“By then, the pressure was also opening the door into this room. I waited once while it closed. Then, when it began to open a little again, I shoved with my feet braced on the floor. And I came out like a marooned sailor cast up by a storm on a
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desert island, as you saw.”
Kickaha did not comment for a minute. He was thinking of the predicament in which he had put himself—and this fellow—by causing the pool to overflow. Eventually, every room of the twenty-four would be flooded.
“Okay,” he said. “If I can’t figure a way to get out fast, we’ve had it!”
Do Shuptarp asked what he had said. Kickaha explained. Do Shuptarp got even paler. Kickaha then proceeded to outline much of what was behind the recent events. He went into some detail about the Black Hellers.
Do Shuptarp said, “Now I understand much of what was incomprehensible to me—to ali of us—at the time. One day, life was proceeding normally. I was getting ready to lead a dragon-hunting expedition. Then von Turbat and von Swindebarn proclaimed a holy war. They said that the Lord, Herr Gutt, was directing us to attack the city on the level below us. And we were to find and kill the three heretics hiding there.
“Most of us had never heard of Talanac or the Tishquetmoac or of Kickaha. We had heard of the robber baron Horst von Horstmann, of course. Then von Turbat told us that the Lord had given us magical means to go from one level to the next. He explained why he used only the speech of the Lord.
“And now you tell me that” the souls of my king and of von Swindebarn and a few others have been eaten up. And that their bodies are possessed by demons.”
Kickaha saw that the soldier did not fully understand yet, but he did not try to disabuse him. If he wanted to think in superstitious modes, let him.
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The important thing was that he knew that the two kings were now terrible perils in disguise.
“Can I trust you?” he said to Do Shuptarp. “Will you help me, now that you know the truth? Are you convinced that it is the truth? Of course, all this doesn’t matter unless I can figure out a way to get us up into the palace before we drown.”
“I will swear eternal fealty to you!”
Kickaha wasn’t convinced, but he didn’t want to kill him. And Do Shuptarp might be helpful. He told him to pick up his weapons and to lead the way back to the cell in which they had arrived. On getting back there, Kickaha looked for a recording device and found one. This was one of many machines with which a prisoner could entertain himself. Kickaha, however, had another purpose than amusement in mind. He took the glossy black cube, which was three inches across, pressed the red spot on its underside, and spoke a few words in Lord-speech at it. Then he pressed a white spot on its side, and his words were emitted back to him.
KickahaVaited for what seemed like hours until the topaz above the little door in the wall began flashing. He removed the tr#y, which contained enough food for two. Two lights were now flashing in the kitchen, and the talos, noting this, had made suitable provisions.
“Eat!” Kickaha said to Do Shuptarp. “Your next meal may be a long way off—if you ever get one!”
Do Shuptarp winced. Kickaha tried to eat slowly, but the sudden slight opening of the door and spurt of water caused him to gobble. The door shut but almost immediately opened a few inches again to spew in more water.
He put the dishes on the tray and set it in the
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wallchamber. He hoped that the talos would not have something more pressing to do. If they delayed gating the tray back, it might be too late for the prisoners.
Also, the cube he had put on the tray had started replaying his instructions. It was set for sixty times by pressing the white spot three times, but the talos might not take in the tray until after the recordings were finished.