn't help but laugh. He smelled her face and hair and then returned to his hay.

She gave him a parting pat and stood back. With another sigh - this one more tired than the first - she picked up her saddlebags and went out to Kewero.

"Are you warming up, my dear?" Kewero asked when she saw Flindra approach.

"My toes are still a bit cold, but I'll be fine."

"I suspect that you're being too stoic and aren't quite telling me the truth, Flindra. You still look cold, but I'll fix that. Follow me."

Kewero led her through a winding passage in the cave complex. As they walked, Flindra could sense the air around her was getting warmer. They finally stood before a pool of water. Steam was rising from the surface. She grinned happily for nothing could be better than a hot bath after being cold for so long.

"Take off your clothes and bathe. I will find you something clean to wear," Kewero said and left Flindra alone.

Flindra removed her clothes and folded them neatly on top of her saddlebags, which were near the edge of the pool. She placed her daggers on top of the pile so they would be within easy reach. She did this out of habit and not because of any current threat.

She eased her chilled and tired body into the water. Her toes tingled as the steaming water eased out the lingering cold. In the warmth, she could almost forget her frozen journey here. It was quiet and she relished the absence of the incessant howl of the wind, which had been her constant companion for the last two days. The water soothed her soul as well as her muscles. She relaxed in the warmth and became more than a little sleepy.

Chapter III, Reading 12

Flindra knew that she had to find shelter and had to find it quickly.  She took out the crystal sphere and checked it for direction.  It still showed that she should continue north - straight up the mountain.

"All right, we will keep following this trail, but if I see anything more promising I'll go that way," she muttered to herself.  She still didn't trust the orb entirely.

The wind was growing stronger and there were now a few snowflakes being blown in from the north.  The temperature was dropping precipitously.

Flindra knew she was in trouble.  She looked at the orb again and saw that it was directing her in an easterly direction.  Quickly reining Deru to the right, they started to the east.  At least the wind was coming from the side and not straight into her face.

There was no trail here and Flindra had to guide Deru around fallen trees and boulders.  Snow was starting to collect on the ground, hiding fallen branches and exposed roots.  She had to go slowly to avoid a fall, which could injure Deru or herself.  The only positive thing about the snow is that it would hide her passage from anyone who might be following.

She continued in this fashion for another hour.  Deru's steps were lagging and his head was starting to hang.  Ice was forming in the whiskers around his nostrils.  Flindra was huddled in the saddle, staring at the crystal orb.  Without warning, the crystal stopped glowing.  She moved it from side to side without a change.

"There must some meaning to this," she muttered to herself.

Shielding her eyes from the blowing wind with her hands, Flindra looked around.  At first, she saw nothing.  Then she noticed that there was a dark area beyond the trees near a rock outcrop.  It was too dark to be a shadow, besides the snow was masking the sun so there were no distinct shadows.  She dismounted and led Deru over to the dark spot.

It was the entrance to a cave!  The opening was narrow, but if she unsaddled Deru, she could get him in.  She quickly hauled the saddle from his back and pulled him into the cave.  Flindra immediately bent down to start a fire.  As usual, she had some dry kindling in her pockets.  She put some pine needles before her on the ground.  Striking a piece of flint with her knife, she sent a few tiny sparks into the pile of needles.  The needles smoldered for a moment and then they burst into flames.  She was careful to add the rest of her kindling slowly so as not to smother her awakening fire.  Patience was necessary when coaxing a fire to life.

The light from her small fire illuminated the cave.  In the back was a sizable pile of twigs and branches - collected by generations of pack rats.  She gathered some of the twigs and placed them slowly on the fire.  Soon she had the warmth of a pleasant fire before her.

Flindra then tended Deru.  She covered his back with the saddle blankets to help him stay warm.  He was wet from the damp snow and it wouldn't do to have him get too cold and get sick.  Then, she slipped a feedbag over his nose.  He stood at the back of the cave and slowly chewed his grain.  He relaxed with one of his hips slacked so his hoof was tipped against the ground.  In the manner of horses, he rested.

She then stockpiled some of the pack rat nesting material next to the fire.  There was enough fuel in the cave to last her several days, which was a great relief.  If the bitter cold continued, she would have to keep feeding the fire to keep from freezing.  She spread out her sleeping furs by the fire, knowing that the cold would wake her and remind her to add wood to the flames.

As exhausted as she was, she knew she must spare a moment for a prayer of thanksgiving.  She had made it safely to this cave and knew it was the hand of the Spirit, which had pointed the way.

Flindra kneeled on the blankets.  "Spirit," she whispered.  "Thank You for all your help on this journey for I know You've been with me.  Grant me the wisdom and strength I need to even claim my identity.  I'm so ignorant of what I must do.  Help me and guide me, Beloved One.  Make me an instrument of Your Will."  She bowed her head.  "Thank you."

She then sat and pulled off her boots so she could rest more comfortably.  Finally she snuggled into her furs and knew the sleep of utter exhaustion.

Chapter III, Reading 2

Dakra looked pleased.  She'd been hoping the lavender would help.  "Would you mind giving the porridge a stir?  There's nothing worse than scorched porridge."

Flindra's answer was to reach for a spoon and start on the task.  Oatmeal had always been one of her favorite breakfast foods and she looked forward to having a bowl.  Looking around the hearth, she realized that most of her favorite foods were being cooked this morning.  It was going to be a farewell feast.

The door swung opened and the twins rushed to the fire to warm themselves.  It had been a cold walk from the barn.

"Looks like it's going to be a clear day," Leudh announced as he closed the door.  "There's no smell of rain in the wind."

"That's good," Flindra remarked as she looked up from her stirring.  "It will be a chilly enough camp without it being wet too."

"I fed Deru so he will be ready to leave when you are."

"Thanks, Leudh."

"Aunty," Alek said as he turned and looked at Flindra.  "Why do you have to go?"

The question had been asked before but neither one of the boys had been satisfied by her answers.  They had been told of her true identity but they didn't understand why she had to go.

"It's time for me to find some answers to my many questions," she said kindly.  "I can't get those answers here."

"I suppose," Alek agreed reluctantly.

"I won't be gone forever," she continued, privately hoping her words were true.  "Change is always painful, Alek.  I wish I didn't have to go, but I can't pretend I'm a child and stay.  It's just like the little birds when they leave the nest.  They have to leave home before they can really learn how to fly.  I need to do the same."

Alek sighed.  "I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you, too, little one."

Leudh rubbed his fingers through his son's hair and then gave him an affectionate pat on the shoulder.  "Everything will work out for the best.  Flindra will find her answers and begin her journey through life."

"You are part of my life," Flindra continued.  "I will continue to be part of yours."

"I hope so."

"All this talking has made me hungry," Leudh said in a light tone to change the subject.  "I think it's time to enjoy your Grandma's cooking."

"May I have two pieces of ham?" Arek asked.

"I think so," Dakra said with a smile, "but only after you've finished the first."

"Let's eat by the fire," Flindra suggested.  "It's nice and warm here."

"All right," Dakra agreed.

Brehwan and Flindra helped Dakra serve the food and then all grew quiet.

Dakra bowed her head in reverence.  "Beloved Spirit," she said softly.  "Bless this food and all those gathered here today."

"Let it be so," Leudh responded.

Chapter III Reading 1

As usual, Dakra was the first one in the house to awaken.  She had always liked to greet her family in the morning with a hot breakfast.  Today it was even more important to her for this would be the last hot meal Flindra would have for many days.  It was also the last meal the family would share together for Leudh and his family would be coming over for breakfast to see Flindra on her way.

The little cottage soon was filled with the rich aromas of fried ham and eggs, bread warming by the fire, and hot spiced cider.  Dakra wanted Flindra to have a filling meal so she cooked half again as much as she usually did.  It would be much easier for her to spend a long day in the saddle if she started off with a full belly.

Flindra awoke with the delicious aromas seeping up from below.  She got up and splashed cold water on her face to finish the process of waking up.  After drying off, she started the mundane job of getting dressed.  Her movements were slow and unenthusiastic for she wanted to delay the moment of her departure for as long as she could.

After she was dressed, she sat on her bed for a while and watched the morning stars slowly fade as the sun neared the horizon.  It would be a cool day but the chill would help her stay alert.  Her journeys into the crystal made her feel uneasy and she knew that there was danger approaching her.  She would have to keep her wits intact if she wanted to reach Kewero safely.  That meant she couldn't allow herself to dull her focus with grief.  She would have to watch herself closely.

She left the bed when she heard Brehwan arrive downstairs and looked once more around the room.  The things she was taking were packed and ready to be stowed behind her saddle.  There was nothing to bring her back here once she went below.  She turned around slowly and tried to memorize every feature of the room so she would never forget her life here.  It was important to her to remember.  Her memories were her anchors, which would always stabilize her in the storms of her future.

When she was finished, she walked through her brother's old room and down the narrow staircase.

"Good morning," she said in greeting, trying to keep as much cheerfulness in her tone as she could manage.

"Morning Flindra," Brehwan answered with a forced smile of her own.  "Leudh and the boys are in the barn."

Flindra nodded in understanding as she went to give her mother a hand with the cooking.  "Morning, Momma."

"Morning, dear.  Did you sleep well?"

She smiled, this time with genuine feeling.  Her mother's question spoke volumes of concern and love.  "I did.  The sprig of lavender you put next to my pillow made me sleep well and brought me pleasant dreams."

Chapter VII, Reading 6

"You will come into your power, Flindra. Don't worry about that. You might be surprised to feel the energy you already exude. You will have come into your full inheritance before you leave the cavern and return to the world. You will be equal to your fate."

Flindra breathed in deeply. "I hope so."

"Trust me, my child, I know you will be ready. The Spirit will see to that."
"I hope so," she repeated.

Kewero smiled briefly before she returned to her story. "Before I left on my quest, the King and Queen both selected a gift which I was supposed to give to you when you came of age. Look at the golden comb you are wearing."

Flindra slipped the golden swan from her hair and looked first at it and then at Kewero.

"The Queen wished for you to remember her and all the women who came before her. Queen Kwenth's mother gave her this comb, and her mother, in turn, received it from hers. It is her gift to the child of her line. She reaches across time to give a mother's gift to a daughter."

Tears welled up in Flindra's eyes and she fingered the comb gently, almost caressing the graceful swan. "I am honored to have it and I will remember her always."
"That will please her memory."

"I'm honored that she thought of me."

"The King also gave you a gift which had been in his family's possession for generations, in truth from the beginning of his dynasty. His gift was Rigga."
Flindra looked down at the amethyst ring on her finger. "He told me in my dream that Rigga was his gift. How old is it?"

"Rigga is actually older than the line of King Meldh and dates from the time of the Ancients. It has been infused with their magic and powers."

"Oh."

"His Majesty also gave me the hereditary symbols of the King: the crown; the scepter; and a neck chain made from interlocking links of white and yellow gold. He told me I was responsible for their safe keeping for I needed to keep them for the future king of our world. I will give them to you, Flindra, when you leave. You will have to give them to your King when he claims you. He will have need of them."

"I will see that he gets them."

Chapter VII, Reading 4

Kewero reached over and took her hand. "You will be the catalyst who will coalesce our resistance. I understand you had no choice in this, but you are not alone. There are other men and women whose talents and experience will aid your fight. You will draw many to you. Others you will have to seek. You also have been given some valuable tools to use in your fight. The memories of all your ancestors are with you. When there is need, their knowledge, their experience will become yours. And everything I have learned through the years is yours."

"How many years, Kewero?" Flindra finally grew bold enough to ask. "You serve the Spirit, but how do you know all this? How does the Spirit speak to you?"

"I guess I never did explain my comment about how long I've been waiting for you. Forgive me. I guess I should tell you a little more of my history so you can understand me better.

"I was a counselor at the court of King Meldh. I was one of a group of five who advised the King. It became apparent early in the conflict with the Ansu that we were hopelessly outmatched. One day, the King summoned us and revealed a dream he'd had the night before. He'd been told in his dream that one of his counselors needed to seek out the wisdom and guidance of the Spirit to learn what we needed to do. King Meldh gave us a choice as to which one of us would go on this quest. In fairness, the five of us drew lots. It fell upon me to search for the information we needed.

"Once the selection had been made, the King and Queen called me to them for a private conference. The King now confessed the rest of his dream. He knew that he would die in the conflict, as would the Queen and most of his nobles. The knowledge I would discover was needed to aid his descendant in a future conflict and would give him no assistance in the present fight. My whole purpose was to provide protection and guidance for the future champion of his line. Only the Queen knew the full story of his dream. He had no wish to demoralize his people so he had kept his dream a secret. He asked me to do the same.

"The Queen then spoke to me. I still remember her words for they were spoken with such intense sorrow." The tone of Kewero's voice changed. There was boundless respect and tremendous sorrow in her accent as she recalled the words of the long-dead Queen. "She told me that it had been foretold at her birth that she would live to see her world destroyed, her child taken from her and that she would know the suffering of all the children of her line - the suffering only a mother can understand and endure. She was named for the suffering she would know for Kwenth in the Old Tongue means suffering."

Kewero paused and lowered her eyes. It was obvious her memories brought pain into her heart.

Flindra reached over and grasped her arm in a gentle and supportive touch. "You loved her, didn't you?"

"Very much." With a sigh, she looked at her pupil. "I told you once that you looked like your mother. You also look a great deal like Queen Kwenth. You could be her daughter."

She smiled. "You take after her in many ways, Flindra. Her auburn hair has marked all the children born of her line. It is a stamp of royalty. You share some personality traits with her, too. My Lady Queen was much loved by my people for she was so kind and good. I think you will match her kindness when you become Queen."

"Thank you," she answered with a shy smile.

"Having you here has done much to ease my sorrow. You remind me of her and it makes it seem that it wasn't so long ago when I shared deep discussions with my Queen."

Chapter VII, Reading 3

"Darkness seems to enjoy destruction for its own sake and I think that it is also easier to accomplish." Kewero sighed and she shook her head. "I'm afraid that this fight will be different. The Ansu are greatly put out that they have to return and finish a job they thought was completed a millennium ago. They are angry and they mean to punish us."

"How?"

"I think they mean to enslave us. Of course, they will destroy many, but those who are not killed will be enslaved."

"Enslaved and not corrupted?" Flindra looked puzzled. "I'm afraid I don't really understand the distinction."

"Think of corruption as a voluntary act," Kewero explained. "There may well be some coercion in the process but there is also some willingness as well. Enslavement is an act of force. The Ansu will be in command, but they will leave enough of the soul intact to torment their victims. Humanity would be forced to become soldiers in the cause of Darkness, but they would remain human enough to weep for the Good they would be destroying."

Flindra felt a hard knot in her belly. "Monstrous," she finally hissed in disgust.

"It is."

"Is there really hope, Kewero? Are we just deceiving ourselves? Can we defeat such evil?"

"It is not hopeless," Kewero corrected sternly. "We can win because the Spirit wants us to win and will give us assistance when necessary." She smiled to soften her rebuke. "I am here, in this place as a tool of the Spirit. I have been allowed to learn much about our Enemy so don't think the Spirit is distant in this fight. Our Beloved Spirit will help us, but it is our battle. It won't be easy, that I do know. We will be marching through the shadow of death, but that will make our victory so much more rewarding. Never give up hope, child. The Spirit is with us."

Flindra sighed. "It is a big responsibility."

"It is," Kewero responded with compassion in her voice. "We must prepare for the coming battle. That’s why I am here and why you are here."

"Why me?" Flindra asked. "I don't mean to sound like I'm avoiding my responsibilities, but why me? Why didn't the Spirit choose some great and stalwart warrior to lead this fight? I'm nothing special and I don't know the first thing about war. Surely, the Spirit could find someone better than me." She frowned. "When I dreamt of King Meldh, I asked him that same question. He answered that there are advantages to the fact that I'm a woman and can join with the existing power structure, but that seems like a hollow answer. I can't imagine I really have that much to bring to the fight."

"Don't underestimate yourself, Princess Flindra. You have strengths and talents not even you are aware of. Yet. I accept the Spirit's Wisdom. You will be equal to your destiny."

Flindra looked troubled and very unsure.

Chapter VII, Reading 1

"The Spirit is benevolent," Flindra noted during one of her lessons. "How then can the Ansu exist? They embody Evil and Darkness. How can they exist within the universe that Good created?"

Kewero sighed. "This is a question I've pondered for many years and I confess I don't have an easy answer. I think it all comes down to a discussion of free will. The Spirit gave us free will. We have the option to live within the direction and goodness of Spirit or to reject Him entirely. We can live in the Light or turn our backs, so to speak, and see into the shadows of Darkness and be corrupted by the Darkness. It's all within our choice. We can submit our wills to the Spirit and thus become instruments of the Spirit's Goodness or we can reject the Spirit and become instruments of the Darkness."

"What if we choose not to choose?" Flindra asked. "What then?"

"The Spirit offers," Kewero answered. "Our Beloved Spirit desires voluntary submission and a willingness to serve. Darkness, however, commands, enslaves, seduces and corrupts. That is why Darkness seems to spread so easily. If we don't choose to become part of Spirit - and that choice is not always easy - we will become a target of Darkness."

"So a null decision becomes the same as a decision to reject."

"Not always, but frequently that is the end result."

"I see."

Flindra's eyes grew distant as she thought and Kewero gave her this moment to ponder their discussion. It was a difficult subject and needed a great deal of reflection to understand.

"So we can choose to be instruments of the Spirit's Will or by choice or default become tools of the Ansu," Flindra finally summarized.

Kewero nodded. "It's my belief that is the case."

"Who or what exactly are the Ansu?"

"I don't truly know, Flindra, but I suspect that they are beings or entities that chose Darkness over Spirit at or near the beginning of time. They've had unfathomable ages to grow in their evil powers. For this I do know, ours is not the only world the Beloved Spirit has created. Perhaps the Ansu were some of the first children of our Spirit. I don't really know."

"I see." She frowned. "The Spirit made us all, even the Ansu. He has the power to destroy the Ansu and weaken Evil and Darkness. Why does He tolerate all the pain the Ansu bring to His creation? Why doesn't He destroy them? It's clearly within His power to do so."

Kewero took a deep breath. "I don't really know the answer to that question for the ways of the Spirit are far beyond our comprehension. Would you accept my personal opinion?"

"Of course."

Chapter VI, Reading 8

By the time they reached Flindra's bedchamber she was close to normal, although still tired. Before she sought her bed, she had one question for Kewero.

"I arrived here in early afternoon. How could it be night for Momma? It didn't take me that long to bathe."

"Time here does not pass at the same rate as it does out in the world. It is irrelevant to compare the two systems."

"Is that how you seem to have lived so long? I heard you say that you've waited a millennium for me while I was rinsing my hair."

Kewero smiled. "I didn't realize I had been that loud. I didn't intend to hint of a mystery and not explain it."

"That's all right."

"The explanation is rather lengthy and I'd prefer to wait until you've had a chance to rest. I can see you're almost asleep on your feet. May I delay my explanation?"

"Of course."

"I promise I'll explain everything in detail later. I want you to sleep until you feel completely refreshed so tarry in bed as long as you wish. Don't worry about anything."


"You'll get no arguments from me. I feel as if I haven't slept in weeks."

"Sleep well, my Princess." Kewero gave a parting smile and walked away leaving her by the door.

When Flindra had dropped her things in this room on her way to the crystal cavern, she hadn't had time to look around. Now she observed the chamber in wonder. The room didn't look much like a cave. Heavy tapestries hung on the walls concealing the rock behind. The floor was covered with a thick carpet that muffled her steps. There were several pieces of heavy furniture in the chamber in addition to the bed. They were all carved with intricate designs of animals. The furnishings spoke of wealth and comfort - a room fit for a princess.

She opened the armoire and was surprised to see a number of gowns and undergarments. She took off the green gown she was wearing and hung it next to the others. In a drawer, she discovered a number of sleeping gowns. She slipped on one, which was embroidered with tiny pink and yellow roses. The fabric was soft against her skin and she smiled in pleasure.

Flindra sat on the bed while she brushed her hair. She braided it and thought how wonderful it was going to be to sleep in a warm, soft bed again, but there was one more thing she had to do before she could sleep.

She slipped off the bed and kneeled on the floor. "Beloved Spirit," she whispered. "Thank you so very much for bringing me here safely. Grant me the wisdom to learn what Kewero has to teach me." She lowered her head. "I feel very unworthy of the task I have been born to. Help me to be equal to it. Thank you." She then relaxed her thoughts in a moment of stillness.

Flindra climbed under the covers and smiled in comfort at the warmth and softness. "Thank you, Beloved Spirit," she said again. In the time it took her to close her eyes, she was asleep.

Chapter VI, Reading 6

Flindra used her own leather belt to gather the dress in around her waist. The knife hanging from the belt was the sole ornament for the dress, which was somehow fitting for the circumstances. She left her other daggers on top of her clothes.

She then brushed her hair to remove any lingering tangles. She fished the golden hair comb from her saddlebag and held it out for Kewero to see.

"Was this my mother's?"

"The comb is a gift from Queen Kwenth."

"Queen Kwenth was King Meldh's wife, wasn't she?"

"Yes. Queen Kwenth knew about the struggles you are destined to face. The comb is a small gift to warm your heart in times of trouble. It is a mother's gift to her distant offspring."

Flindra looked at it tenderly before she used it to hold her hair back from her face.

Kewero smiled. "Turn around, Flindra, I want to see you."

With a blush, she turned around slowly.

"Well, you look much more like a princess now. You have a regal bearing, which suits you well. While you are here, you will dress like a princess. You need to practice being one so you won't feel so lost when you do take your destined place."

"Thank you for letting me wear this gown - it is very beautiful."

"My dear, I'm not letting you wear anything. The dress is yours. Your mother left it for you. Let me show you your bedchamber and then I will teach you how to contact Dakra. Come."

They returned to the main part of the cave and then walked down another of the many outlets radiating from this chamber. They passed several small openings before Kewero halted before one. "This will be your room while you are here. You will need the crystal sphere, leave everything else."

Flindra hurriedly left her belongings just beyond the entrance to her room. They continued down the path and entered a series of switchbacks and so they dropped rapidly in elevation. They followed the track until it widened to the entrance of a large cavern. Kewero pulled her to a stop just within the entrance.

Flindra drew a surprised and awed breath at the astounding view. She was standing in a large cave that was covered with crystals. The gems glowed with an internal light, which pulsated in a slow, regular rhythm. Looking closer, she realized her first assessment was wrong - the cave was not covered with crystals. It was made of the crystalline material! Even the floor of the cavern consisted of the translucent and glowing crystals.

Kewero spoke in a soft and reverent voice. "This is the womb of the cavern and of our world. This is where the Spirit envisioned our world and created its reality. Here, we are surrounded by the Spirit. We are in the seed around which Spirit began to order the primordial chaos. Our world is the reality He lent to this portion of the chaos.

"I don't really understand."

Kewero released a spontaneous laugh. "Don't worry about that too much, little one. The Spirit is far beyond our level of understanding. One can only really understand the Spirit with the faith of the heart. It is a wisdom of faith and not a knowing or comprehension."

"Oh."

Chapter VI, Reading 5

The old woman smiled as she sat on a rock at the side of the pool.

Flindra could tell that Kewero was lonely and she took pity on her. She had learned since leaving home that loneliness was a hard burden to bear. It made her feel a little better about imposing on Kewero's hospitality to know that she had some need for her. Friendship would be a nice exchange for the old woman's knowledge.

"You look much like your mother," Kewero noted. "You have your father's height and there is a little of him in your chin."

"Did you know my parents well?"

She nodded sadly. "Yes, I looked after your mother in the same way I've seen to your care. She was a fosterling just as you were."

Flindra looked sad. "Why?"

"To hide you both from your enemies."

"Who were they? I don't even know their names," she confessed with a catch in her voice.

"Bherek and Andha were the Baron and Baroness of Surwel."

Flindra dropped her eyes to hide her sorrow. "I'd hoped that I'd be able to find them someday and learn to know them."

"I didn't mean to make you so sad, child. Understand that your parents loved you very deeply and that they wouldn't have given you away if your safety hadn't required it."

"That helps."

The soap against her scalp was starting to itch. "I guess I need to rinse," she explained as she took a deep breath and sank beneath the surface of the pool.

"Take your time, little one. I've waited a millennium for you. A few more minutes will not make a difference," Kewero said to herself while Flindra was under the water.

Flindra's hair was in her eyes when she reemerged. She wiped it away with the back of her hand.

"This bath is so wonderful, Kewero. Thank you for suggesting it."

"My pleasure, child."

"I won't be too much longer."

"Take your time."

She continued with her bath, giving special attention to her hands and fingernails as she washed. When she was finished she rinsed herself and stood up. Kewero handed her a towel, which she had brought along with the clothing. Flindra took it, dried herself, and then wrapped the towel around her hair.

Kewero stood and held out a dress for inspection. "Is this to your liking?"

"It's beautiful," she announced and reached out to touch the beautiful green gown. The dress was made from a material that was both soft and smooth. The undergarments were made of similar material as the dress but were snow white. There was a pair of matching slippers on the stack of underthings.

"What are they made of?"

"Silk."

"I've never touched silk before. It's wonderful."

Kewero helped Flindra dress and she relished the softness of the cloth against her skin. The green gown was the finest she had ever worn. It made her feel pampered.

"I don't have a belt for you so you'll have to use your old one."

"That's fine."

Chapter VI, Reading 4

Flindra removed her clothes and folded them neatly on top of her saddlebags, which were near the edge of the pool. She placed her daggers on top of the pile so they would be within easy reach. She did this out of habit and not because of any current threat.

She eased her chilled and tired body into the water. Her toes tingled as the steaming water eased out the lingering cold. In the warmth, she could almost forget her frozen journey here. It was quiet and she relished the absence of the incessant howl of the wind, which had been her constant companion for the last two days. The water soothed her soul as well as her muscles. She relaxed in the warmth and became more than a little sleepy.

To wake up, she got out of the water and reached in one of her saddlebags to retrieve a stiff hairbrush and a bar of Dakra's homemade soap. She returned to the water and unbraided her hair. The loose curls floated on the water and coiled about her. It took her a while to brush the tangles out for she didn't want to pull too hard on her damp hair. When Flindra could slip the brush effortlessly through her hair, she rubbed the soap in until she had a rich lather. She then worked the lather next to her scalp and rubbed vigorously.

The scent of the soap brought back vivid memories of her mother and her home. Her Momma had scented the soap with juniper berries and sage. This combination had always been Flindra's favorite. Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought of the love and kindness she had always known.

"I hope you don't miss me too much," Flindra said aloud. She had become used to talking to herself during the long journey north.

"What did you say, my dear?" Kewero asked as she returned to the pool with a stack of clothes in her arms.

Flindra blushed with embarrassment. "I was only talking to myself," she explained sheepishly.

"Don't be embarrassed, Flindra. I've been alone for so many years that the only ears I've had to talk to have been my own. Now tell me what concerns you enough to talk to yourself about it."

"I'm worried about my family, especially Momma."

"Dakra is a good woman, strong and capable. The Spirit chose well when He selected her to be your mother. She will miss you and will worry about you - mothers always do, you know. We can help her though. I will teach you how to use your crystal to give a message to her dreams."

"I can do that?" she asked in surprise.

"That and much more. It takes a great deal of energy to establish the contact, so perhaps it would be better for you to wait until after you've rested."

"I would like to do it now, if I may. I would like to tell her that I've made it to you safely. Perhaps that will ease her worries."

Kewero smiled in understanding. "I'll show you how when you are finished with your bath. Do you mind if I keep you company? It's nice to hear your voice."

"I don't mind at all, Kewero."

Chapter VI, Reading 2

"How long have you lived here?"

Kewero laughed. "Too long, yet not long enough," she answered enigmatically. "Don't worry, little one," she added in response to Flindra's obvious confusion. "You'll have an answer to all your questions in time. Now is not the best time nor place to get too specific about things."

Flindra nodded her head in understanding. "I will hold my questions."

"Commit them to memory, little one, and ask them later. My sole purpose in this life is to be your teacher."

"I'll remember."

Beyond a turn in the valley, they came to a small, circular, tent-like dwelling. It was made of heavy hides supported by an interior frame. Flindra knew a moment of disappointment. She had hoped that Kewero would reside in a more substantial dwelling - one the wind couldn't blow through.

"This is a yurt," Kewero explained. "It is a typical dwelling of the nomads in these parts."

"I never realized people lived here in the Northern Reaches."

"The Ainaz have existed here since before the time of the Ancient Ones. They are hunters. They subsist on the herds of reindeer and the bounty of the sea. Most of the time they are concentrated along the coast or in sheltered valleys."

Flindra shook her head. "I've never heard of them."

"The Ainaz are a withdrawn people and have little contact with outsiders except for the few traders who venture this far north. One generally doesn't see them unless they want to be seen. They have finally come to accept me. I trade with them sometimes. Most recently, I acquired food for your horse from them."

They had reached the yurt and Flindra started to dismount.

"Stay in your saddle, Flindra," Kewero ordered softly. "We aren't through with our journey yet."

Her brow wrinkled with a question but she kept quiet.

Kewero tossed back the flap to the yurt and pulled the little, black horse inside. She closed the entrance and laced the hide in place. Finished, she once more took hold of the reins. "Drop your shield Flindra. You don't need it now and it makes it harder for me to open the door."

She immediately complied and willed Rigga's power nimbus to fade. She asked in a puzzled voice, "what door?"

"Metaphorically speaking, my dear. Now hush."

Kewero closed her eyes and became perfectly still. Her face lost all expression as she concentrated. Suddenly, a shimmering zone appeared before them in the center of the tent. She led Deru through the tremulous light.

Flindra experienced a momentary jolt as they passed through the shimmer. It was as if she had briefly touched the consciousness of life - everything that was alive, had lived, or would live. Then they were through and the sensation was only a memory.
They were in a vast chamber of an immense cave. There were numerous openings radiating out from this central chamber. A sourceless light radiating about them lent a hue of soft gold to the cave. Colors were warm and inviting.

Flindra dismounted and turned around to see where they had come from but saw nothing except the continuation of the cave. "How? Where are we?" she stammered as she looked back at Kewero.

Chapter VI, Reading 1

Flindra turned at the sound of the voice and saw an amazing looking woman smiling at her. She immediately recognized the woman as being Kewero - the face from the crystal sphere. Her face appeared softer and friendlier than it had in the crystal. She exhibited all the evidence of advanced age, but she also had an air of timelessness about her that was more noticeable than her age. She gave the impression that she was part of and as ageless as the world.

Kewero was a small women, at least a head shorter than Flindra. Her features were delicate and Flindra could still see evidence that she'd been beautiful in her youth. Age had added a thickening around her middle so she seemed very grandmotherly in appearance.

Her clothes were simple and devoid of decoration. Cloak, dress, and boots were all the color of freshly tilled soil. The hood of her cloak hid most of her hair. What did show was silvery-gray. There was amusement in her blue eyes and she seemed pleased to see Flindra studying her so carefully.

Flindra realized that she had been staring and blushed in embarrassment. "I am honored, Venerable One," she said as she bowed her head.

"Oh my, that is much too formal," she replied through a smile. "Please call me Kewero. My name holds all the respect I need."

"As you wish, Kewero."

"That's much better."

Kewero squinted as she looked at Flindra. "I see you are shielded. How did you discover how to use Rigga?"

"The image of King Meldh came to me in a dream after I was attacked by the An..."

"Do not speak that name out loud," she commanded emphatically as she interrupted Flindra with a raised hand. "They are capable of homing in on the speaker and causing great mischief. Names have great power so never speak the name of our enemy."

"Forgive me, Kewero," Flindra replied shyly. "I didn't know."

The stern aspect of the teacher yielded and the old woman smiled. "Forgive me for sounding so stern, child, but you were endangering yourself. You have much to learn but you must rest first. Come with me." As Kewero spoke she moved next to Deru and took hold of the reins below the bit.

She led them deeper into the valley. The walls of the valley became higher as they continued. Flindra finally had a break from the wind.

"Is it always windy here?" she ventured to ask.

"Most of the time. Around midsummer, things can be pleasant. The growing season is short in this region so everything has to blossom in the few short weeks it is possible. It is beautiful while it lasts."

Chapter V, Reading 5

The descent from the mountains was easy and Flindra soon found herself looking across the barren landscape of the Northern Reaches. This was a desolate land and there was very little vegetation. There were patchy grasses growing low to the ground with an occasional bent and tortured pine punctuating the horizon.

The crystal orb still prompted her to continue in a northeasterly direction through this bleak landscape. The wind still howled from the north so she had to keep her face turned down and to the side to escape the worst of the icy blast. Deru also carried his head to the side and she had to use the pressure of her legs to keep him going in the proper direction.

By late afternoon, Flindra had seen no signs of a dwelling. She had hoped she could have reached Kewero before nightfall. She wasn't looking forward to sleeping out in the open tonight. It was dangerous to stay out too long in this kind of cold and wind.
The numbing cold had gotten worse as the afternoon had progressed. Flindra wiggled her toes in her boots in an effort to keep them warm. Her bones ached from the daylong exposure to the frigid wind. She was aware that Deru also suffered in the cold. His steps were growing stiffer by the hour.

"If we don't stumble across the old woman soon we're going to have to seek shelter from this wind," Flindra said as she reached forward and stroked Deru's neck.

Darkness approached and it became very apparent they would not reach Kewero this day. Flindra needed to find wood for a fire and preferably some shelter from the wind. She finally found a tree that had been blown over. This would provide wood for her fire and a little protection from the wind.

Flindra loosened the girth of the saddle but left it on to give Deru some protection from the wind. The saddle would also keep the blankets from blowing off. She put the last of her grain in the feed bag, put it over his nose, and let him seek what shelter he could find from the north wind.

She took a small hatchet she'd kept tied behind the cantle and started chopping branches from the downed tree. When Flindra had enough to last her through the night she started to pick up the small pieces which had fallen to the ground for tinder to start the fire. She then carried the wood towards the bottom of the tree.

Chapter V, Reading 4

After several hours of struggling up the trail, they reached the base of the cliff. Now she could see the path led to an entrance of a narrow pass. A massive boulder nearly the size of a house stood in front of the entrance, which obscured the view of the pass from the trail below.

This defile sliced through the ridge and led to the top of the mountain. The slopes on either side of the trail rose steeply from the path and soon merged into rocky cliffs above. The steep cliffs rained rocks down the slope nearly blocking the trail in several places.

Flindra slackened her hold on the reins to make it easier for Deru to carefully pick his way along the talus-choked path. The rocks protruding above the drifted snow were coated with an ice crust for this pass lay within the perpetual shadows cast by the towering cliffs. The horse struggled with the uneven and slippery footing and stumbled several times.

"This isn't working," Flindra whispered and reined him to a stop. She glided from the saddle and gathered the reins in her hand. She slipped around him and began leading him up the treacherous trail to spare herself a potentially bone crushing fall. She was able to step around or over the worst of the icy spots and Deru was able to keep to his feet without her weight on his back.

While she walked, she concentrated on intensifying Rigga's power shield. There was something gloomy or somehow sinister about the shadowed pathway and she struggled to keep fear from edging into her thoughts.

"Guide my steps, dear Lord," she whispered and kept the knowledge of His presence close to her heart to leave no room for fear.

She was relieved when they finally reached the crest and emerged from the pass. The blast of the north wind peppered her face with blowing ice, but she could see the landscape around her location and felt more comfortable. The topography was vastly different on the north side of the mountain range. Here there were no steep slopes or rocky cliffs. Instead, there was a gradual decline in elevation until the slope intercepted the vast plain of the Northern Reaches. No enemy could remain hidden in this barren landscape.

This was the domain of the wind. The snow from the storm had blown away - had blown up the slope and had been deposited in tremendous snow cornices on the south side of the ridge. Lonely trees dotted the landscape on the northern slope. They did not grow straight but rather bent toward the ground seeking shelter from the wind. Branches only grew on the south half of the trees to minimize the effect of the prevailing north wind. Their roots clung fiercely to the ground to keep from being uprooted.

Flindra took out the crystal orb once more and checked the direction she needed to continue. The crystal glowed when pointed in a northeast direction, roughly perpendicular to the axis of the Greyfell Mountains. She mounted and continued onward.

Chapter V, Reading 3

The storm continued for two more days. When the sky finally cleared after the storm, the temperature dropped precipitously. Flindra was experienced enough with the weather to know the skies would remain cloudless for days after the passage of such a violent storm. She also knew the extreme cold would continue as long as the sky remained clear. The remainder of her journey to the Northern Reaches was going to be miserably difficult because of the frigid weather.

Flindra led Deru from the cave and began to put on the saddle. Her gloved fingers slowed her work and soon the snow creaked with the cold as Deru shifted his feet impatiently. The steam of his breath was freezing into frost on his muzzle. The white beard made him appear somewhat comical when he turned his head to nibble at her sleeve.

"I know, I know," she responded with a laugh. "I'll hurry it up."

Flindra was still chuckling at Deru, when she mounted. Once comfortable in the saddle, she invoked Rigga's shield. It was becoming much easier to focus her thoughts on the nimbus of the power shield. She then took the crystal sphere from her breast pocket. The orb glowed when pointed in an easterly direction. She slipped it back into her pocket and could feel its friendly warmth against her skin.

The going was difficult in the new snow. The wind had blown some areas clear of snow and had piled up massive drifts in others. Progress through the drifts was difficult. The drifted snow had a crust on the surface that was just firm enough to support Deru's weight for a moment and then his hard hooves would break through. Deru ended up moving in hops - almost like a rabbit. Flindra tried to avoid the drifts by going around them when possible, which made for a slow traverse across the slope.

They finally intercepted a game trail within a mile of the cave. The crystal directed Flindra to turn north along this pathway. This way was more or less sheltered by a rock ridge so the snow was less drifted here. The surface of the snow was also softer and thus made it a little easier to traverse for Deru was spared the work of breaking through the hard crust of the drifted snow.

As they worked their way up the slope, the trees around them thinned in number as they climbed in elevation. The few trees, which managed to hang on to existence were gnarled and twisted into fantastic shapes. Only the hardiest plants and animals could survive here.

Flindra looked up the mountain and couldn't imagine where the path led. The way up and over the mountain appeared to be blocked by a continuous cliff, which loomed above her. However, she could feel the warmth of the orb in her pocket, which meant she was moving in the correct direction. She remembered King Meldh's words in her dream and trusted the crystal orb to lead her safely to Kewero.