The self-driving vehicle that carried us from Luminarc's airfield toward the Creighton estate was a marvel of magical engineering—crystalline panels that provided panoramic views of the mountain landscape while maintaining perfect climate control, seats that adjusted automatically to provide optimal comfort, and a transportation system so smooth it felt like floating rather than traveling across terrain.
Rachel had immediately taken the same car as me, settling against my side with a contentment that spoke to how much she'd missed physical proximity during our two months of separation. Her warmth pressed against me as she curled up with her head resting on my shoulder, one hand absently tracing patterns across my chest while she pointed out landmarks through the vehicle's transparent walls.