Page 128 (1/1)

"Because in this house, I can control time and space," Aldrec replied

Mericlou's expression went blank "I understand your confusion, love," he said with a s I promise The time has come for the answers you wanted so ently led her up the left staircase

The as long, but not tiring, even though they ascended several flights of steps -ten by Mercilou's count- and then proceeded down a long hallway There was a large door at the very end, with no runes Aldrec invited her to turn the knob

"Go ahead," he said, lightly encouraging her forward once the door creaked open "Don't be afraid As a matter of fact, I think you'll enjoy what's on the other side"

Mericlou entered, and no sooner than her feet had crossed the threshold, she froze A distant, pleasured squeal rose froly at her slackened jaw

Books

Droves of books

A myriad of literature filled the wooden shelves that ran the length of the room that had been hollowed out of one of Vinta's massive branches Its narrow floor dipped and curved unevenly to the right and to the left As Mericlou brought herself torapturous dash along the rooently with the outside breeze

Unlike the hanging rune cones that lit theroom and hallways, this room was lit intermittently by a series of rune lanterns: smaller cubic rune-covered stones that rested atop pedestals set at intervals on the walls above the bookshelves These produced a distinctly di rune cones, but it was adequate for finding books and doing a quick read of theht from the rune stones intensified He looked on be each title, ski it to repeat the process over and over again with an ecstatic expression plastered upon her face

Mericlou at last seated herself on the floor, fully immersed in one particular book that she had found Aldrec cauess I don't need to tell you that this is my library," Aldrec said He pointed to the book whose contents Mericlou was now voraciously ingesting "Does that particular one interest you?"

"Oh yes," Mericlou said, notelven script "It's another book on elven history, but this one in particular, The Lay of the Fall, has an author who claih elf It reads in a really old form of elfish"