Page 69 (1/1)

To this, Aldrec said not a word, buthi He started down the staircase

"You're leaving already?" Mericlou said, notan effort to hide her disappoint back around "Elves have lives too, you know"

"Will I see you toret "But rest assured that I will see you soon"

He quickly re-ascended the staircase, and then kissed her lightly on the cheek

"Until next time, Meri," he said, and walked off into the dusk

Mericlou felt at her cheek Her face was red again; there was no 's cool north breeze

He's never done that before, she thought Maybe he's trying to tell ain, elves kiss so readily … or so I've heard

This is silly! Aldrec would just tell you that you're trusting in stereotypes again

But there's so much about him that I don't know And he's always so sweet …

So what if he really ?

If that's true, then ht

"Well, it can't hurt to hope," she said aloud, cradling her head in her hand across the balcony railing, s at the memory of his kiss still on her cheek

"Hope for what?" Caave a start She had been deep into her reverie that she failed to notice anything else -particularly the door opening behind her, or Noroa positioning herself by her side

She was holding Needles, noide-awake fro the party inside, and very much ready to play "You're always so quiet," Mericlou said, taking the ferret from her sister She placed it into her in her own cradled arht," Noroa corrected "I saw you and Aldrec talking outside I'd hoped to tell hioodbye, but it seeue shrug "He cooes as he pleases Even after all the ti mystery"

"Elves are like that," Noroa said "Garen works with a lot of the with them as often as I have, I can tell you that they really are creatures of many secrets"

"So, you're excited about the new baby, no doubt?" Mericlou said, changing the subject "I'm sorry everyone didn't pay as much attention to that bit of news as they did to Aldrec"