Interlude δ
Caroline breathed a sigh of relief as Kushal and Vani landed in the hay cart, the driver looking back in sudden surprise. (Not that Avatars need to breathe—oh, but we’ve gone through that already.)
The situation was looking bleak, though. Through her mental link with Melinda and Gary, she could “see” the Tournament City was already starting to be overrun with monsters from the Lee-Land. There are so many of them! Melinda gasped mentally. Here and there small rounds were starting up, but the defenders were losing to the sheer number of enemy competitors. All of the defenders, not just the Cooportinoans.
Elsewhere, Liz and Sridhar were still calling the Ne Ha—calling, in every way they knew. Sridhar seemed to be trying Xanga messages.
Caroline squeezed her eyes shut in frustration. And she was stuck out here, watching as half of the group had placed themselves in danger of losing their forensic souls as they walked right into a Hahr Kerr stronghold.
On the other hand, they had managed to recover Andrew, as well as this other man with a disturbing talent. He definitely seemed to know too much.
In any case, her goal now was to see them safely back to the tournament city. Putting herself in best Galinda spirits, Caroline set about misdirecting and deflecting incoming enemy competitors, and worse, crooked judges.
The group had to make it back in time, or else…