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It was strange that today, as she h Skainhart towards the transcon, she felt more eyes on her than usual

As she passed by the shops, markets, and inns on the town's main avenue, the elves seemed to watch her more intensely than they usually did Today, it seemed even worse than any time before Their staresabout her that they severely disliked

The evening air turned colder, and Mericlou brought her cloak more closely about herself She wished that she could turn herself invisible; the stares see into her circuits Now, ed for Aldrec's presence

Her fear increased with the intensity of the eyes upon her At last, she prepared to break into a full run, but stopped short Someone had come up beside her

A hand touched her shoulder She froze, and nearly switched to co, and quelling all fear

"Don't be afraid, Tulyr," he whispered "Everything will be alright"

Mericlou nearly cried with relief She started to lean her head onto his shoulder, but to her shock and confusion, he stopped her

"Walk beside me," He said "Don't touchhis curtness, and more than a little hurt, she nevertheless obeyed as they continued to the trancon station

Once aboard the train, and in an eer car, Aldrec finally placed his arainst his chest This ti a co hand across her cheek "I didn't want to rouse any suspicions"

"Suspicions?" Mericlou echoed "What do youon?"

"You saw the way they were staring at you, right?" Aldrec said

"Yes It scared the life out of me"

"You kno most elves are, don't you?"

"Yes, I do," she answered, rearden "But how could they know about us? Did you tell the out at the swiftly passing blur of jungle and mountains

"They … didn't?" Mericlou said, nowat uess that they knew"

"It's a little hard to explain," Aldrec replied with a thoughtful expression "The best way I can put it is that we elves can, in a way, sense each other It's almost subconscious, but in close proximity, we become aware of each other's eons, and some androids In the case of two people in love, the sensation is nified And so they were aware of how you felt about h you, from the moment you entered the town And since no elf has ever fallen in love with an android … and since none of them would think that one ever would, they find that even "