Once on the other side she began to run downhill, dis- regarding the water that ran from her pants and boots. The sky was a glory of pink and gold. It dimmed and the strengthening breeze was chill against her damp clothes. She shivered.

How tired I am. Surely it can't be much further?

The passion that had filled her and sent her headlong from Ark One was gone. She was cold and frightened. And it was getting dark.

“What am I doing here? Who has brought me?”

The forest did not answer. Somewhere over to her right the river chuckled softly, as if at some secret jest. She stopped, bewildered, and the Initiator's footsteps crunched on dead leaves behind her.

“Which way now, Ruth?”

“I don't know. You shouldn't have come. I'm lost. I don't know what I'm doing here.”

“Hush. Don't panic. It'll be all right. Maybe we'd better stop here and rest till morning.”

Ruth's shoulders slumped. “I suppose…” Then she stiffened. “Over there, between the trees. A light. Oh, I was right after all.”

She ran, her hands in front of her to protect her face. She bumped into trees, branches caught her clothes and hair. It didn't matter. She was going home towards the soft glow that was like a second sunset, but down there, in the cast. She ran clear out of the trees and into the firelit glade before she could stop herself.

Shadows came together and scattered, resolving themselves into a group of strange - but not entirely strange - people. Their hair was long, they were dressed in furs, with their arms and legs bare. They had the look of people accustomed to the sun and wind.

She stood still and stared at them.

“Not a slave,” a voice said.

“Nor a Lady. Look at her hair.”

“And the clothes. The clothes of a stranger.”

“Is that possible?”

The voices were not frightening, and Ruth did not draw back when they reached out to pull her close to the firelight. Many hands reached out curiously to touch her hair, her face, her clothes.

“My name is Ruth.” Her voice was actually steady. “I come from…” She hesitated. What was this talk of slaves and ladies? For the sake of the others she had better be careful, at least until she knew more. “I come from over the hills, to the west. A ten days' journey.”

There were exclamations of astonishment, and then a man stepped forward from the crowd. He had a good face, she thought, despite his shaggy hair and weather beaten look and the knife worn at his belt. “Why did you come?''

The question hung in the air. It was not one she could evade, but how could she possibly expect these people to understand or believe her tale of Esper powers and dreams? A little of the truth, perhaps.

“I think I was called. I am to meet someone.”

“Who? Give us a name.”