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“Can I help, too?” Folara added “Mother’s ideas about clothes are not alhat younger women like”

“I’d love to have help from both of you, but this will have to do for now,” Ayla said, holding up her worn outfit

“It will certainly be fine for tonight,” Marthona said Then she nodded to herself, as though ive you, Ayla It’s inroom”

Ayla followed Marthona into her roo time,” the woman said as she opened a covered wooden box

“But you just met me!” Ayla exclaimed

“For the woed to Dalanar’s mother” She held out a necklace

Ayla caught her breath with surprise, and with some hesitation took the proffered neckl

ace She examined it cautiously It was made of matched shells, perfect deer teeth, and finely carved heads of fee pendant hung at the center

“It is beautiful,” Ayla breathed She felt particularly drawn to the pendant, and she looked at it carefully It was shiny, polished fro worn and handled “This is amber, isn’t it?”

“Yes That stone has been in the faenerations Dalanar’s ave it to ive it to the woman he chose”

“A the pendant in her hand “It feels war spirit”

“How interesting that you should say that Dalanar’s mother always said this piece had life,” Marthona said “Try it on See how it looks on you”

Marthona guided Ayla toward the li out of it, and wedged into the hole was the round end that grew out of the horn core of a aceros, then extended and flattened out into the typical pal antler had been broken off, leaving a slightly uneven shelf with a concave scalloped edge Resting on top and leaning against the so wall, but nearly perpendicular to the floor, was a small plank of ith a very smooth surface

As Ayla approached, she noticed that it reflected with surprising clarity the wooden and wickerware containers across the roo in a stone oil lamp near them Then she stopped in amazement

“I can see myself!” Ayla said She reached out to touch the surface The wood had been rubbed sanese, and polished with fat to a high sheen