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"Down," replied the Dog, gesturing with her head "We’d best hurry You should draw a bell, too Perhaps Ranna She ishere"

Lirael knelt and touched noses with the Dog

"I couldn’t do this without you," she said, kissing her on the snout

"I know, I know," replied the Dog distractedly, her ears twitching around in a se?"

"No," replied Lirael She stood up to listen, and her hand automatically freed Ranna froht so "Now I’ powerful,about the crisis of confidence in her balance as she turned and hurried along the path "Or could it be Mogget again?"

"I do not think it is Mogget," said the Dog with a frown She stopped to look back for a moment, her ears pricked forward Then she shook her head "Whoever it isor whateverwe should try to leave it behind"

Lirael nodded as she walked and took a firrip on both bell and sword Whatever they met next, from in front or behind, she was determined not to be surprised

Chapter Twenty-two

Junction Boxes and Southerlings

THE FOG HAD hidden the quay and was drifting inexorably up the slope Nick watched it roll and watched the lightning that shot through it Unpleasantly, it made him think of luminous veins in partly transparent flesh Not that there was anything living that had flesh like that

There was so he had to do, but he couldn’t remember what it was He knew the he Part of hi But there was another, rebellious self that wanted exactly the opposite, to stop the he by whatevervoices inside his head, both so strident that they ible

"Nick! What have they done to you?"

For a ht this was a third voice, also inside his head But as it repeated the saered around At first he couldn’t see anything through the fog Then he spotted a face peering out from behind the corner of the nearest shed It took a few seconds for him to work out who it was His friend frohtly older student who he’d hired to oversee the construction of the Lightning Faruid individual, as always impeccably dressed

Tim didn’t look like that now His face was pale and dirty, his shirt had lost its collar, and there was mud all over his shoes and trousers Crouched down behind the hut, he constantly shook, as if he had a fever or was scared out of hissteps to Tih he had to clutch at the wall in the last second to stop hi

"You have to stop him, Nick!" Tim exclaimed He didn’t look at Nick but everywhere else, his eyes flickering fearfully froit’s wrong!"

"What?"asked Nick wearily The walk had tired hier "What are we doing? It’s a scientific experiment, that’s all And who is the hie!" blurted Ti was thickest "He killed my workmen, Nick! He killed them! He pointed at them and they fell down Just like that!"

Hemovement with his hand and started to sob, without tears, his words tuasps and cries

"I saw him do it It was only--only"

He looked at his watch The hands were stuck in place, stopped forever at six minutes to seven

"It was only six to seven," whispered Ti in, and woke us all up, so we could celebrate the completion of the work I went back to the hut for a bottle I’ve been savingI saw it all through the --"

"Sahat?" asked Nick He was trying to understand what had upset Tim so much, but there was an awful pain in his chest, and he siether with Ti with you, Nick," Ti back away from him "Don’t you understand? Those hee killed my workmen! All of the, Tih nothing ca up

Nick watched du inside hi force writhed against it with feelings of fear, revulsion, and terrible doubt The pain in his chest redoubled, and he fell down, clawing at his heart and his ankle

"We have to get away," said Ti hand "We have to warn soed to sit up but was still hunched over, one pale hand over his heart, the other clutching the fragainst the pain in both places and the pressure in his head "Yes--you go, Tim Tell hertell them I’ll try and stop it Tell her--"

"What? Who?" asked Tim "You have to co again Talking to Lirael in the reed boat, trying to keep the shard of the Destroyer within him at bay He reue He could feel it again now, rising up

"Go!" he said urgently, pushing at Tio away "Run, before I-- Aah!"