She stood up and stepped toward me. "You are are something greater. You hold the secret to Vrin in your very existence. We thought the people of this world were dreams, but you are now a part of the dream." something greater. You hold the secret to Vrin in your very existence. We thought the people of this world were dreams, but you are now a part of the dream."

Her words echoed in my mind. A part of the dream. A part of the dream. I was no longer in Sam' Dejal. I was Charm. I had all of his memories, every detail of a life lived here in this computer generated world. Had I entered the computer, or were the people of Vrin real? I remembered the soldier sitting on his helmet. His concern for his brother showed complex human emotion. A program capable of that kind of complexity was impossible, as far as I was aware, and yet every inhabitant of Vrin apparently possessed a similar set of programming instructions. I was no longer in Sam' Dejal. I was Charm. I had all of his memories, every detail of a life lived here in this computer generated world. Had I entered the computer, or were the people of Vrin real? I remembered the soldier sitting on his helmet. His concern for his brother showed complex human emotion. A program capable of that kind of complexity was impossible, as far as I was aware, and yet every inhabitant of Vrin apparently possessed a similar set of programming instructions. Did I enter the program? Or were the people of Vrin real? Did I enter the program? Or were the people of Vrin real?

Kitaya was close. Yet her words were distant. "Vrin is real, Jason, and you you are the key." are the key."

The key. I was the key. I was not from Vrin, and yet here I stood. Was I from both places? When I was Sam' Dejal, Charm was frozen. Frozen over the book. I was the key. I was not from Vrin, and yet here I stood. Was I from both places? When I was Sam' Dejal, Charm was frozen. Frozen over the book.

"The book!"

Kitaya jumped.

I ran to the case, which held the Book of Reason, and threw open the lid. The scroll sparkled on the rose felt cushion. I s.n.a.t.c.hed it up and unrolled it.

"What is it?" said Kitaya, peering over my shoulder.

"I have studied these scrolls a million times. I know every inch of this parchment. There." I pointed. "There it is!" I could hardly believe my eyes as I read, "'Then the voice of the one true G.o.d spoke to the people, from the world in dreams beyond the darkness, and their eyes were opened. No longer did they sleep, for they knew all that G.o.d had created them to be.' That's IT!" IT!"

"What?"

I turned toward Kitaya. "The people of Vrin are are real. real. This This is the world in dreams beyond the darkness!" is the world in dreams beyond the darkness!"

She squinted at me. "I am not following you."

"I don't understand how, but it's the only thing that makes sense. When I was trapped in Rath's fortress, I was rescued. I was told I would be taken home, but I'm still here. I couldn't understand why I returned to Charm when I should have gone back to my body-- the one lying in a coma where Doctor Solomon is. But I must have awakened, and then returned to Vrin through sleep! This verse indicates a world in dream beyond the darkness. If the void is the darkness, then that would indicate that Vrin is some form of shared dream state."

"I thought Vrin was in the computer."

"Vrin is a computer program, program, but somehow I am able to enter Vrin without being connected to the computer, and it has something to do with dreams." but somehow I am able to enter Vrin without being connected to the computer, and it has something to do with dreams."

"How?"

"I don't know-- but it's very very intriguing." intriguing."

She smiled, then frowned. "That is all very interesting, but does that scroll mention anything about how to stop Gaza?"

I thought for a moment, then lifted a finger. "Yes, I believe it does."

I unrolled the scroll again, and read. "In those the last days, G.o.d rose up the prophet Tardin, who having the secret to The Circle, turned the tide of darkness. And G.o.d banished Kric' tu with Rath in flames."

Her eyebrows rose. "Are you you the prophet Tardin?" the prophet Tardin?"

I looked at her with wide eyes. "Apparently, and as long as this verse remains unchanged, I will learn the secret of The Circle, which will turn the tide of darkness.

"The secret secret to The Circle?" to The Circle?"

"Yes. Which means I will have to travel to see my friend Arganis. The wizard."

"May I join you?"

"Yes." I put the scroll back in its case. "But first I need to speak with Sajin."

"Then I will go check on the others and return when you call for me." She placed a thread delicately on my neck.

"Kitaya?"

"Yes, Jason?"

"You cannot reveal my ident.i.ty to anyone."

"I won't," she said, slipping her arms around me. She placed her head against my chest. "I am glad you are alive."

The energy engulfed me, and I found myself standing on the bottom floor of the capital building, hugging thin air. I was mildly embarra.s.sed, but recovered quickly.

"Charm!" It was the voice of Sajin. I turned and saw him walking up the stone corridor toward me. "Where is Kitaya?"

"She had other business."

"That is unfortunate. The council decided to allow her request."

"She will be glad to hear that."

"Do you have a moment?" He gestured toward his office.

"I do."

"I still have questions."

Sajin's office was not nearly as royal or regal as the other council members'. He was a man of the people, and as such, kept his office comfortable and simple. I walked over to the tall narrow window looking out over the many gardens of the capital building.

"Would you like a drink?" he offered.

"Juice would be well received. I can barely remember the last time I ate or drank."

Sajin popped the cork from a bottle of raspberry juice and gave me a pensive look. "So tell me, Charm. What was it like being a G.o.d?"

"Have you told the others?" I continued to look out the window.

"No, and I don't think they would believe me anyway."

"It's imperative that you do not." I turned back toward him. "It would place my life in danger."

"Yes, I am aware of the ramifications."

"You were always the wise one."

"Here." He handed me the juice and gestured to his black leather couch. "I have many questions, as I'm sure you are aware."

"I don't think you will like the answers, but I will give them."

"Fair enough."

I took a sip from my drink.

"So everything we believe is a lie. Would that be a fair a.s.sumption?"

"That would be an unfair a.s.sumption."

He gave me a curious glance.

"We a.s.sumed a great many things. We a.s.sumed the G.o.ds would be all knowing and all powerful, and we a.s.sumed Davata Notrals was not for us. But as it turns out, things are progressing as they should."

"Really." He sounded sarcastic.

"The Marathil says the G.o.ds will deliver us to Ethral, well, that is a half truth. They are not G.o.ds, but they have already begun to band together to destroy the evil of chaos. I don't truly know how it all fits together, but whoever inspired the writing of the Marathil knew future events, because they are unfolding just as the book describes. And Davata Notrals is even more amazing, because it describes events here as well as places beyond here."

"I'm no sky searcher, Charm, but even I see inconsistencies."

"Because you do not have the whole picture."

There was a knock on the door and Sajin let out a sigh. The annoyance was clear in the firm lines of his face. He went to the door and opened it. "What!" "What!"

I heard m.u.f.fled words from the other side. Sajin's eyes widened. "Send her in," he said, then turned to look at me. "You're not going to like this."

An older lady appeared in the doorway. Her skin was deep brown, her eyes as dark as coal. "Thank you, young man," she said, gently closing the door behind her. Turning, she gave each of us a look, then stated smoothly, "Gentlemen, I'm Hazel Brown."

CHAPTER 23.

HAZEL.

001001011001110.

"Welcome, Hazel." Sajin looked intently at her, then back at me. "The guard says you know who who Charm is?" Charm is?"

I felt a shiver run down my spine.

"A lot of people know who Charm is," he continued. "He is very well known."

She gave him a scowl. "The fact you allowed me in, proves what I know is true." She turned to me. "And no, I ain't told no one you Sam' Dejal. Sajin figured 'cause I said I know who who you are, I probably know other stuff I shouldn't." you are, I probably know other stuff I shouldn't."

Sajin began to speak, but Hazel cut him of.

"I s'pose you gonna go on with some crazy notion about how you have no idea what I'm talkin' about. Well save it."

Sajin shot me a glance.

I stood, and chose my words carefully. "Hazel. Did you come just to tell me you know who I am, am, or, do you have something else to share?" or, do you have something else to share?"

She looked at me tenderly. "Charm, I think Doc Solomon may be dead."

I stared at her. "What? How.. Why do you think he's dead?"

Sajin stepped forward. "What's going on, Charm? Who's Doctor Solomon?"

"Hold on." I held up my hand. "Hazel, why do you think Solomon is dead?"

"'Cause we was talkin' on the phone, and it went dead."

"Wait a second. You spoke with Solomon-- through the threads?"

"Heaven's no. We talk when I'm awake, on Earth.

Sajin's expression reflected utter confusion.

"Earth?" I said, "I don't understand." I said, "I don't understand."

She leveled her eyes at me. "I can remember." can remember."

I squinted at her. "Who are are you?" you?"

"Hazel Brown." She put her hands on her hips. "I already tol' you that. And now I'm tryin' to tell you I remember stuff. You see, I have a condition that makes my brain all wrong, it makes me remember stuff I wish I didn't have to. Here, there, awake, asleep. I remember it all."

I let this information sink in a moment. "You, remember remember the world the world outside outside Vrin? Where Solomon is?" Vrin? Where Solomon is?"

"Yeah. It's kinda weird really."

"Wait. How do you even know Doctor Solomon?"

"We been talkin' for some time now, watchin' you. And he said one of the ten woke up. So I checked with my sources here in Vrin, and sure enough, you awake.

Again I stared at her. "What?" "What?"

"There was only four of ya. It's pretty easy to figure. One's awake, the others all still frozen like a cube a ice."

"So, there are others frozen?"

"Yep. Took me some time to find 'em all. Near's I can tell, there's three others. I pieced it together. I know one of the patients woke up, so I goes and sees if any of the ice cubes awake, cause I need me a name. The book tells me stuff, but I need to tell it stuff."

Sajin and I looked at each other. This was getting weirder by the second. "And what book book would that be?" would that be?"

"Davata Notrals. It tells me stuff. It knows what's gonna happen. It changes in here, but it don't don't change out there." change out there."

"Davata Notrals, tells you stuff," I said flatly.