He took his hand away. Very, very quietly, Ciaran raised his head a few
inches and looked over.
Their niche was some fifteen feet above the floor of the pit. Below and
to the right was the mouth of a square tunnel. The crowded, sweating
confusion of the forges and workshops spread out before them, with
people swarming like ants after a rain.
Standing at the tunnel mouth were two creatures in shining metal
sheathes--the androids of Bas the Immortal.
* * * * *
Their clear, light voices rose up to where Ciaran and the hunter lay.
"Did you find out?"
"Failing--as we judged. Otherwise, no change."
"No change." One of the slim unhumans turned and looked with its
depthless black eyes at the soaring metal giant. "If we can only finish
it in time!"