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At first, Mericlou thought that Aldrec was taking her to the south, perhaps on a two hour-long trip to Nibra or a five hour transit to faraway Sakar But the transcon ride turned out to be a simple thirty-minute journey northward to the town of Skainhart in Daina

The transcon passed through the mountains that bordered Lusea's environs, and after several hts, full daylight returned, albeit die of the Orobia basin's canopy spread like a reen carpet beyond the ht of this panorama captivated Mericlou so that it took a bit of effort on Aldrec's part to pry her away from the balcony at the transcon station

"My surprise is much better than even this," he assured her, and Mericlou finally yielded to his coaxing "You're going to love it, guaranteed!"

Skainhart was dily srow froles froh populated solely by elves, the style of its buildings was anything but elvish: no flowing ically created pastel hues In fact, all that was elvish about the toere its inhabitants, and the language of the signs Though not of elven make, the as had er s, and even the more out-of-the-way towns kept up with the latest trends in design And even the sns, unlike those here, which floated above boards and laic

Aldrec led Mericlou from the transcon station, down theat the street's lonely dead end, squeezed between the seaether

"Watch your head," Aldrec warned, as he led the curious and fascinated android through the building's low doorway, and into its black interior Before Mericlou could cole word, softly yet pronouncedly

"Ereiaseous silver haze appeared Swirling in the air before, hi row in size, expanding into a brilliant silver-white sphere that floated to the center of the roolow in its ascent until the entire building was brightly lit with a soft, but steady light