“Lady Aia! A happy meeting!”
The princess stopped, silence trailing after her, and settling round her. Azhur felt her strong, invisible stare. “That is your thinking?” she said at last.
“I saw you by the statue at the Gate,” Azhur said, not knowing how to reply. “I—I felt sure it was you. I thought perhaps you did not recognise me.”
“I was with the statue,” replied Lady Aia. “This was important.” She remained still, watching Azhur through her veils with what could only be an intense stare: tight-clasped hands, imperious body, head held high.
Azhur felt that, if he could see these eyes, they would wither him. All at once he felt trapped. She would not go and he could not. His hands were creeping towards each other. “Well, I—I hope your time there was, ah, was good. Perhaps you came to h
