Hmm… They left the temple… how extraordinary. Short audience. Old Rotapan must be furious; they are running hard. And is Maceo's cast-off love in some distress? Poor thing. They should be coming right back up here, where I will have a lovely chat with the digger and then grind Og into powder.
Riolla waited for a moment, thinking on the riches that would soon be hers. It would be a simple matter for her to coerce this young digger into leading her to the Clock, once Saelin had the girl in his clutches. But something wasn't right-Og's little group was running toward the Silver Sea. And-he had the staff! Then the top of the temple began to collapse and Riolla understood. She dabbed her upper lip, cackling loudly when she saw Rotapan hike his robes up and run after them.
"Oh, how delightful! The journey continues. I had no idea this trip would be so much fun, Saelin."
Saelin only snorted from his cushion. "Perhaps, my ecstatic empress, they stand a wonderful chance of being impaled by some of those bones, or drowned. I should like to see that as a matter of professional interest, though, admittedly, I will be very disappointed if I cannot be the one to use the girl's own weapons on her, then take the digger's head."
Riolla stopped laughing as Saelin's words conjured the vision of Cheyne dead of the bonefall, or of her chance of finding the Clock and its hoard drowning in that whirlpool.
"Onward, and double-quick! Follow the little wart with the staff," she cried in alarm.
Saelin looked at her in horror. "Honored Schreefa, I meant I should like to see it from up here!"
Riolla waved his words away and plunked herself into the seat next to him, sending Gahzi and the other weary runners hurrying down the far side of the cliff, toward the shoreline as the sedan followed behind.
Seconds behind her, Javin and Doulos crept over the bluff Riolla had just deserted.