---
Azhara leaned her head back on the stone and watched the ceiling. "I had a dream," she said. "A big wave came across the sand. It was not water. It was people. They wore red. They had drums. The drums sounded like feet."
"Your dreams are always dramatic," Vel said.
"Sometimes they are right," She said quietly.
Kai filed the words in the shelf where warnings live. He did not speak of it now. Not in the bath. Not before breakfast. He would ask the wind on the ridge later. He would listen to sand.
They climbed out one by one. Lirien offered towels. Akayoroi had a neat stack ready. Naaro shook her lower legs and made a funny face when water tickled her lower lips. Azhara wrung her hair with both hands and spread water everywhere on purpose. Vel slipped once and Kai caught her elbow. She laughed and said thank you in a small voice like a child saved from a silly fall.
