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need the empty reaches of space to renew my spirit like a plant needs water to
live.
 And so she disappeared. Within a summer s passing, thanks to Qumri and the
Sha ir, thanks to fear and bigotry, the baby Aleytys lost her laughter. She
grew up apart, bewildered by the difference she felt inside her.
Vajd blinked and stared at his hands, opening and shutting them several
times. He stretched and yawned.  Well, Leyta, that s it. Now you know why.
She rolled over and stared at the wall, biting her lip so he couldn t hear
the sob in her breathing.
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 Leyta? He leaned over and touched her shoulder.
She shrugged his hand off. Tears stung her eyes and a pain like a sore tooth
gnawed around her heart, sending lump after lump traveling up her throat.
 Leyta? He pulled her around. Puzzled and a little angry, he scanned her
sullen, miserable face.  What s wrong with you?
 It s my mother you wanted all the time, she spit at him, her anguish coming
out as anger.  I m what you get. It s my mother you wanted. She shoved at him
with all her strength, sending him crashing against the wall as the slippery
straw acted like rollers under his body. Slipping and sliding, blinded by the
tears streaming from her eyes, she clawed frantically across the treacherous
straw toward the ladder.
With an angry exclamation Vajd sprang after her, his thin strong hand closing
around her arms. For several minutes they struggled in tense panting silence
over the unstable straw. She sank her teeth in his arm and he slapped her. All
the time she fought she was crying steadily, the pain inside her almost too
much to bear.
Finally Vajd pinned her down with the weight of his body and a forearm
pressed across her throat so that the trickle of blood from the bite slid down
her neck. Anger stiffened his face into a harsh mask.
Suddenly she was inside.  No, Vajd, she whispered.  Let me go. Please let me
go. She closed her eyes and let her body go limp. After a minute she felt his
taut muscles relax. The pressure of his arm went away and she felt his hand
brushing gently across her face, pushing her hair back, touching her eyes, her
lips.  You re wrong, Leyta. His voice was tender and caressing.  No. I was a
child dazzled. That s all.
Once again she felt his fingertips walking spider tracks across her face,
trailing warmth behind.  Not Shareem. You. Always. His hands moved over her
and her body s urgency drove everything else way out to the edges of her
awareness.
They lay locked together for a long time. Aab dipped below the edge of the
window.
The sudden darkening of the loft woke Aleytys from her dreamy languor. She
turned her head to look at Vajd. His face was full of peace and he seemed
years younger as he lay beside her, the dim light masking the laugh wrinkles
at the corners of his eyes and mouth. His hair was full of straw with wispy
curls plastered down over a forehead wet with sweat. Tenderness was a warm
river inside her.  I wish&  she murmured.  I wish we could stay like this
forever. She looked at the dark window with its sprinkling of stars.Almost
moonset , she thought.I suppose I should get back . As she moved restlessly,
the straw crackled and squeaked under her. Vajd s eyes opened. He sighed and
stretched.  Leyta?
 Mmm.
He looked at the window, then sat up hurriedly.  Moonset!
 I know.
 You have to get back. If Qumri found you again& 
 Let her.
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 Don t underestimate that hate, my dear. It s had as long as you to grow.
She ll get you flayed.
She rubbed her hands up and down her arms, the pleasant glow that had
illumined her body deadening to ash.  Ai-Jahann. There s just no way. I ve got
to get out of this valley.
 I know. Better than you, Leyta. I know the Atash nau-ta-vallud. He slid
down to the corner and dug in the straw.  Here. This is your mother s book. I
brought it for you.
She took the battered volume and examined it curiously.  You think she
planned for this to happen?
He spread out his hands and shook his head.  I never knew what was in her
head.
She tucked the book inside her sleeve so that it rested in the pouch that
formed part of the sleeve hem. Tilting her head, she looked him over and
chuckled.  You look like a worn-out satyr, my love, with that straw in your
hair.  Here, let me&  She pulled the hay out of his tumbled curls, delighting
once again in the feel of his soft springy hair.
He grinned at her.  Should see yourself, muklis.
Below, a horse snorted and moved restlessly in his stall.
 Dawn s coming, Aleytys said slowly. With a sigh, she teetered onto her
feet.  We d better go.
6
 Leyta. Ay-mi. Leyta! Twanit s agitated voice bounced around in the fog
numbing her brain. As small strong hands shook her violently, she groaned and
swatted feebly at the air.
 Wake up, Leyta. Wake up.
 Go  way, Aleytys mumbled. As waves of tiredness sloshed over her head she
pulled the quilts tight around her body and tried to ignore the sharp little
voice sawing at her ears.
 Oh, Leyta! Twanit snatched the quilts off and buried her hands in Aleytys s
tangled mop of hair. She gave a wretched little gasp and tugged hard.
As pain exploded in her head, Aleytys flopped up and swung wildly at her
tormenter. Twanit let go and backed away, her face pale and resolute.  Leyta.
Get dressed. Quickly. Her mobile lips twitched nervously.  And wash your
feet, she blurted.  I& I won t say anything, but Qumri s& she& she ll be here
soon if you don t& 
Aleytys rubbed her eyes and tried to scrub the scum from her brain.  Thanks,
Ti, she muttered. She swallowed a yawn.  What time s it?
 Almost sa at humam. You wouldn t wake up.
 Yeah. Aleytys stretched and suddenly realized she wasn t wearing her
nightgown. She closed her eyes and smiled a long contented smile as memory
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