The Immortal Heights Read Online Free PDF

chasing us?”
    As the rebels streamed toward the cliffs, the wyvern riders, who had reorganized into a semblance of order and formation, seemed content to merely observe.
    â€œWhy, indeed?” muttered Kashkari, frowning.
    â€œIs it possible for us not to go so deep into the base?” Titus asked Kashkari. “Obviously we cannot flee in the open right now, but if we get in and are then surrounded, it might be difficult to get out again.”
    Kashkari nodded. He once again subordinated their carpets to his. Inside the fissure, they did not go on twisting and turning through the narrow opening as they had their first time, butinstead took a side tunnel that Titus would have passed without seeing—the entire way was pitch dark—and flew up to what Kashkari called an observational post, entering through a trapdoor on the bottom.
    As soon as they had alit from their carpets, Titus grabbed Fairfax for a hard embrace. She was still safe. They were all still safe. Every such moment must be savored, his fervent gratitude offered to the Angels. “You all right? Holding up?”
    She stepped back and examined him. “I’m fine. You, on the other hand, are all ribs. Have you been eating anything at all?”
    â€œEnough,” he said.
    Most of the time he probably ate a little less than he ought to—food being one of those things that he resented for taking time away from everything else that he needed to do. It was tougher to judge when his entire diet consisted of food cubes that tasted like solidified air. How much of that was sufficient?
    She sighed, shaking her head. Then she turned to Kashkari. “How about you, old chap?”
    It dawned on Titus that Kashkari had been watching them, a wistful expression on his face. There was probably very little that Kashkari would not give to be in their position, to love openly and without complication.
    Titus could not imagine the kind of quandary Kashkari found himself in, being in love with a woman all his life, and meeting her much, much too late, when she was already his brother’s fiancée.
    â€œI’m all right,” said Kashkari, turning away. “Let me show you how to open the view ports.”
    They pressed close to the long, rectangular view ports as the armored chariots, dark and silent, streaked past overhead. The wyvern riders raised their hands in salute. Titus squinted, but could not see whether anything had been dispensed.
    â€œThat’s it?” asked Fairfax, after a minute or so of silence.
    â€œThat was all they needed to do,” said Titus. “From what I remember, death rain is highly concentrated. It is harmless while in liquid form, but once it reaches the ground and evaporates . . .”
    â€œWhy didn’t the wyvern riders evacuate?”
    â€œWyverns themselves are not susceptible to death rain. And Atlanteans are usually given antidotes before they go into battle.”
    Fairfax turned to Kashkari. “Is this observational post airtight?”
    â€œThe entire base is, once all the entrances have been sealed.”
    â€œHow do we know when it will be safe enough to venture out again?”
    â€œMy colleagues in other observational posts will be taking air samples every half hour to test for toxicity.”
    â€œSo we might be here awhile.”
    â€œWe might.”
    â€œThen why don’t the two of you take some rest? You are probably short on sleep, to have traveled so fast so far. And you”—her hand settled for just a moment on Titus’s elbow—“I know you’ve hardly slept at all since we landed in the desert.”
    Titus did not want to sleep—he would go to his eternal rest all too soon, and he did not want to waste any minute he had remaining in a state of unconsciousness. He would much rather spend his hours and days with his arms around her, wide awake, accumulating memories for the Beyond.
    Would that it were an