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Show and her hands were on fire from a row of blisters she'd raised almost immediately across both palms. "Nell, my good Nell," she whispered piteously. "Nell...I cannot do this t h i n g . . . I c a n n o t . . . . " Her right hand reached up for the next cross piece at that moment and felt. . .nothing! • Dr'Anya bent her head back and peered upwards. By Saint Ida's knees, she had reached the top! She slipped an arm through one of the squares and leaned back, surveying the best way to attack the final leg of the climb. Her breath was hissing through her teeth. The young Janni had moved sideways and climbed the last little bit beside her. "Points, my Mother," Janni whispered, looking at the spiked top. "Aye." There was an opening perhaps a half-meter wide between the spikes of the portcullis grillwork and the transparent roof of the atrium. Marry, but they must needs squeeze through. Dr'Anya leaned her head against the bars and took a deep breath. She felt queasy and her knees were shaking like jelly- She slipped her other arm through the bars, clasped her two hands together, and relaxed her legs and back. The young Janni, beside her, took a deep breath and began climbing again. "Saint Jenny for Merry BauerWorlde!" she whispered. "To the top and that right speedily!" She scrambled sideways through the opening, sucking in her belly to miss the spikey top, and pulled at her doublet which had caught on one of the points. Then she was on the other side, breathing heavily into her mother's face. "Avaunt!" she whispered urgently. "Thou must on with thy climb!" Dr'Anya sighed wearily, pulled her arms back through the openings, and seized the bars once more. And soon she was heaving herself over the top, 128 |