"This comes out in an alley beyond the gates," Joel informed her. "Have you heard anything of Nick Thorp?"
"He escaped," Tamis said, "He's staying in my village."
"Thorp?"
"Yes. He joined the outlaws first. But he had trouble with Walt Eriss. Eriss had him thrown into a herd of nigel trees."
"Good Lord," said Joel. "How did he get away?"
Tamis began to grow red. "I—I was watching out for him."
"Sort of a Guardian Angel?"
She giggled. "You could call it that."
There was a scanner at the end of the tunnel. Joel put his eye to it. "The alley's deserted. You can go now." He touched a button, the wall slid aside. The brilliant light of Asgard's twin suns flooded the entrance. He began, "When will you—" and stopped.
Tamis was gone.