The golden light changed the city again. Cloud-cuckoo land at sunset—a place where you could set your boots down on a dream.
When he went in through the gates he was awed, but not afraid. And then, while he stood in the square looking up at the great dim buildings, the thought came drifting down to him out of the cloud of little woman-things.
"It was safe. It was happy—before She came."
After a long moment Lundy said, "She?"
"We haven't seen her. But our mates have. She came a little while ago and walked through the streets, and all our mates left us to follow her. They say she's beautiful beyond any of us, and...."
"And her eyes are hidden, and they have to see them. They have to look into her eyes or go crazy, so they follow her."
The sad little blue-grey cloud stirred in the dark water. Golden eyes looked down at him.
"How did you know? Do you follow her, too?"
Lundy took a deep, slow breath. The palms of his hands were wet. "Yes. Yes, I followed her, too."