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"I’ poill be the easy part Linking the eye to the Realms to contact your etic look her way "I’ve tried to breach the security protocols for the Realed it, but I’ve never tried with a Smarteye or with a Dweller before"

Aria had worried about this Hess had surely blocked her access into the Realht help them reach Lumina

Marron asked questions about the Pod as they moved from soup to beef stewed in rich wine sauce Aria explained howof their air and water, was automated

"People don’t work?" Roar asked

"Only thefor signs of disgust, but he was tucked into his food Ahe’d missed on their journey

She told them about the pseudo-economy, where people amassed virtual wealth, but that there were black es what happens in the real Aside fro quarters and clothes and diet"

Roar leaned across the table and s into his eyes "When you say everything happens in the Realhed nervously "Yes Especially that There are no risks in the Realms"

Roar’s smile widened "You simply think it and it happens? And it actually feels real?"

"Why are we talking about this?"

"I need a Smarteye," he said

Perry rolled his eyes "There’s no way it’s the saone a little red in the face Aria knew she had too She didn’t know if it was the same, real or Realms, but she wasn’t about to tell them that

"What happened with the Croven?" she asked, anxious to change the subject Surely by now they had disappeared

She looked around the table No one answered Finally Marron wiped his athered in the plateau, frorave offense, Aria They will stay as long as they can"

"We slew a Blood Lord?" she asked, hardly believing she’d just used the word slew

Perry’s green eyes flicked up "It’s the only way to explain their numbers And I did it, Aria Not you"

Because of what she did Because she’d left the rotten cave and gone searching for berries "So they’re waiting?"

Perry sat back in his chair, his jaw tight "Yes"

"We’re safe here, I assure you," Marron said "The wall is fifty feet at the lowest point, and we have archers posted day and night They’ll keep the Croven fro too close And soon the weather will turn With the cold and the Aether storms, the Croven will leave in search of shelter Let’s hope that happens before they do so rash"

"How many are there?" she asked

"Near forty," Perry said

"Forty?" She couldn’t believe it Forty cannibals were after hi hera Hover for her With the footage of Soren, she’d clear her na and start over in Bliss But what about Perry? Would he ever be able to leave Marron’s? If he did, would he always have to run from the Croven?

Marron shook his head at his wine "In these harsh times, the Croven fare well"

Roar nodded "They destroyed the Blackfins a few o They’re a tribe west of here They’d suffered a few lean years, like most Then the Aether storms came and hit their colancing at her "It was the place with the broken roof"

Aria sed through a thick throat, i the power of the storm that had leveled that place Perry had found her boots and coat there She’d worn the Blackfins clothes for days

"They took a cruel hit," Perry said

"They did," Roar agreed "They lost half of their number to the storms in one day Lodan, their Blood Lord, sent word to Vale, offering to pledge as left of his tribe to the Tides This is the highest form of sha to Perry "Vale refused the offer He clairy"Vale didn’t tell me"