and absently smacked her buttocks. "Lie quiet, damn you."
She lay quiet. He went on marveling at Jerran's commanding new presence,
but said nothing. He was behind a born leader now.

Jerran said, "Priest, tell your gods to stop trying to get at my mind.
I've shut it off from 'em. You follow Ewyo."

The priest turned on his heel. The servants scuttled after their lord,
and Rack sat down on a rock and pulled at his beard, looking thoughtful.

"I don't think it'd be overstating it," he said mildly, "to tell you two
you're in trouble."

"So are the gentry, brother," Revel answered.

"That'll be seen. Well," Rack said, squinting his good eye, "I'll be
seeing you. Or not, as the case may be."

"Come along," said Jerran, and walked off, followed by Revel with the
Lady Nirea.

Ewyo had vanished. His servants, uncertain, were grouped under the
ladder, and the priest was mounting up, his radiant robe billowing to
show scrawny, hairless legs. The two gods lifted through the murk.

"Ewyo," said Revel, and Jerran interrupted. "Is gone. Did you expect to
hold him captive, lad?" He shook his yellow skull. "Too much trouble for
two men. Up you go."

Revel sprang at the ladder and was soon crowding the heels of the
priest. That worshipful man reached the top of the ladder, turned and
knelt and thrust his face into Revel's. It was a vicious face,
hawk-nosed and mean. Now it barred his way, gloating openly.

"You're dog-meat, rebel. A shame to kill the Lady Nirea with you, but
the gods order it." He reached out a hand and planted it firmly on
Revel's face.

Hanging to the rung with his left hand, balancing the girl on the left
shoulder, Revel shot up his right and gripped the priest's wrist and
heaved up and back, ducking his head at the same time.

The robed man flew into space with a screech.

"Look out below!" roared Revel, and, chuckling, he finished his climb
and gave a hand to Jerran. "Where now?" From far below came the crunch
of a carcass landing at the foot of the ladders, on the lowest level of
the mine shaft. "One less priest!"

"Follow me, lad," said Jerran, and dashed for the entrance. There was no
god on duty there, but the two that had accompanied the priest were
mounting into the buttoned sky.

The girl was light on his shoulder, a delicious burden, he thought. He
hoped he could keep her. Just how, or where, he did not bother to
consider. Things were moving too fast for plans, at least plans about
women.