Taroniah is happy to be home in Alcitran finally, even if keeping up with demand for leaf springs and pipes keeps her busy. In the southwest, the adherents of a new faith are proving to be troublesome with their plans for expansion. Korlah sets a wedding date, but heading to the wedding means Taroniah has to leave two new and largely untried magicians in charge of her enterprises for several weeks, which is a considerable risk. A few days before the wedding, the Goddess Davina pays Taroniah a visit and tells her about a dragon entombed in a frozen lake and how Taroniah is the only one powerful enough to deal with it!