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Instinct took over. There was a skyboat ahead that seemed larger than the others, big enough for its high sides to conceal her body. A memory
stirred in her of sails and knots and the pattern of winds.
Her wings seemed to stretch of their own accord, and her tail steered her without her knowledge. The boat approached: without being aware of how
she d done it she found herself gripping the 76
wooden rail, that ran along the middle of the craft. There was a rope running along the rail, and Xaai began hauling on it.
The boat moved forward. There was a creaking sound from ahead of her A winch. She was winching the boat, out, which meant that the doors
would be opening. She needed to get the doors open so that she could fly away.
But where were the doors? She shook her head in confusion, peered up cautiously over the rail of the boat. She saw rope stretching away, a
glimpse of a dark gap in the floor.
There was a shout from behind her, the deep ugly shout of a man. If only she was still a man, thought Xaai. Then she would be able to fight them.
Something whistled past her head, and the frame of the boat shuddered. She heard Iikeelu s voice: Shoot to wound! Only to wound!
Xaai peered forward again, keeping her head as low as she could. She could see two men, guards, heavy, ugly, holding long rifles. The rifles were
aimed at her. Between the boat and the guards, the door gaped wide. Xaai could feel the cold night air swirling around her wings.
Instinct took over again. She jumped from the boat rail, into the darkness that was the doorway, keeping her wings furled so that she fell as fast as
possible. She thought she heard a bullet whistle past her body, but it was impossible to be sure.
Then she was outside, and the night air had enfolded her body.
She let herself fall, the sound and feel of the air assuring her that the ground was far away. When at last she opened her wings, and felt the air catch
them, she could see the lights ahead.
They were the lights of an army.
An army of naieen, each one carrying a long-barrelled gun close against his or her chest. Each one riding the wind, wings wide.
Helpless, terrified, Xaai was falling straight towards them.
I ll die now, she thought I ll die, and I ll never know why it happened.
I ll never remember.
But at least I flew.
77
Nine
he back of Epreto s house was shadowed, window less. There Twas some light from the city and from the temples in the Sky, but it was faint and
diffuse, hardly more useful than starlight. Mike had to walk slowly for fear of running into something, guiding himself by the sounds of Jo s and
Karilee s footsteps. Karilee had said this was the best way in he d claimed to have memorized a map but Mike couldn t see any indication of an
entrance.
Nonetheless he knew he had little choice but to trust Karilee. He only hoped that Jo s strange fears about evil coming from the Sky weren t in any
way justified. If only he knew what had happened to her in the forest, he might have some chance of judging the reliability of her information. As it
was, he didn t know what he could trust, and what he couldn t. It was an unsettling feeling.
A faint pale shape appeared ahead, then there was a flare of light. Karilee had lit a taper. In the unsteady glare of the flame, Mike saw the wall of
the house, yellow-painted, scabby with brownish fungal creepers. Holding the taper low and keeping it close to the wall, Karilee paced slowly,
obviously looking for something.
There was a faint sound behind Mike. Something moving on the soil. He whirled round, peered into the darkness, but his eyes were still dazzled by
Karilee s flame.
What is it? hissed Jo.
I thought I heard something.
Jo stared for a moment, shook her head. Can t see anyone, she said.
Ahead of them Karilee had stopped and crouched down. He beckoned them over. Mike could just see a darker patch on the ground where he was
standing. Jo hurried over, and Karilee handed her the taper, then removed a wooden cover to reveal a deep pit.
Mike looked down, but saw only dry earth walls fading away into blackness.
The deadspace, breathed Karilee. Where the clay for the stone walls was removed.
78
Jo winced, muttered, How could he do that? Her voice shook with revulsion.
Mike wondered what a deadspace was, and why it was so shocking. What had happened to her? But there was no more time to worry about it
now.
Karilee had picked up a small stone from the ground, and as Mike watched he dropped it into the pit. There was a long silence, then a faint
clattering sound. Karilee looked at Mike. We can jump it, but I m not sure about the cripple.
I m not a cripple! said Jo. If you can do it, I can do it. Her voice held a stubborn tone that Mike recognized all too well. Again he felt a surge of
relief whatever had happened, she was still Jo.
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