In his tastefully decorated home some miles away, Dr. Ethan Monroe, also known as the Geomancer, pulls a lasagna from the oven and carries the bubbling dish to the table, placing it squarely on the pot holders laid there. There are two places set at the table: two plates, two glasses - one filled with wine, two forks, two cloth napkins.
As he sits down, Ethan looks at the empty place, and his smile fades. He pushes his plate away and picks up the glass of wine, draining it just a few gulps.
"I miss you, Emily."
Ethan doesn't realize he just spoke without rhyming. That odd psychological compulsion, gained in the same accident that transformed him and killed his wife, sometimes lapsed when Ethan was alone.
And then the calls come in. Ethan puts on a brave face, including a smile, but feels neither brave nor cheerful at the moment.
"Whether spring, summer, winter, or fall:
Geomancer stands ready to answer the call!"