We dreamed together of the world remade.

He actually listened, rather than pretending to listen while waiting a suitable interval before it was his time to talk again.

It was funny, she thought, but her smile turned wistful because she had nobody to tell.

I am stardust gathered fleetingly into form.

"Death," said Akiva. His life was leaving him fast now that he no longer held his wound. His eyes just wanted to drift closed. "I'm ready." "Well, I'm not. I hear it's dull, being dead." She said it lightly, amused, and he peered up at her. Had she just made a joke? She smiled. Smiled. He did, too. Amazed, he felt it happening, as if her smile had triggered a reflex in him. "Dull sounds nice," he said, letting his eyes flutter closed. "Maybe I can catch up on my reading."

That is your legend?" Akiva asked, incredulous. Madrigal had told him the story of the sun and Ellai while they flew. "That seraphim are the blood of a rapist sun?

Follow me," said Karou. As if he could have done anything else.