He considered what it had cost the Siyee to be able to take to the sky, and suddenly it hurt to watch her. It was not the only pain he felt, but emptiness, as if the last of his hopes were draining out of him. No matter how disillusioned with her life Auraya might become, nothing would ever lure her away from this.

She was grinning widely, all her attention on the acrobatics she was performing, albeit slowly.

“Leiard!” She had noticed him. “Look what I can do!” she called. She turned another loop. Her circ flared and he noticed she was wearing trousers beneath it rather than the usual long tunic. No doubt the latter had proved awkward to fly in—at least with any dignity.

He couldn’t help smiling. The childlike glee in her voice reminded him of the girl she had been. Her gaze shifted past him and her grin relaxed into a smile. She swooped down and he turned to watch as she dropped to the roof.

A priest was walking toward them. The man had a dignified bearing, but wore an expression of friendly concern. There was something familiar about him.

It’s him, the voice in the back of Leiard’s mind said.

Who? Leiard asked. No answer came, but he didn’t need one. This priest’s circ was plain, and there was only one White he hadn’t met.

“Juran,” Auraya said. “This is Dreamweaver Leiard. Leiard, this is Juran of the White.”

A memory flashed into Leiard’s mind of Juran’s face set with determination. With it came a surge of fear. Leiard managed to suppress it. There was no getting out of this meeting. Juran has no reason to harm me, he told himself.

The White frowned, no doubt catching Leiard’s thoughts, but then his face relaxed.

“Dreamweaver Adviser Leiard,” he said. “It is a pleasure to meet you at last. Thank you for your help with the Somreyan alliance. Auraya and Mairae tell me your assistance was invaluable.”

Leiard inclined his head in reply. “It was a pleasure to assist them.” He glanced at Auraya. “And it appears the gods are pleased with Auraya’s efforts.”

Juran smiled. “They could have warned us,” he said ruefully, but with no hint of reproach. His expression became serious again. “Auraya has told me about link memories. She says you have many of Mirar’s.”

Auraya’s smile disappeared. She frowned at Leiard in concern.

“It is so,” Leiard replied. “I have no idea where or from whom I picked them up. It had been many years since I participated in a memory link.”

Juran nodded. “How recent are these memories?”

“They are fragmentary,” Leiard replied truthfully. “It is hard to know what time they relate to. Some are old, as the landmarks within them are not as affected by time. Sometimes it is impossible to tell.”