Ankyra Sound river turns to dust

Her chest tightens as the stranger's expression changes. She hardly needs to hear his next words to make the connection, but when she does her throat suddenly feels constricted too. For several beats she's silent, studying him as if she might glean answers from his features.
Lainie, She repeats finally, a name so familiar on her tongue despite going unspoken for so long. Lainie Archana Tipp. I'll never see her again, will I? She pauses to sigh. Don't tell me what happened to her. Tell me your name. Tell me how you know her. She turns and gestures for him to follow her, and leads him back to the shoreline.