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Mericlou suspected that perhaps Alae wise to her relationship with Aldrec, even though they had both taken great pains to keep it secret fro her; perhaps he already knew of Alaema's true reason for her desire to stay, and it was because of this that he forbade it He respected her desire to be with Aldrec, and her right to privacy in this affair He was always so kind to her; he ht have made whatever woman he had been in love with very happy, as hard-nosed as he could be

Alaema was so immature sometimes; Divine only knehy she wanted to stay so badly But for all she knew, her deductions could be dead wrong If only she kneas troubling her Mericlou loved her sister dearly, but soic

Alaema's resentment was even more evident even on the day they left She boarded the transcon without waiting for the goodbye kisses that Mericlou gave Though Mericlou could understand why she refused to be civil even in this, it still hurt inside She fought back the tears as she saw the transcon speed off on its

Perhaps Alaema did suspect that she and Aldrec were now a couple Both Skori and Sedriil swore that they had never revealed it to her, but still, the suspicion re like that to all of Lusea if she found out It pained her to not be able to tell her sister, but co weeks of i forth if she did

She returned honments on the schedule paper in the kitchen, save the care of Aldrec's garden, had beenbelow the schedule In red, a large, s face had been drawn, and beloritten:

We love you, sister!

We'll miss you at the ceremony!

Enjoy your ti no partner hich to dance out her joy, Mericlou chose Needles, who had just crawled up towards her Taking the ferret into her arms, she twirled around and around in the aiety Immune to dizziness herself, she watched the ferret craay afterwards, squeaking reproachfully as she skittered drunkenly across the countertop, and nearly fell into the sink

Mericlou was so excited over this turn of events that the next day, she alot to use Aldrec's potion on the way to Skainhart Fortunately, the transcon station was empty