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"It is … or was, Mericlou," Aldrec said sadly

"A common na his ith Aldrec following

"But she's dead," Aldrec rebutted in misery "She was injured with a weapon that destroys them from the inside out Surely by now, she's-"

"Co Aldrec to her side "Look and kno"

"Feel," she co her son's hand above Mericlou's left breast "Feel her heartbeat"

Aldrec's face lit in an inaudible gasp

"Hear," theAldrec's hand from above Mericlou's breast to her lips She leaned in close "She draws breath"

"It's … impossible!" Aldrec said

"She believed that you could do the ile "We have seen it We have watched you together for quite some time now You have been so happy"

"But her an

" …are hera sigil between Mericlou's collarbones Mericlou, twitched, and the hter," she said, lifting Mericlou to her feet, now very much alive, and astonished that she herself was alive

"I don't believe it!" Skori and Sedriil said in unison

"I'll be!" Garen remarked

"By the Divine!" Jenius and Tescadji exclaimed one atop the other

"Meri!" Noroa and Alaeether, gathering Mericlou into a group embrace that was saturated with a thrill and joy unparalleled in all the years they had been together Tescadji and Jenius watched on with hter-in-law?" Mericlou said disbelievingly to Aldrec's mother, once Aldrec had briefly explained recent events

"Yes, dear one," the entle as a breeze "You are his wife, aren't you?"

"Well, yes, but Iyou do not wish to coht … the prophecy …" Mericlou began, but to this, the ht that he would be the only one taken, my dear?" She said "The Divine is neither callous nor cruel, as you'd so think He knows that love is a bond that can never be broken, as does every race And he knows that without you, our Aldrecliis would never leave this world a whole elf His sorrow at leaving you would destroy the very foundation of e and die"