In perplexity the girl glanced down on the city spread out below. Then she gave a little scream, clapped her hand over her mouth.
Slowly, inexorably, the encircling jungle was enveloping the city! Already the outlying districts were submerged beneath a wave of thrashing greenery.
Joel saw a band of ant-like men trying to stem the advance of the nigel trees with ray projectors. Then they broke and ran.
Someone began to pound on the door to Priscilla's suite and shout for the Emperor. Then he went away.
Thorp called, "What is it, Joel?"
"The plants! They're attacking!"
With a shout, the ex-spaceman rushed to the parapet, dragging Tamis with him.
The Ganelon girl's ivory cheeks were flushed and she held tight to Thorp's hand as she leaned over the parapet.
Priscilla's green eyes widened. "The Ganelons! They've set the nigel trees onto the rebels."
Joel nodded.