"Because I have a poet's feeling that some fancy mind reading may come in handy."
They hurried down the hall, found the stairs, ducked down, and ran along the lower hall. Rounding a second corner, they emerged into the little chapel simultaneously with Urson and Snake.
"I guess I got through," said Iimmi. "Which way do we go?"
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," came a voice from behind them.
Snake took off down one of the passages, and they followed, Urson looking particularly bewildered.
The Priestess glided behind them, calling softly, "Please, my friends, come back. Return with me."
"Find out from her how the hell to get out of this place!" Iimmi bawled up to Snake. The four-armed boy suddenly darted up a flight of stairs, turned a corner, and darted up another. They came out on a hall and followed Snake to the end.
All four of the boy's hands flew at the door handle, turning it carefully, this way, and back.
Two, three seconds.
Geo glanced back and saw the Priestess mount the top of the stairs and begin to come toward them. She seemed to float, her white robes flaring out from her, brushing at the walls.