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ng. Movable partitions divided the immense room.
Karen watched the dayglo border of the gate fade, and with it
the gray fog beyond.
Madge and Tar had already donned heavy terry robes and
slippers. The crisp chill imparted to the room by the thick stone
walls inspired Karen and Drew to follow suit.
Madge opened the heavy drapes before the tall doors, lighting
the large chamber with brilliant afternoon sunshine. Tar opened
the glass doors and stepped out on a small semicircular balcony.
"Welcome to Amber," he announced with a low bow and a gesture
which took in the city below.
Just outside, gardeners dressed in Renaissance-era clothing
tended an area with familiar flowers, trees, and shrubs. Looking
about, Karen observed that Manatsu Hirose was in a castle built on the
shoulder of a mountain. Above and behind her, ponderosa and blue
spruce made up the most of the thick tree life. Below, the
balcony overlooked the picturesque city of Amber and the
glittering harbor.
Houses of stone, brick, or wood, an
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