"They must have thought the earthquakes were
the lashing of sea dragons warring or petulant
and putrid undeniably with
only expectations such as dragons might have had."
"Why?"
Rose asked of Elaine, and her voice contained
a sharpness which was friable. I
could hear.
Elaine
forebore to answer, and
in hiatus the vine leaves turned, leaves
of an open volume shimmered, touched, and I
knew what Cleo knew: