Mermaid Princess Lanna and her bodyguard Lamia exchanged a glance, a hint of joy on both Sea Race faces. Speaking on behalf of Lanna, Lamia said, "Very well, quite beyond our expectations. The way you all analyzed it mirrors the conclusion some of our elder Sea Race members have reached based on their own experiences. We anticipated you might understand these issues, but we did not expect that you would comprehend them so quickly. We must admit, you two have given us a pleasant surprise, and we've started to feel hopeful about you completing our task."
"So you didn't hold out hope for us before?" Catherine asked, not angry but clearly amused. "If you had no hope for us, why did you seek us out?"
