Auraya concentrated on the sense of the world around her and her position in relation to it. Drawing magic, she moved herself upward, increasing her speed until the wall of the Tower rushed past. In the windows she glimpsed faces. The Siyee did not notice her approach until she was almost upon them. Startled, they swooped away.

Slowing to a stop, she held herself suspended in the air and watched as they began to circle her at a distance. From this close she could see that all she’d been told of the Siyee was wrong. Except what Leiard had told her, she corrected herself.

They looked like children. It was not just their small size though, but that their heads seemed large in proportion to their bodies. Their chests were broad but their arms were wiry and muscular. Their wings were not feathered or attached to their backs, as legend told. Their arms were their wings: the bones of their fingers were elongated and formed the framework for a translucent membrane that stretched from fingertip to torso.

The armholes of the vests they wore extended to their hips to allow room for their wings. Slim-fitting trousers made of the same rough cloth as their vests covered their lower halves, and thin straps bound the cloth close to their legs.

As the two circled closer, she noted finer details. The last three fingers of each hand formed the wings, leaving the forefinger and thumb free. She found herself unable to decide if they were beautiful or ugly. Their angular, large-eyed faces were exquisitely fine, but their thinness and featherless wings did not live up to the depictions of them in scrolls and paintings. Yet they circled her with an easy grace that she found fascinating.

“Welcome to Jarime, ambassadors of Siyee,” she called. “I am Auraya of the White.”

The Siyee whistled to each other, adding a spoken, high-pitched word here and there. Reading their minds, she saw that this was their method of speech.

“She must be one of the Gods’ Chosen,” one of the Siyee said.

“Must be,” the other replied. “How else could she be standing on air?”

“Nothing in their message told of their ability to…to…”

“Defy the pull of the earth?” the other suggested.

She concentrated on their thoughts, finding in them the words she needed. Mimicking their speech was more difficult, but as she repeated her greeting they circled closer.

“I am Tireel of the Green Lake tribe,” one of the Siyee said. “My companion is Zeeriz of the Fork River tribe. We have flown long and far to speak to the Gods’ Chosen.”

“We have been sent by our Speakers to discuss the alliance you have proposed,” the other added.

Auraya nodded and searched their minds for words. “The other Gods’ Chosen wait below. Will you come down and meet them?”