When little Momus suffers a simple upset stomach, Julian seeks out the assistance of Acantha, an herbalist with a shop in the Empyrean quarter–and Acantha is quite taken aback by the handsome darkling visiting her shop.
On his first practice at actual flight — a feat he hasn’t achieved since he was a youth — Julian’s efforts are witnessed by a mysterious Empyrean woman.
On his second attempt at flying practice, Julian scrapes himself up with another bad landing–witnessed by the Varati woman Sarasvati, who promptly gives him aid, an opportunity to take his ease amongst the Rommish clan camped outside Haven, and a bit of a shock when she reads his palm.
Once more practicing his rusty skills of flight, Julian has a second encounter with the nameless Empyrean woman he’d met on one of his earlier attempts, and discovers not only that she seems strangely sympathetic to his plight… but that she may well also be a mage.
A third encounter with the mysterious Empyrean woman he’s met before — but this time, in the middle of night-time exercises with his people to test his speed and strength, Julian’s apparently self-elected guardian angel winds up revealing to him at last the beginnings of things they well may have in common… as well as who she is.