Mother Alden waved her straw hat in greeting as Clara slowly lowered her ancient hovercraft down next to the garden gate. She insisted that since she'd neglected Clara the day before, she'd give her a personal tour of the town. That's good, Clara thought behind her smile.
I'm so enjoying these last few chapters. Here's one interchange that I love:
“Are they the gate-keepers to the upper social circles in Almitian society?”
Mother Alden poured their tea and set the pot back under its cozy. “More like the gate-openers.”