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to the cerulean sea,

home to Avrath,

the Shining Land?”

When he stopped, it was like being dropped out of a dreareat beauty in its

“I haven’t heard that one before,” Estral said, breaking the spell of the song

“I shouldn’t think so,” Lord Fiorithe Eletians, and this is but a rough translation”

“What is this Shining Land?” Rendle asked “This Avrath?”

Lord Fiori rose to toss another log on the fire “It is,” he said, “their highest spiritual place, the place from whence they caather”

“Like the heavens,” Rendle said

The fire hissed and sparked as it consu Lord Fiori returned to his chair and spread his long legs before him “Perhaps that is so, but I do not know It may be a physical place, or a layer of the world It may even be a state of mind I do know the Eletians believe their presence on Earth is a time of exile”

Exile Karigan turned that over in her mind Hadn’t the Eletians always dwelled here? If it were a literal exile fro the Eletians went deeper than anyone could i Land?” And ere so this land of ht the late hour was leading her to unlikely conclusions

“I assuers is here in Seliu at her

“No, sir I’ve a e satchel at her side She had not been willing to leave it unattended at the Guesting House She ree and passed it to Lord Fiori

He raised his eyebrows “Addressed in the king’s own hand—I recognize his scrawl I trust this will require a response” He glanced up at Karigan “Seekout the earlyhour, he amended, with a smile, “Later today”

Karigan took that as a dismissal and she was more than ready for her bed She walked out with Master Rendle and he said, “Good fight Too bad about the table”