un, suddenly afraid for t, and for iness.

    Baerd ting on tood in front of tting moon just before ened expression flickered

    for an instant across arlit dark.

    Elena stopped, uncertain.

    quot;It is only me,quot; srying to catch.

    a moment. quot;Im sorry,quot; ;I  expecting anyone. For a moment ... for a moment you looked almost exactly like a ... like somet changed my life.”

    Elena didnt knoo say to t. S no furtting  s doc said nothing else.

    Sook a deep breat;You sed someone. You s I ; S pounding.

    For a long moment Baerd ill, ilted a little to one side, as if listening to t lit up oo the hollow, wounded eyes.

    quot;t; ;t, Elena.quot; It  time ance tars  impossibly brighe sky.

    Elena felt  gaze. S;After all, it is dangerous

    even kno back home.”

    quot;I ; ;I imagine  tonig the ground where you walked.”

    Surned to look back. And caug to see t along taken to te flowers were blooming in w h.

    Even as sc tions from o ood. to onige o life under tars  beautiful things she had seen in all her days.

    Quietly, Baerd said, quot;You  teac is not only a matter of tle. You must follo is possible to regain lands lost in battle years before.”

    Sten long ago. S;truly dead. It can al; Sears a him.

    oo sad for a moment suco dispel t sorro only for tonig;t is mostly true, I suppose. Or true for t things can die. People, dreams, a home.”

    Impulsively Elena reacook   lay in ly but  response