| [It can't be here. It can't.
Even knowing that—and that everyone is seeing illusions—the sight preys on so many of the fears that Lief has had the past two weeks. Worry about why he was here, at first, and worry about his home.
Desperate for some peace, as he avoids looking up at the sky, he finds himself at the oasis. He knows he can't stay for long, when he needs to be ready for the stakeout that Prussia's organized, but he's of no use if he's already rattled.
...
Not caring about the possibility of contamination at the moment, he splashes his face with some water.] |