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Then, with a great roar, the watery sides of the cylinder collapsed, pouring out in every direction It took a few minutes for the waters to pass and the froth and spray to subside; then the river slowly ebbed back and wrapped around Lirael’s legs The air cleared, and she saw that they were standing in the river, the current once again trying to pull them under and away

They had reached the Seventh Precinct, and already Lirael could see the first of the Three Gates that marked the deep reaches of Death The Seventh Gate--an endless line of red fire that burned eerily upon the water, the light bright and disturbing after the unifor closer," said Lirael, in a voice that revealed a mixture of relief that they’d o

But the Dog wasn’t listening--she was looking back, her ears pricked and twitching When she did look at Lirael, she si on us, Mistress I think it is Hedge! We et’s Inscrutable Initiative

NICK DRAGGED HIMSELF up and leaned against the door He’d found a bent nail on the ground, and armed with that and a diet into the concrete blockhouse that housed one of the nine junction boxes that were vital to the operation of the Lightning Far but thunder now, and he couldn’t look up, because the lightning was too close, too bright The thing inside hi properly loaded into the bronze cradles But even if he gave in to that compulsion, his body was too weak to obey

Instead he slipped back down to the ground and dropped the nail He started to search for it, even though he kneas useless He had to do so touch his cheek, and he flinched It touched it again--soerly, he opened his eyes to narrow slits, bracing hiot that, but there was another, softer whiteness as well The fur of a s his face

"Go away, cat!" mumbled Nick His voice sounded s htning"

"I doubt it," replied Mogget, close to his ear "Besides, I’ve decided to take you with me Unfortunately Can you walk?"

Nick shook his head and found, to his surprise, that he did have tears left after all He wasn’t surprised by a talking cat The world was cru could happen

"No," he whispered "There is so inside me, cat It won’t let et He could see the second heon, the burnt and broken Dead Hands laboring on with reen eyes reflected a tapestry of lightnings, but the cat didn’t blink

"As is Hedge," he added Mogget had already done a careful reconnaissance, and had seen the necro in the cee was covered in ice, obviously engaged in gathering reinforceet knew, froing theraves

Nick so ani of his drea his last reserves of strength, he pushed hi position--but that was all He was too weak and too close to the he to and fro in annoyance

"If that’s the best you can do, I suppose I’ll have to carry you," said the cat

"Hhow?" in to wonder how the little cat intended to carry a grown et didn’t answer He just stood up on his back paws--and began to change

Nick stared at the spot where the little white cat had been His eyes watered fro He had seen the ani what he saw

For instead of a small cat, there was now a very short, thin-waisted, broad-shouldered man He wasn’t much taller than a ten-year-old child, and he had the white-blond hair and translucently pale skin of an albino, though his eyes weren’t red They were bright green, and almond shaped--exactly like the cat’s had been And he had a bright red leather belt around his waist, fro a tiny silver bell Then Nick noticed that the white robe this apparition wore had tide bands around the cuffs, dusted with tiny silver keys--the saet cautiously He could sense the fragreater part intent on its joining, he knew he had to be careful But trickeryto pick you up, and we’re going to go and find a really good place where we can watch the hemispheres join"

At the , white-hot pain through his chest Yes, they were close, he could feel them

"I ain, and the vision of the he

"The work is done," soothed Mogget He picked Nick up and held hih he was careful not to touch Nick’s chest The albino looked sohtly away fro somewhere to have a better view A view of the hemispheres when they join"

"A better view," mumbled Nick Somehow that quietened the ache in his breast, but it also let hiain with his own reen ones of his bearer He was unable to decipher the emotions there Was it fear--or excited anticipation?

"We have to stop it!" he wheezed, and the pain came back with such force that he screaet bent his head down closer, as Nick continued in a whisper "I can show youahunscrew the junction boxesdisconnect the et He began to head up between the lightning rods, ducking and weaving with a foresight that indicated he could predict where and when the lightning would strike