Wynona, having parted ways with Roho, visits the Guild Hall in Babel, and witnesses a mishap as a caracal Khatta apprentice named Jamais loses several letters to the wind. She tries to assist, but draws the attention of a threesome of unfriendly weasels (one a journeyman, two senior apprentices) who decide to play games with the apprentice. When it appears one of the spellcasters is going to summon a flame (for unknown purposes), Wynona attempts some magic of her own, but the effort is wasted, and the caracal blames Wynona for his misfortune.

In a huff, Wynona throws down the papers she's collected and heads on into the Guild Hall, where she meets Master Eferee, a loon Wimmer. She speaks of her time in Ashdod to Eferee, and makes a request for some assistance to be seen to Zahirinee to undo the damage she did to his pool … and is present when the same apprentice comes in to deliver the mail. Eferee, however, defuses the situation, and it looks as if arrangements will be made to see Wynona back to Rephidim and the College Esoterica.