“Good show!” the baron exclaimed. “I think the bally invasion is over, old chap, but of course the fiends will return after the Saviour’s Eyes have looked upon us once more. Take the Servants, by all means. The poor things have been very unhappy since the city was destroyed.”
“And you, sir? What will you and your fellows do?”
Thewflex removed his top hat—careful not to catch it on his curling horns—and brushed dust from it. He waved it at the ruins. “We cannot rebuild here. No indeed! Even if we cleared away the debris, the land itself has slipped. I have it in mind to settle at the edge of the jungle on the other side of the farms. It’s not too far from the sea, and there are still a few Quee’tan in the trees. Perhaps we could capture the jolly old things and breed them. What do you think about that, hey?”
Clarissa said, “It sounds like a very good idea, Baron.”
Thewflex looked down toward the sea, where many of the Working Class were still frolicking in the water near the shore. “Perhaps if enough of the children are made Aristocrats, we’ll be able to restore some wits to that confounded rabble.”
We talked for a little longer, then bade the Yatsill farewell and led the Koluwaians up and out of the bay. Gallokomas and the colonel floated down to greet us. I drew Kata aside and said, “Each of you must decide whether to remain on Ptallaya or go through the hole in the sky to Koluwai. Those who choose to stay will be taken to the land near the Zull eyries. It is fertile and wooded and the Zull are very kind. They’ll help you to build a village and you’ll be able to live in peace.”
She nodded slowly and put her hands up to cover her heart. “And for those who’d rather go to the other world, sir?”
“We’ll try to send them, but I can’t guarantee anyone’s safety. I should warn you, too, that the Blood Gods pose a danger to Koluwai. If we fail to stop them, the population of the islands will become their prey.”
“I will talk to my people.”
The islanders gathered together. It didn’t take them long to reach a decision. Kata returned to us and reported that the entire group had elected to remain on Ptallaya.
“None who arrived here from Koluwai remains, Mr. Fleischer. We were all born on Ptallaya. It is our true home, despite the traditions.”
I placed a hand on her shoulder. “I think you’ve made the right choice. Gather food from the farms. Eat, then rest a while. We have a long journey ahead.”
We didn’t linger for long. The Heart of Blood was almost two-thirds sunk and time was running out. Shortly after the Koluwaians had filled their stomachs, the Zull flock descended and picked them up. We raced back to Thoomra.
The islanders were deposited a little to the west of the eyries, among the rolling hills and verdant forest. A large number of Zull remained with them and immediately set to work building houses in the trees and clearing land for vegetable farms. The rest of us continued on and found the eyries buzzing with activity. Thousands of Zull had gathered and weapons were being distributed among them. These “frequency cannons” had two parts. The first resembled a long straight tube. From the rear end of this, coiled cables stretched to the second, a box—ornate, in typical Zull fashion—with dials on its top and a plunger-like handle projecting from its side. To operate the device, one Zull balanced the tube on his shoulder and aimed it, while another, wearing the box strapped against his stomach, took readings and pressed the plunger to fix the sound output at the appropriate frequency.
Pistols, the same as those given to Clarissa and me, were also much in evidence.
I estimated that we had the equivalent of at least twenty-four hours to spare, so we returned to our house, where Colonel Spearjab immediately plunged into his bath and began to snore.
“He has the right idea,” I said. “We should sleep.”
Clarissa looked at me strangely.
“What is it?” I asked.
She stepped closer and rested her hands on my chest.
“You’ll really join the fighting?”
“Yes, of course. Our world is threatened.”
“Our world? Is it? I feel we belong here now. I don’t want to go back.”
My heart began to race.
“No. No, Clarissa. You’re right. I don’t want to return to Earth either. Nevertheless, we can’t allow it to be invaded.”