Harnell sat on one of the couches, a rainbow of neatly tied threads spread out beside her. She was embroidering an elaborate geometric band around the edge of a sleeve.

Connie looked down at the handwork, "That's beautiful. You're so talented. Is this what you normally do in the evenings?"

"I do many things. Right now, I take care of you."

"But if I weren't here, what would you do?"

"I might go to the sewing place in town. Or one of the night spots. People are practicing for Brodurne."

She held up the garment she was working on, "This is for Brodurne."

"I'd like to know about - all of that. Your sewing place, the night spots. Are they like our bars? Do people drink alcohol? And what's Brodurne? I keep hearing people saying that word."

Harnell sighed, "I can't cover all that in one night."

"How about starting with Brodurne?"

"Okay. Brodurne is a convening. An important one."

"A convening?"

"It's when people from different communities get together to do sharing and enjoy themselves. We talk about what needs to be done, who wants to go where, many things. The most frequent convenings are with the communities in our domain, Crustic, and they last for a week, a few times a year.

The bigger ones don't happen as often, and they last longer. The biggest is the Gallin, or worldwide convening. That happens every 10 years, only a few go from each domain. Rennish went, the time before the last one and was chosen for Gallin Council. A very large honor. She travelled with Arden. As I'm sure you know."

Connie nodded like she knew, but didn't. And wondered what that meant for her current situation. She wanted to know about Gallin Council but would wait and maybe ask Tessa.

"And Brodurne?"

"You could call it a medium sized convening. They happen every two years. We have three domains on Herlie – that's Ireland to you. The location of the Brodurne rotates through the three domains. This time, it's here, at Crustic's convening grounds, a few days from now."

"I'm sorry to be so ignorant, Harnell. Crustic? I thought we were in Ladore?"

"We won't get very far tonight at this rate," Harnell snapped. "We are in Ladore. That's our community. Crustic is our domain. There are six communities in Crustic, each has maybe eight or ten thousand people. Our Crustic communities hold convenings three times a year. Which means we know each other well and frequently move back and forth between our communities."

"Where do you convene, in town?"

"I forget. You haven't even been to town yet. Here, I'll show you." She picked up several hanks of embroidery thread. Leaning over the low table in front of her, using six of the hanks, she created a wide circle placing them several inches apart. "These are the Crustic communities." She put a seventh hank in the middle. "Our convening grounds. They are also a transfer hub for the communities and to the other domains on Herlie. Fast-trails run between the communities and the convening grounds. Like spokes on a wheel. And then more fast trails connect to the convening grounds of the other two domains on Herlie – your Ireland."

Connie sat mutely, absorbing how very little she knew about Dahria and how impossible it felt to ever be able to find Arden. "I'd like to see the town and the convening grounds. Can you take me? I'll pretend to do and say and be whatever you want."

"I don't know."

"Can you find out? Ask Rennish. Or I'll ask her."

Harnell looked uncomfortable. "Let me."

"Can I ask you just a couple of more things?"

"I guess."

"The convenings. What are they like? What happens at them?"

The change in topic eased Harnell a little, "Everything. Stories, songs, dancing, a beautiful market with food, handwork trading, knowledge sharing, sporting games. Learning trips organized." She grinned, "And romance blooms, as you say."

"It sounds like fun. Like a county fair but better."

"They're very serious, too. Because the councils convene."

"Is that like government?"

"I suppose, though I don't understand a lot about how things work on Earthside. And not every domain is organized as well as Crustic. Though Rennish says she saw many domains that had similar ways when she was on Gallin Council. Arden didn't tell you any of this?"

"We didn't have a lot of time."

The door from the entrance hall opened and a young woman strode in, sleek and tightly sprung as a racing greyhound. She spoke sharply to Harnell in dialect. Then turned to Connie, "Our little lost Earthside friend. I'm Gristig."

Connie recognized the voice and remembered the name. She was the signaler who met up with James when Connie was hiding near the Ireland passage. She had wondered when Gristig might show up.

Putting on her best smile, Connie said, "Yes, I guess you could say I'm a little lost but I'm happy to be here. I'm Connie." She stood up to shake hands with Gristig who first stared at Connie's hand, then laughed.

"I sometimes forget Earthside customs when I'm back in Dahria." She shook Connie's hand and looked at Connie's eyes. "A signaler from Earthside. Who knew that was possible? Arden's seed must be powerful." She smirked.

Connie saw that Gristig's heterochromia was as pronounced as hers.

"Harnell was explaining about the convenings. I have a lot to learn. I understand there's a big one coming up soon."

"Brodurne. Yes, and this one is particularly important," Gristig raised her eyebrows to Harnell.

"Why is that?" Connie asked.

"Nothing for you to worry about. Connie, I hope you don't mind, but I need to speak with Harnell about some matters and it will be easier in dialect."

"Of course. I was planning on going to bed soon anyway. I want to get an early start tomorrow."

Connie shut the door to her room and pulled down the shade as Harnell had shown her.

She'd somewhat acclimated to Harnell and Fanik's cool grumpiness, but Gristig's open hostility and superiority hit her hard. She slowly worked her way through a routine of yoga poses, trying to settle her mind.

When Connie was done, she sat cross-legged, closed her eyes, and carefully walked through the message clues Peter conveyed during their Go game. Colonel Mustard Strategy, Cape Strategy, 'E' and 'S.' Her mind relaxed and she remembered that the Cape Strategy came at the end, that it was the Mustard, not Colonel Mustard and his slightly odd pronunciation of 'mustard,' tapping on the first syllable Must-ard, E, S Cape. Escape. Must escape.

Connie slumped. That must be it. They had to leave, but how could they with Peter so weak? And where would they go?