no less. Rohyrtouched his forehead to Dylens. I would have you happy,brother.ChapterSeventeenTruceAsmara,South VihandraAland of contradictions,Dylen thought as he gazed out at Asmaras capital ofShenzefrom the wide windows of the east gallery of the royal palace.Inthe north and central regions of the kingdom, the climate waspleasant with none of the seasonal extremes found in most of Ylandresave in the east where a massive mountain range, its craggy windsweptpeaks more forbidding than any battlement, protected Asmara from itssometimes contentious neighbors. Toward the south, the climate becameprogressively warmer and the seasons less numerous and variedwet,dry and cold. The southwest was lush with swamps and rainforests, thearid southeast rife with barren rocky plains and small deserts.Shenzeitself, or at least its architecture, seemed to follow the pattern.Massive domed buildings competed with thin, spire-topped edifices sodelicate in appearance one almost expected them to crack and crumbleat the slightest gust of the strong easterly winds. There was nohomogeneity in the materials of which the city was wrought. Redbrick, blue slate and moss green stone meshed and clashed in gloriousprofusion. The result was a vibrant metropolis alive with color,shape and texture.Itscitizens were more alike to each other than the structures they hadbuilt. They were little different from the people of the NorthContinent in physical appearance. But evolution had taken the sunnierclimes of South Vihandra into consideration and consequently its folkwere slightly darker in complexion with skin tones ranging from oliveto coppery.Hedfelt the charm of this gateway city and its environs almost as soonas he and Riodan came out of translocation three days ago on thewide, gently undulating plain that lay before Shenze. If he nowstrove to keep Asmara allied to Ylandre, it was no longer out of dutyalone, but also because he genuinely appreciated the land and itspeople.Atlength he sauntered into the long open gallery that overlooked theopen-air, mosaic-floored courtyard that was the center around whichthe palace had been built. The Halvan residence was as different fromthe Citadel as could be. Golden in hue and quite decadent inappearance, it sprawled rather than soared, with the main audiencechamber housed under a massive dome that formed most of the northwing of the palace. Keeping the warmer climate in mind, its buildershad provided many open courtyards and terraces within the complex, aswell as numerous doors and windows to allow for maximum aircirculation.Likeall royal keeps, the palace was enclosed within thick nighimpregnable stone walls. But an extra defense and a most effectiveone was the sheer drop in back of it. From the ramparts on thepalaces rear wall, one gazed down into a deep jagged chasm toowide to bridge and too long to skirt. It was a dizzying sight and afrightening one as well.Fromhis vantage point, Dylen spotted Riodan down below talking with theMinister of Trade by one of the three fountains that adorned thecourtyard. Riodan had earlier told him that he intended to corner theDeir and put not so subtle pressure on him to get on with thebusiness of approving the contract renewals that were the purportedreason for their presence in Asmara. The Minister seemed ratherred-faced at the moment and was mopping his face