Darkness.
'Are you all right, Pyrgus?' Nymph's voice, concerned but steady. 'Is everybody all right.'
Somebody groaned.
'Blue? Is that you, Blue? What's happened? What's wrong?' Henry's voice, and he sounded on the verge of panic.
Pyrgus said quietly, 'I'm on top of something soft – I think it may be alive.'
'That's me,' said Comma crossly.
'Blue? Where are you?'
'It's all right, Henry – I've hit my head, that's all. Has anybody got a light?'
'I've got a sparker,' Comma said. 'If Pyrgus would get off me.'
But Nymphalis beat him to it. Her face suddenly emerged out of the darkness, illuminated by a portable glow globe about the size of a hen's egg. It floated gently upwards as she released it, then expanded and brightened until its light picked up them all.
They were in a wide corridor with gleaming metallic piping running down both walls. The heat was appalling and there was a rhythmic pounding in the floor.
Blue said softly, 'Nymph…'
'I see him,' Nymph said.
Pyrgus turned in the direction of her gaze. Ochlodes was stretched out on the floor, still clutching the remnants of his shattered bow.
From the position of his head, it was clear his neck was broken.