Clarion

CLARION

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followed Selmer when Jacque and Karyn angled off toward the God Wall.

Paul and Selmer worked their way along the

perimeter of the courtyard. The people from Fairhope were strangely quiet—Paul could hear only a few low murmurs among the sounds of

shuffling feet. None of them looked particularly happy to be here. Paul caught a glimpse of a young boy in a gold-and-scarlet uniform a few meters away. He averted his face and hurried past. He realized Selmer was edging over toward an open gate. Past the gate Paul could see a narrow roadway and crumbled ruins. With luck, he and Selmer should be able to carry out their task, then lose themselves in the ruins long enough to reach the access port to David's Tube.

He stopped beside a low stone bench and turned to look toward the wall. After a moment he spotted Jacque and Karyn in the crowd near the place where Sabastian hung in the straps.

Paul felt something touch his arm and jerked around.

"Easy," Selmer said softly. "Do you have an idea for a diversion?"

Paul stared at him. "Don't you?"

The blank look on Selmer's face was answer

enough.

Paul looked again at the God Wall. They had rushed into this, and now his worst fears were realized. They had to do something, but they didn't have a plan. He knew they didn't have much time; a row of deacons was already beginning to form in front of the temple.

As he turned back to Selmer, he bumped into a woman in a gray shawl. He murmured an apology. She gave him a wary look, then another. She was tall and thin, with a beaked nose punctuating a suspicious-looking face.

Then Paul suddenly realized how he could create a diversion. A very good diversion, Karyn had said. He touched Selmer's elbow and whispered,

"Back me up."

Selmer nodded. Paul thrust his hand into his pocket and pulled out the round disk. The woman in the gray shawl stood only a short distance away, still eyeing him warily. He opened his hand to show her the disk.

The reaction was immediate. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. The blood drained from her face. She took a stumbling step backward, her lips working soundlessly. Then she got her breath and released a piercing scream.

A surprised murmur broke out around them.

"It's the GodstoneF a man yelled. It took Paul a moment to realize the voice belonged to Selmer Ogram. He thrust the silver disk high up for others to see. A space widened around him. Another man shouted. Paul glanced back at the God Wall and saw that Karyn and Jacque had moved into position in front of Sabastian. Several boys in gold and scarlet were close to them, craning their necks toward the commotion at the gate.

But Paul could see that he would have to buy Karyn and Jacque more time. The low stone bench beside the path gave him what he needed. While the woman in the gray shawl was still trying to collect her breath, Paul stepped up on the bench and held up the disk.

"People of Clarion!" He had to shout to be heard above the increasing murmurs of the crowd.

"There's a new way coming. A new way\" He consciously tried to put power and authority into his voice, speaking the first words that came to his mind. More heads turned. Several of the uniformed boys near the wall began pushing their way through the crowd. Just a few more minutes. "Lord Tern 166