Ainen set the bowl at the foot of the Door an hour after sunrise.
It was the same as last time. A plain wooden bowl, stew and a heel of bread, set on the frosted grass where the light fell. He knelt beside it and took out the brown orb.
Open Door.
"It's me," he said into the light. "I'm sorry to call you up again so soon. We need to ask you something."
Almond stood behind him with Lily. Big D was there, and Corvin, and the Emperor, and the Sovereign of Voidmere in her violet shawl. Most of the ring had come to watch. Nobody spoke.
The light on the Door flickered.
The small gold thing came out of it at a walk. It was the size of a fox, as before, part animal and part flame. But it did not flicker now. It was solid and bright, and it walked across the grass like something that had slept well.
It bent its head to the bowl and ate. Then it looked up at Ainen with its one old eye.
"Host," it said. Its voice was still small, but it was clear. "You are well."
