"Honored Nepthas, I beg of you, help us! My daughter is ill!"

Nepthas, the most renowned (and costly) healer in the city of D`eshkar stood in the main square and stared in disbelief at the effrontery of the man who had stopped him by daring to grab at his arm.

"Unhand me, at once! I am on my way to see a patient and every moment you detain me is another moment Lord Uthal lies in unspeakable agony!"

"Lord Uthal! All of D`eshkar knows he's spent one night too many in the pleasure houses and caught a pox! My daughter…" The man released his grip and his voice took on that pleading tone Nepthas had heard for all his years as healer. "My Nila is only eight years old. She started having fits this morning, and the healers I summoned say they do not know why. Please, Honored Nepthas, I beg you, help us."

Nepthas looked closer at the man. He was slightly shorter than the healer, but he was clean, his clothes were neat and he carried himself well. At least he was not dealing with an impoverished father here. "What is your name, sir?"

"Ithrip the Glazier, Honored One. My house is a short walk away on the Street of Glassblowers. If we hurry we can be there in a few minutes."

Pity, thought Nepthas. Not as much money to be had here as I' ll get from treating Uthal. And Uthal will not be wise enough to change his ways; I foresee more visits to his mansion. He held up one hand to stop Ithrip from launching into another stream of words. "I must tend to Lord Uthal first but I will be at your house in one hour." He reached into his healers bag, took out a small packet of powder and handed it to the glazier. "This is a soporific. It will calm her and lessen the seizures Mix it with a little wine and give it to her at once."

Ithrip gave a despairing look at the healer, but then nodded. "You promise you will come?"

"One hour, I assure you. Come now man, all will be well. It's only an hour." Nepthas didn't wait for a reply. Instead he turned and walked away as quickly as possible, before the frantic tradesman could stop him.

Nepthas kept his word. It was precisely an hour later that he approached the home of Ithrip, who, it turned out, was the Master of the Glassblower's Guild. But the wailing of women from inside the white walls brought him to a halt. There, at the gate, stood the father, his face deathly pale. Ithrip said nothing. His eyes seemed to burn through Nepthas as he slowly shut the gate in the healer's face.

He stood there for a few seconds, then with a shrug, turned and walked back the Street of Glassblowers. For a few days the incident nagged at him slightly. But Nepthas was a busy man, his services much in demand, and Lord Uthal's patronage made him even busier.

In time, the memory faded.

Three years passed. Nepthas had found his needs had outgrown the small house in which he had begun his practice. He had several apprentices now, and the class of patients who most often demanded his attention would not venture willingly into this part of D`eshkar. No, he needed a new building, and with the help of Lord Uthal, he found it. It was an older building in the same neighborhood as most of his wealthier visitors, a bit run down and in need of repairs, but the healer had more than enough money to hire the best craftsmen. A few weeks after the sale, Nepthas the Healer moved into his new home.

One of the craftsman, a short fellow with a heavy beard, awaited him just inside the entranceway and greeted him with a deep, respectful bow. "If you will follow me, Healer Nepthas, I will show you the modifications that we have made according to your specifications. We hope it meets with your approval."

Nepthas was more than happy. The apprentices had ample quarters, and the rooms that would be used for examining patients and entertaining guests were large, airy, and well lit by glassed windows. Finally, the craftsman led him to a door which opened onto a narrow flight of stairs leading down below the main floor.

"Why are we going down here?"

"I wish to show you how the baths above will be heated. We are very proud of this." The man led him into a short corridor, and at its end, opened a door. As he had at every room before, he waited for Nepthas to enter first.

"It's very bright in here, isn't it? Nepthas turned to look at his guide, then frowned as he saw only a shut door. A turn at the knob told the healer he was locked in. "Hello! Let me out! " He looked about for the source of the bright light, then uttered an exclamation of surprise. Three of the walls were glass, giving him a view of the small enclosed garden he had wanted for privacy. He turned back to the door, pounding on it with the flat of his hand. "Hello! Do you have the key?"

There was a sound as if something was being dragged over to the door and then a small panel on it slightly above Nepthas' head opened. The workman looked through; he'd have had to drag something over to stand on to look inside. "I'm afraid not. The man who oversaw the construction has it. But he's at another worksite and it will take a little while for me to fetch him back."

"Well hurry, man! How could you be so stupid? What is your name? I will report this to your guild!"

"My name, Honored Nepthas, is Ithrip. We've met before, don't you recall?" The eyes in the slit glanced up to the ceiling over Neptha's head, and the healer heard a creak as a small opening appeared. "Nila's father?"

Nepthas found himself angry. "Ithrip, open this door this instant! This is not funny!"

"No, no it isn't. Neither was the death of my daughter. But I will fetch the key, as quickly as I can."

Something was falling on Nepthas' head, something light and fine. He looked up again, then paled as he saw a trickle of sand falling through the ceiling. Even as he watched the flow became thicker, faster. "Ithrip!"

There was a cold laugh from the other side of the door. Then Ithrip the Glazier, Master of the Glassblowers' Guild, and above all the father of a little girl named Nila, threw back at Nepthas the words the healer had said in the main square three years ago, "One hour, I assure you. Come now man, all will be well."

The sand was falling faster now and covering the floor inside the glass walled room.

"It's only an hour."