Wad pulled her closer to him as he half-rose from the floor. He kissed her lightly and then sat beside her on the bed. “Yes,” he said. “I loved this face once, and these hands. And then, another time, later, I loved this heart and mind, though they wore a different face.”

“You never gave up on me,” said Anonoei.

“No lies,” said Wad. “I didn’t understand at all what was going on here. I kept such close vigil because I was afraid that Bexoi would suddenly wake up and begin killing all the wrong people. I didn’t even believe your son when he told me that you weren’t dead.”

“I mean,” said Anonoei, “that you were willing to believe that I was here after all.”

Wad shook his head. “Danny showed me where you were. I saw what he was doing, and I saw you learn from him. I never really understood till now how we connected with our bodies.”

“You still don’t,” said Danny.

“But I’m closer,” said Wad. “I saw Anonoei take true possession, because the body gave itself to her.”

“This is the last time,” said Anonoei. “The last time you can say who I am and call me by my own name.”

“I know,” said Wad.

“From now on, I have to answer to her name.” Then she realized something else. “I’ll have all her enemies.”

“Not all,” said Wad. “You will have, as your friend, her worst enemy.” And he bowed his head with false modesty.

Anonoei wanted to kiss him, as a lover this time. But then she realized: “I have to be faithful to Prayard.”

“And it’s about time I was his faithful friend and subject, too,” said Wad. “I won’t offer, and you won’t ask. Friends now, and nothing more than that.”

“And nothing less.” Anonoei kissed him again—not long, but not too briefly, either. “After your long vigil, Wad, will you be kind enough to go invite my husband to come and welcome me to the land of the living?”

Wad looked at Danny, and Anonoei could see that Wad was asking permission, or so it seemed.

“We’ll talk about it after you’ve brought Prayard here,” said Danny.

“I can’t explain you to him,” said Wad.

“Gatemages don’t have to explain anything,” said Danny with mild amusement. “But I’ll wait somewhere else. What about returning to Ced? I want to talk with him, too.”

“You know where he is?” asked Wad. And then: “Of course you do. The gate marks him.”

“Don’t worry. Set is not here. You know that now.”

“When This One came,” said Wad. “I could see everybody’s ka as bright as fire. Set wasn’t here. And neither was Danny North, though when This One arrived, I knew exactly where you were, and how many billion leagues away.”