CHAPTER 13
Ancient RecordsBardek and Vallida, locked in each other’s arms, slept long and soundly. When Bardek eventually woke he raised himself on his elbow the better to look down on the girl curled against him. Gently he moved the strands of hair that had fallen over her face and drew his fingertips lightly over her cheek. When he stooped and touched his lips to hers she stirred and smiled, though her eyes were not yet open.
‘We should move on and find some proper shelter,’ he said softly. ‘I have no fire powders and the time of the Dark Star is very cold. We should not have slept so long.’ He wondered if she had ever experienced the dark and the cold locked away in her white and shining temple.
She opened her eyes and looked round curiously. He helped her to sit up and she leant aga
