"We've reached the seawall," Tabak said in a stricken voice. "I've never tried to leave the city by the canals, but I've heard that it was impossible. I'd forgotten—"
Jupiter seized her shoulders. "What do you mean?"
"They—they run entirely underwater for ever so far and come out beneath the Dra Dur. The Anolyn built them that way in order to keep the humans from escaping through them."
Jupiter swore in Lingua Galactica. "Suppose we go back to the streets. Can we reach the top of the wall? Does the sea come right up to its base?"
"Yes," Tabak said with a shiver.
Reiloc had stretched Lete out on the shelf. She was returning to consciousness, Jupiter saw; and he stooped, splashing water from the canal into the cave girl's face. Her eyes opened groggily. She pushed herself to her elbows, stared about her with the quick, terrified look of a wild thing.
"You all right?" Jupiter asked.
She let her head drop. "Yes. I couldn't help it, Jupiter. I—"
"You'll do now," he said, not unkindly, and helped her to her feet. "Come on. We haven't any time to waste."
When they reached the surface, Jupiter saw that night had fallen, and with it a thick fog had rolled in from the Dra Dur, choking the streets solid. It was like wet lamb's wool pressing against his eyeballs.