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Magny ran out the front door and sprinted for the path that led to the mine. "Magny! I'll never speak
    to you again!" "Yes, you will. Bye, Lynnie," Magny shouted, and disappeared out the gate.

Chapter Four
    The next month seemed interminably long. No matter where she was or what she was doing, all she
    could think of was Number Four. She couldn't imagine anything so awful as being shut up in a hole in the
    ground. Practically buried alive. Finally, in need of a diversion, she begged her mother to let Magny
    spend the night. Her mother was usually reluctant, but this time she agreed. Ashlynne was sure it was only
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    because her mother and father were going to be away at a counsel meeting most of the evening. She
    looked up when Magny tossed the book she'd been reading aside. "Well, that was dull," Magny
    exclaimed. "What shall we do?" Ashlynne yawned. "I'm tired. I was thinking of going to bed." "Bed! But
    it's still early. And your parents won't be home for hours. We can't go to bed." Ashlynne rolled over onto
    her stomach. "Well, what do you want to do?" Magny bounced off the mattress, her eyes sparkling with
    mischief. "How brave are you?" "I'm not, Mag, you know that, so whatever you're planning, just forget
    it." "Honestly, Ashlynne, you lead the most dull, boring life of anyone I know." She wanted to argue, but
    she couldn't. It was true. Her life was boring. Routine. Regimented. "Come on, Lynnie, you know you're
    dying to." "All right, Magny, what am I dying to do?" "Go swimming." "What's so daring about that? I
    swim all the time." "In the ocean." Ashlynne's eyes widened. "You want to go swimming down there
    now? Tonight?" Magny nodded vigorously. "The moons are full. It's a beautiful night. The water won't be
    too cold. Come on, let's do it." Ashlynne bit down on her lower lip, her better judgment warring with the
    desire to do something wild and crazy. "All right. You can wear one of my bathing suits. Do you want the
    red or the yellow?" "Neither, silly." "You don't mean…?" Magny grinned. "You've got it. Let's go." Like
    two thieves in the night, they crept down the stairs. Old Carday was in the living room. She had fallen
    asleep watching a vid. Like two schoolgirls playing hooky, Ashlynne and Magny slipped out the front
    door, ran down the path and out the side gate. It was, indeed, a beautiful night. The twin moons hung low
    in the sky, bathing the landscape in a pale amber glow. Moonlight shimmered and danced on the water,
    sparkling like millions of tiny golden lights. Magny dropped her towel on the sand and began to undress.
    "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Ashlynne glanced up and down the beach. To the right, she could see
    the outline of the mine; far to the left began the tree line that marked the edge of the jungle. "You're not
    going to back out on me now, are you?" Ashlynne took a deep breath. "No, I'm not," she said, and
    before she could lose her nerve, she undressed. She shrieked as a wave broke over her, then she dove
    into the water. She had never gone swimming in the ocean at night before, never gone swimming in the
    nude before, and it felt wonderful, deliciously wicked. She swam for several minutes, then floated on her
    back. Overhead, a million stars lit the sky as Brell chased Riasna. Would he ever catch her? she
    wondered. "Oh, Magny," she exclaimed, "this was a terrific idea." "Of course! Have I ever had any other
    kind?" With a laugh, Ashlynne dove into the water again, amazed at how different it felt to swim wearing
    nothing at all. She shrieked as something slippery brushed against her leg, images of sea monsters
    jumping into her mind, but it was only a piece of sea kelp. They swam and splashed until they were
    breathless, then sat on the shore, wrapped up in their towels. Ashlynne gazed out at the dark green
    water, thinking how beautiful it was bathed in the moons' light, and how much she would