This story begins in 1695, somewhere in Asia, eight years after Beldren's story.

***

"Open your eyes."

The words were a command he obeyed. The room was blurry and he blinked to bring it into focus. Dark shadows were held back by the light of a single candle. The furniture was sparse; a bed, a table, a chipped wash basin. He knew the names of the items, but not where they'd come from. There was no familiarity in the scarred wooden walls or floor. ...