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“No! Don’t say it out loud, just whisper it to me,” Zelandoni said

As the donier bent close, Ayla whispered in her ear Then she left quickly Marthona, Folara, and Proleva sat beside the newquietly Ayla was feeling tired, but happy and relaxed, not at all as she had after Durc was born Then she had been exhausted and in pain She dozed off a little and akened when Zelandoni returned and gave her the smatic marks in red and black paint

“Put this in a safe place, perhaps in the niche behind your donii,” Zelandoni said

Ayla nodded, then saw another head appear “Jondalar!” she said He knelt down beside the sleeping platforet closer

“How are you, Ayla?”

“I’m fine It was not a bad delivery, Jondalar Much easier than I thought it would be And see the baby?” she said as she unwrapped the blanket so he could see “She’s perfect!”

“You got the girl you wanted,” he said, looking at the tiny newborn and feeling a little awed “She’s so little And look, she even has tiny fingernails” The thought of a wo suddenly overwhelhter, Ayla?”

She looked at Zelandoni “Can I tell him?”

“Yes, it’s safe now,” she said

“I’ve nahter Jonayla, after both you and me, Jondalar, because she cahter, too”

“Jonayla I like that name Jonayla,” he said

Marthona liked the naently at Ayla It was not uncommon for new mothers to try to reassure their h Ayla had not said “spirit,” they were sure they understood what she meant Zelandoni wasn’t as sure Ayla tended to say exactly what she meant Jondalar had no doubt He knew exactly what she meant

It would be nice if it was true, he thought as he looked at the tiny little girl Exposed to the cool air without her covers, she was beginning to wake up

“She is beautiful She’s going to look just like you, Ayla I can see it already,” he said

“She looks like you, too, Jondalar Would you like to hold her?”