The morning sky over Anarets was a pale blue, bright and cloudless. Small birds flitted between the rooftops and low towers of stone buildings. The market was coming alive again, filled with the aroma of spices, toasted bread, and burning wood. In the distance, the temple bells rang softly, marking the start of the day.
Stacia and Alicia sat at a small café on the edge of the plaza, beneath a thin orange canopy that swayed gently in the breeze.
"The herbal tea here is pretty good," murmured Alicia as she stirred her cup, warm steam rising lazily.
"I think it's too sweet," Stacia replied, lifting her notebook and scribbling something with a small magical pen. "But the atmosphere is perfect for reading. Not as noisy as the market, not as quiet as the library."
