"_Wait!_"
Althaya stood rigid, looking down at Grim. He saw her green eyes widen
dreamily. She whispered, "Kohonnes is sending his breath out across the
world. Soon now the Change will come."
"So what?" rasped big Randolph, hands working furiously, his fingers
opening and closing. "We're all on this red-marked island. It won't
hurt us."
Althaya shook her head. "Not while the god is breathing. No. We can
wait!"
The black sea-like curve of rock above Grim was altering. It lost its
concave outlines; shimmered, and grew thin and tall, like an ebony
finger pointing skywards. And the tree on it was a tree no more, but a
green vine clinging to its sides and drooping white blossoms across its
black edges.
Althaya and Randolph withdrew from the altar; went higher on the
rockside. Grim stared at the changes working all around him. Not far
away was another red-marked island. Between the altar island and that
other, the ground lifted and fell restlessly.
Tlokine came toward the altar, her guards drawing back and away from
the change.