[A/N: This chapter is quite long but very important for what comes next.]
The following nights were a succession of reunions. Every time Leonard closed his eyes, the desert waited for him, and Maia with it. They walked along the crests of the dunes, talked about everything and nothing, or simply remained silent, nestled against each other as the ember sun rose over an infinite horizon. Leonard told her everything about Alexandria, his future plans, his doubts as a young emperor.
Maia, with infinite patience, described to him the wonders of The Other World, the life of spirits, the music of the wind in the leaves of the world tree.
