There was a peacefulness about him that night. I had the feeling that, while away, he had done something that was deeply important to him, and now his soul rested. I wished mine would. He sensed my unease, and looked at me sideways, with a slow smile. His furs formed soft shadows about his bronze skin, and his own sacred sign glimmered gold on his dark clothes. His eyes were the colour of flame.

“Hold out your hand, Elsha,” he said.

I did, palm down, my fingers spread and trembling. He held out his hand palm down, beside mine. His was as steady as a rock, and strong. Our little fingers almost touched. Slowly, to my amazement, he moved his hand over mine and held it. I felt a tingling in my hand, a power, deep and warm and awesome, like a healing. And with it came peace.

“For each of his children God has a dream,” he said. “It is the highest dream, the perfect road for us, the purpose for which we were born. And that dream for you was given also to me, Elsha. In a dream I was told of you, and of the place where you lived. It was a vivid image that I had, and it was not wrong. I dreamed of a female of the Quelled who would be high in this land of ours, and who would show all the people that the Quelled are not without minds or souls. I dreamed that by her life the Chosen would be made to see a new truth, a new way. I do not know what that way will be. I only know that they see you, and you open their eyes and tear down the walls in their minds. One day perhaps, because of you, the lives of the Quelled will be lifted up and eased. This is your true road, Elsha, your destiny. This, and nothing else.”

“And that is why you chose me, lord, for handmaid?”

“That is why.”

He smiled, and we said nothing for a while. We sat there a long time, our hands joined. At last I asked, haltingly, “Lord, was there any more in your dream?”

He unlinked our hands, and smiled again, and looked into the fire. “What more could you want, Elsha?” he asked.

I bent my head, and said nothing. But I put my hand in my pocket and drew out my woman-stone. It lay heavy on my palm, and I felt the firestone power humming in my skin, murmuring along my arm and running warm into my heart. And guilt, too, ran warm. Too warm.

He knew, and he asked quietly, “What did you do in this place, handmaid, while I was gone?”

I put away the woman-stone, looked into the fire, and swallowed nervously. “I stayed with the Quelled, Lord.”

“And their tents were more honourable than this house?”

“Yes, lord.”

“I am sorry I did not choose more wisely for you. I commanded them to treat you well here. I believed they would. The world is more stubborn than I had thought.”