into the side canal boiled white and angrily down into the long valley.
'Deserted!' Helm commented. 'All Harper's men have pulled out.'
'What is that yellow object on the bank?' von Schiller wanted to know.
'That's the earth-moving machine. You remember? My informer told us
about it.'
'Don't waste any more time,' von Schiller ordered.
'Nothing more to see here. Let's get on!'
Helm tapped the pilot's shoulder, and gestured downstream.
apper was waiting for them to catch up at the junction of the trail,
where the diverted river was roaring down the valley in a torrent and
had washed out a long section of the original track. The porters, strung
out in a long line down the valley, each with an ammunition crate
balanced on his head, were picking their way along the higher ground
above the water.
Tessay's litter was near the rear of the column, with Royan and Nicholas
trotting on each side of it and steadying it over the rough and uneven
sections of the path.
'Where is Hansith?' Nicholas shouted at SappeT, shading his eyes to
check the men ahead of him, and trying to pick out the big monk's
distinctive form from amongst the others in the caravan.
thought he was with you,' Sapper shouted back. 'I haven)
t seen him since we left the chasm., Nicholas turned and stared back the
way they had come, along the footpath through the Thorn forest.
'Damn the man,' he grunted. 'We can't go back to look for him. He will
have to make his own way down to the monastery.'
At that moment they heard the faint but familiar flutter of rotors in
the hot, humid air below the lowering cloud masses.
'The Pegasus chopper! Sounds as though von Schiller is heading directly
for Taita's pool. He must have known all along exactly where we were
working,' said Nicholas bitterly. 'Not wasting any time. Like a vulture
coming in to a fresh carcass.'
Royan was also looking up at the sound, trying to pick out the shape of
the aircraft against the dark clouds. Her OEM NOOF AL
, the tendrils of sweat-damp face was flushed from the ru hair dangled
down her cheeks. 'If those swine are allowed to enter our tomb it will
be a dreadful desecration of a sacred place,' she said angrily.
Nicholas reached-across the litter and took Suddenly determined. 'You
are her arm. His expression'was stem an right. Go on down to the
monastery with Tessay. I will follow you later.' Before she could
protest or question him, he strode across to Sapper.
'I am putting the two women in your care, Sapper.
Look after them.'
'Where are you going, Nicky?' Royan had come up behind him, and
overheard his orders to Sapper. 'What are you going to do?'
'One little chore. Won't take me long.'
'You aren't going back there?' She was horrified. 'You will get yourself
killed or worse. You saw what Helm did to Tessay-'
'Don't fuss yourself, my love,' he laughed, and before she realized what
he intended he kissed her full on the lips.
While she was still flustered and confused by this display in front of
