The Fate of the Dwarves - By Markus Heitz Page 0,211

Ido girl, and the thought of having both women really was not to be sneezed at—but actually he felt insulted. His masculine pride was hurt. His Rodario pride. How could this be happening to a descendant of the Incredible Rodario? He should be conquering hearts, not being haggled over and shared out like a sack of grain.

“To make a pact like that! What a nerve!” he muttered, feeling the cool dampness dripping onto his shoulder as the water soaked through his shirt. The fountain was splashing more loudly now.

It was so hot that he did not find this unwelcome, but he could not explain why the jet of water had changed direction.

Rodario turned his head—and froze. Towering four paces high behind him was a being similar to a human, but formed entirely of water. It had a broad head and a snoutlike face with long teeth. Teeth made of solid water…

Turning round again he pretended he had not noticed anything untoward as he peeled himself away from the stone surround of the fountain and walked over to the house entrance. He must call Coïra to come and see this phenomenon and tell him what it was. It was really not the normal way for a fountain to conduct itself!

The splashing grew louder, then he heard the Zhadár calling down from the rooftops, and felt a wave swirl round his legs. In an instant it had pulled him off his feet and he disappeared into the water, spluttering madly.

Coïra opened her eyes, having felt something cold on her forehead. Mallenia was sitting next to her, wiping her face with a damp cloth. “This time you’re looking after me,” she said, weakly.

“You have heatstroke,” replied the Ido girl. “Rodario should have been taking better care of you.”

“You had a talk with him, I heard.”

Mallenia passed her something to drink. “I told him that we had agreed to share him.”

The maga felt giddy. “But he was not to be told anything at all!” she protested. “You’ve broken our agreement on purpose.”

“It didn’t make sense otherwise. One of these days he was going to work out for himself that we women had made common cause and that we were in charge, not him. He can take out his anger on me. It’s not your fault.”

Coïra sighed and emptied her glass. “So that’s why he was shouting.”

“He looked so cute,” the Ido girl said dreamily. “He was as helpless as a young child again. You would have given him to me straightaway if you’d seen him like that.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw something move in the shadows in a corner where a pile of bricks was stacked. Hadn’t they moved too? They seemed to have formed a little tower. She furrowed her brow. “It’s this confounded heat,” she said. “I can’t take the heat.”

“What did Rodario say?”

“He said he’d have to think about it.”

“I knew it! Now he’ll reject both of us!” Coïra sat up where she had been lying. “That really wasn’t very bright.”

“Keep calm,” Mallenia told her, clasping her hand. “He has a head on his shoulders and will soon realize what he is being offered. What we have offered him. If he throws this opportunity away, he’s too stupid to be companion to either of us.”

The maga thought hard, then smiled shyly. “Maybe. I don’t fancy stupid men.”

Mallenia caught another movement in the same corner.

The bricks were actually moving closer together. She stared at the place intently.

The bricks were forming stacks and piling up wildly. They shaped a leg, but then the supply ran out, so square bricks broke out of the wall as if following some silent command.

Coïra’s attention was caught by this movement, too. The brick creature was growing taller by the minute and, at the same time, the fabric of the walls was becoming steadily more damaged, until they started to cave in. Outside, the Zhadár were shouting.

Mallenia dragged the maga up, seeing giant cracks appear in the roof above their heads. “Let’s get out! Quick! The building’s going to collapse!”

The two girls ran to the door—but they were met by a wall of water with Rodario swimming within it, trying to get out.

The rear of the building crashed down.

“Get out through the window at the back,” the Ido ordered, tugging Coïra along. “Didn’t you say there was no magic here?”

The maga had no answer. The shock was overwhelming, as was the realization that she must bear the responsibility and guilt for allowing their