My plans of showing Mira around Havenwing were dashed by torrential rains that lasted all day. By the time it finally relented, the sun was going down and it was time to prepare for the ball.
Mira and I declined the lady’s maid’s offer to arrange our hair for us, in favor of experimenting on each other. After hearing of our intentions Aunt Monria presented us with her entire chest of hair ornaments to choose from, offered a few casual suggestions for styles that would suit our hair colors, facial shapes, and dresses, and then left us alone.

"Matty, dear, would you please sit still?" Mrs. Lee asked in exasperation.

Matty cast a guilty look up at her mother. "Sorry," she said, knotting her fingers in the leaf-green skirt of her gown in an attempt to control her fidgets. "Nerves."

[*Author's Note: This is the sequel to a book I wrote last year entitled "The Whispering Gallery." If anyone is desperate enough to read the first book, email me at thetravelingmagpie @ gmail. com and I'll send you a PDF copy of The Whispering Gallery, with the stipulation that you have to give me a bit of a critique. :D Enjoy, and as always, any questions, suggestions, or comments are welcome!*]

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*Author's Note: This is the sequel to a book I wrote last year entitled "The Whispering Gallery." If anyone is desperate enough to read the first book, email me at thetravelingmagpie @ gmail. com and I'll send you a PDF copy of The Whispering Gallery, with the stipulation that you have to give me a bit of a critique. :D Enjoy, and as always, any questions, suggestions, or comments are welcome!*

*Author's Note: This is the sequel to a book I wrote last year entitled "The Whispering Gallery." I originally posted it on Facebook, but the notes feature isn't really fiction-friendly, so I am returning to my beloved AP for the sequel. If anyone is desperate enough to read the first book, email me at thetravelingmagpie @ gmail. com and I'll send you a PDF copy of The Whispering Gallery, with the stipulation that you have to give me a bit of a critique. :D Enjoy, and as always, any questions, suggestions, or comments are welcome!*

Dear Apricot Pie Family,

Long time, no write! Though I do note with a kind of self-congratulatory and nostalgic pride that "Ander" is still one of the most popular topic terms. :D Don't know who I am? Haven't read Ander? Mmmm....well, the first you should remedy, the second...Wait a few years. I mean, you can read it if you want, but I'm working on edits and such and changing, like, the whole first six chapters.

Jovlin was asleep when they arrived at Mayli’s destination. Had she been awake she would have seen great wonders beneath the dragon’s beating wings. The desert slowly disappeared among bushes, trees, rivers, lakes, streams, and all kinds of life. The trees beneath them were small at first, but steadily grew larger the longer they flew above them. As the trees grew closer together, the dragon slowed her flight so a steady glide through the air, moving only as the wind touched her wings.

Jovlin was beginning to think that they were lost when something finally moved across the sky. The sun was beginning to set, and she was relieved to see a possible destination drawing near. Her eye ached in the dim red light of the setting sun, and she could barely make out the creature in front of her. Or perhaps it was not a creature at all, but a floating castle. This seemed impossible, but there were doors in the side of it and a few windows scattered across whatever it was. Still, she had seen many strange things happen over the past day, and she was not going to rule anything out.

It was not the feeling of flying through the air or the thought of falling that terrified Kamber so much. It was not what lay ahead either, but what was far behind. Kamber was frozen in fear at the thought of confronting his family and his past, as he knew he would have to if he continued on his current course. Even more than that, he was frozen in place by the thought of telling everyone who his father really was.

Jovlin was so angry at The Mask that she forgot about an obvious fact that hindered her exit. The way she had come was only an entrance; she would never be able to climb out that way. She sat for a while on the pile of pillows, waiting until she was sure The Mask must be gone before she stepped back towards the room. She cautiously entered, trying to avoid any confrontation with The Mask. Seeing that the room was empty, Jovlin headed towards the back of the room. She found the exit, but turned around before leaving. Jovlin considered taking some books with her.