CHAPTER 11
A brilliant sunrise chased past the horizon, heating the desert.
Leontios uttered a word Violet didn’t understand but felt fairly sure was a curse. “We must abandon our search for today,” he said at length. “It will soon be too hot to move safely.”
“Have you seen anything you recognize?” Violet asked.
“Several somethings,” he replied, “At least, I think I did. Over four thousand years of erosion have altered the landmarks tremendously. I saw a red rock. I remember a red rock. It is much smaller now, as I would have expected, but the shape has changed, so I cannot be sure it was the same one. I have seen several landmarks that might have been familiar but might not have been.”
“That’s frustrating,” Violet agreed, “but we knew this part would not be fast or easy. At least we
