While the ruler of the ancient city of Ombria lay dying, his mistress, frozen out of the room by the black stare of Domina Pearl, drifted like a bird on a wave until she bumped through Kyel Greve's unguarded door to his bed, where he was playing with his puppets.

She forgot about that, too, as she watched the familiar streets flow past and the tavern signs change like playing cards, until time dealt her the Rose and Thorn and she saw, through the open door, her father's smiling face.