He pushed against the alien presence and felt Dorland pushing with him. The creature above the chauka continued to stare at the cabinet while Brill and the elders chanted. The presence inside Paul grew. It was alien, unlike anything he had ever felt. The only thing familiar about it was the hatred, and that emotion was stronger than Paul would have believed possible. It was a focus of his existence. Together he and Dorland created a fragile barrier. A young girl appeared in his mind—golden curls framing an angel face. Shari . . .
He felt a silent prayer emerge from the darkness: Shari, give me the courage and wisdom to fight this horror.
Sudden warmth washed through him, bringing a sensation of strength and confidence. He felt small, strong arms around him, comforting.
The people of Clarion may have their god, but I have mine as well. The strength of the child. A soft hue took shape inside him, and a sound built up like a two-toned hum. Its meaning was vague and unreachable, but he grasped the comfort it offered and pulled it close. He turned his head. Was that a soft strain of music he heard? He listened, brought it back and moved it around and into the glow of color. He felt Dorland with him and knew that nothing could touch them with that shield in place. He felt the power of Shari, her youth—a godlike quality . . .
Then something Selmer had said came back to him:
The young were special to the Tal Tahir.
Chapter Ten
TIME CREPT IMMEASURABLY PAST.
The pressure eased inside Paul's head. Reality returned slowly. He realized that the chamber was silent. He became aware of a cramp in his leg, and his hand pressed against the wood of the cabinet wall.
Silence.
He opened his eyes. High Elder Brill and the others had left the chamber. Mercifully, the creature above the chauka also had gone. Paul stared at the chauka and forced himself to remain still for a few minutes longer. Behind him he could hear Dorland's breathing. Another moment passed.
'Are you all right?' Dorland asked quietly. Paul slowly straightened the cramp out of his leg.
'I think so. We have to get out of here.'
'Yes.'
He was there, too, Paul thought. We were connected—
Dorland reached past him to push open the
wooden door. Paul stepped out of the cabinet, feeling rubbery in the legs.
Ill
112 William Greenleaf
Daddy, Daddy . . .
He stumbled slightly over the doorframe and felt Borland's hand on his shoulder.
'We're out of it,' Dorland said.
Cleve saw something that made him lose his
mind.
Paul felt again the doubts and insecurities, the dark memories of his past—and the sensation of warmth and reassurance that had washed them away. He felt the alien cold flushing through his veins, and Doriand's reassuring touch. We are hopeful that Doriand's training will protect him. A battle had been silently waged inside that chamber, but High Elder Brill and the other elders and deacons had been completely unaware of it. Diana and Shari—
But that didn't make sense, either. Diana and Shari were dead, and whatever else Dorland and Lord Tern had done, Paul was sure they had not contacted the dead.
He shook his head. Later, he could analyze what had happened. For now, he wanted only to get out of this place.
