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The thought of food waiting for him would lure him back. But if he ate first,
he'd fall asleep in his tracks. It wasn't so bad this time, with onlyhis own
weight to drag, but it was bad enough.
The waning moon lit the way clearly, but the temperature continued to fall.
On the way back, he wrapped himself in his blanket, using Klyd's for the
apples and their rudimentary camping equipment. He fell several times, and
yards from the cabin he fell one final time.
Only the aroma of the cooked buckwheat brought him to his feet again. He made
it to the safety of the warm haven too tired to worry about the Sime who
probably owned the place and would return momentarily.
He never remembered eating that pot of cereal or bedding down next to the
injured channel. But he must have done both, for when he woke late the next
morning the pot was empty and he wasn't very hungry. He lay for long minutes
trying to dive back into dreamless sleep. But thought of Klyd brought him
fully awake.
Examining the bandages, he found the wounds almost half healed. But the
channel still seemed unconscious. His skin was icy cold despite the warm
bedding.
Clutching his blanket about him, Valleroy built up the fire with the driest,
hottest burning wood he could find.If the smoke attracted the Runzi, then so
be it, he thought. Klydhad to have warmth. But on the other hand, he
thought,if they were going to be discovered, they'd have been discovered
already.
He made himself another pot of buckwheat and ate hungrily, still trying to
figure out what sort of place this was. The only light was from the fire and a
few chinks in the stonework. But by that, he found the candles and lit them.
Only then did he see the writing inscribed on a recessed section of wall
framed by an arch. He took the candle to it to seebetter .
It took no linguistic talent to recognize the symbol at the top of the
plaque& this was a Shrine of the Starred-Cross! Below that symbol were
instructions indicating the safest path to the Gen Territory border. Thencame
a series of requests for users of the way station. Leave dry wood on the
hearth, and water in the crocks. Write on the plaque the date of usage and
whether Simes might have spotted that usage.
Toward the bottom came the admonition to trust in the starred-cross. One such
talisman hung from a nail beneath the plaque. It was the same as the one he
now wore the one that had seen his mother safely out of Sime Territory. This
was a way station of the children's underground.
Fishing his talisman out of his shirt, Valleroy kissed it joyfully. How lucky
they had been to find this place!
CHAPTER TEN
Page 111
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KLYD MOANED, TOSSING FEVERISHLY, AS IF TRYING TO twist away from some
unnameable horror. Not knowing what to do, Valleroy kneeled beside the pallet
and tried to keep the Sime from hurting himself with the violence of his
thrashing. As the minutes wore on, Klyd became more and more delirious,
alternately screaming for Denrau and begging urgently for help.
In an anguish of indecision, berating himself for his own ignorance, Valleroy
fought his unconscious friend until he had to retreat to avoid the wildly
searching laterals, which now were coated with the ronaplin secretion, a sure
sign that the channel was in need.
Helpless, Valleroy stood aside watching his patient wrestling with unseen
demons. He'd carried this man across a mountainside, and to do it, he'd
promised himself he'd save him or die trying. Now it appeared as if the
channel would killhimself in delirium.
Right now, Klyd was in need, and Valleroy was high-field. Such a combination
would end in transfer, and Valleroy knew it He thought he might nerve himself
to try it if Klyd were conscious and somewhat able to control himself. But
only a highly skilled Companion would dare do anything with a channel in this
condition. Yet he had to dosomething .
Suddenly, Klyd let out a wide-eyed scream of undiluted terror. He clutched at
the straw pallet as if he were falling off the world. Valleroy threw himself
on top of the thrashing Sime. He grabbed Klyd's arms above the tentacle sheath
openings. He could feel the swollen ronaplin glands under the lateral sheaths.
His grip was surely causing incredible pain. But perhaps pain would bring Klyd
to his senses. He hung on as the thin body was wracked with spasm after spasm.
With the Sime strength driving muscle against muscle, surely the very bones of
Klyd's body would crack under the strain.
Valleroy sobbed, "Klyd, wake up. It's me,Hugh , not Denrau! Wake up so we can
go to Denrau. He's home, in Zeor& waiting for you. Klyd wake up! Oh, for God's
sake, wake up!"
Valleroy never knew how long the ordeal went on. Slowly, the channel's
screams subsided. His thrashing quieted until only an occasional moan of pain
filled the cabin. Valleroy released his grip and sprang back out of reach,
praying fervently that he hadn't hurt Klyd.
Instantly, Klyd's eyes opened, focused and sane. He froze, motionless. Then
he let out a ragged sigh and melted into the straw bedding, limp with an
unutterable fatigue."You idiot Gen! Don't you know better than to move an
unconsciousSime! "
It was like a slap in the face to Valleroy. "Why you ungrateful& " He choked
on raw indignation, all thought of the channel's welfare banished by a growing
rage.
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