The salamander in Dave's chest crept deeper and
seemed to bleat at each cry of the monstrous thing beyond the door.
Sather Karf sat hunched over what seemed to be a bowl of water, paying
no attention to the struggle. Something that he seemed to see there held
his attention. Then he screamed suddenly.
"The Sons of the Egg. It's their sending!"
He reached for a brazier beside him, caught up the fire and plunged it
deep into the bowl of water, screaming something. There was the sound of
an explosion from far away as he drew his hands out, unwet by the water.
Abruptly the undine began a slow retreat. In Dave's chest, the
salamander began purring again, and he drifted back into his coma.
He tried to ask Nema about it later when she was feeding him, but she
brushed it aside.
"An orderly let out the news that you are here," she said. "But don't
worry. We've sent out a doppelganger to fool the Sons, and the orderly
has been sentenced to slavery under the pyramid builder for twenty
lifetimes. I hate my brother! How dare he fight us with the sky
falling?"
Later, the delirium seemed to pass completely, but Dave took no comfort
from that. In its place came a feeling of gloom and apathy. He slept
most of the time, as if not daring to use his little strength even to
think.
Ser Perth stayed near him most of the time now. The man was obviously
worried, but tried not to show it.
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