The Orphaned Worlds (55 page)

Quickly, Rosa placed the lidless cylinder in the water at the edge of the pool. A moment later tiny bright motes began rising from its depths, like glowing beads with a trailing, electric-blue aura, or the stylised image of a comet. Or eyes …

‘The orchestra of eyes,’ he muttered.

THE FANCIFUL NAME BESTOWED ON THE ZYRADIN BY EBRINALDR ESISK, THE HIGH SCIENTIST LORD WHO DESIGNED US

‘Is there another way out of here?’ said Rosa.

THERE IS
IT MAY NOT LEAD YOU BACK TO WHERE YOU STARTED FROM HOWEVER

Now the pool was actually glowing from the hundreds of motes that were converging on the container, pouring into it. As Robert watched, more began appearing at the edge of the pool, as if entering from the surrounding ground. Still they kept appearing or ascending from the depths, funnelling together into the open cylinder, thousands of them.

How is this possible
? he wondered.
Unless the actual physical component is a lot smaller than it appears
…

Suddenly the myriads thinned out to a stream and dwindled to nothing.

YOU MAY NOW AFFIX A SEAL