'That's a rea/pigrim. Bird about the size of your finger. Not dangerous.' He laughed again and touched Paul's shoulder. 'Better get moving.' When they were all together at the wall, Karyn spoke in a low voice to Dorland.
'Once you're over, go directly across the courtyard and through the archway. Then you'll be inside the temple.'
Dorland nodded.
'The sentries will be back in a few minutes,' Karyn said, her eyes on Dorland. Paul was suddenly struck by the realization that she wasn't happy with this plan either. 'You can still change your mind. Nobody would blame you.'
Dorland didn't say anything. Karyn's eyes remained on him a moment longer; then she signaled to the others, crossed the roadway at a crouching run and melted into the shadows. Paul hesitated as Selmer and Jacque followed her. He peered over the wall at the temple. Then he heard nearby voices, and his heart began to hammer inside his chest. The voices were those of young men, but Paul knew they couldn't be the sentries back this early. From their direction, it was clear that the boys were coming down the other side of the wall toward the corner. When they reached the cover, the boys would surely see him and Dorland
crouched there against the wall.
For a frozen moment they hesitated; then
Dorland grasped the wall and pulled himself over. Paul turned for a quick, panicky glance toward the black shadows across the roadway 'where he knew r
98 William Greenleaf
Karyn and the others waited. Then the voices came closer and he knew he didn't have a choice. He followed Dorland over the wall, landed off balance on a hard surface and nearly fell. Dorland's hands were on his arm, steadying him. They waited, panting, staring at each other.
A voice came from just on the other side of the wall: 'We can't go in through the gate. They'll know we didn't get here in time. We were supposed to be here a half hour before the ceremony. Let's go over here.'
Chapter Nine
PAUL AND DORLAND MADE THEIR WAY CAREFULLY
across the courtyard, hugging the shadows, balancing the need to get away from the boys who would be climbing over the wall behind them against the need to avoid falling over a bench or potted plant. Paul followed Dorland up the shallow steps and through the lighted archway, expecting at any moment to feel the sting of a dart between his shoulder blades.
The poison takes about thirty seconds, Selmer had told him. But I saw a man die from it and I can tell you that it's a long thirty seconds.
Inside the building, they moved quickly away from the entrance and stood still, listening. Silence. We were supposed to be here a half hour before the ceremony.
Paul hadn't stopped to think about the significance of the boy's statement, but now it was chillingly clear. A ceremony of some kind would be starting here before long. Which meant that he and Dorland would have to figure out a way to get out of here fast!
99
100
CLARION 101
William Greenleaf
He looked around, taking stock of the room. The inner walls and the floor were covered with dark, highly polished wood. Only the ceiling and outer wall appeared to be of the pink-veined stone of which the domes were made. Paul looked closer at the wall. It was featureless. He'd expected to see the lines of stone blocks, but there was no hint of how the building was constructed.
The layout fitted Karyn's description. To the left was a low, wide archway that led into another room. The light came from there. On the right side of the entry was a heavy wooden door that stood open. Through it Paul could see a short passageway that led to a gentle curve of stairs.
Paul touched Dorland's shoulder and turned
