•In the gray morning light, the room looked bleaker and less protective than it had in the close firelight of the night before. Caliban reached for a fresh piece of firewood and with it began to gently prod the coals. Behind him, he heard the curtain move, and Sophia abruptly cautioned him, “Be careful! Don’t put out the coals.” •She crossed the short distance in a rush and went down on one knee before the hearth. In Greek, she spoke a singsong prayer and sprinkled ashes across the stones. She formed a symbol, the Greek letter “A”, on the hearth, then with a gentle sweep; she cleared the old ash onto a cloth.