Shayma had heard the praise of Aurelia Renatus's library from Cyan, who had rambled on and on about the magnificent art of Lapis. Now, as Shayma laid her eyes on the stone sculpture, she realized what Cyan was talking about.
The lion mane sculpture had immediately caught her eye; she thought of it as a long-lost friend. The lioness looked her in the eyes and seemed to smile. Shayma was at once reminded of Zue.
She gathered a few books from the shelves and took her place beside Mars, who looked up and smiled at her. Shayma knew he was the slayer who had first welcomed her in Lapis. He hoped he wouldn't keep against her the fact that she had escaped from him when he had asked her to wait in the Town Hall.
'Have you found anything?' Shayma asked him as he flipped through the pages. She knew her presence was unnecessary...she couldn't, for the life of her, understand this "Lingua Franca" thing. But she was trying for the sake of Mars.
