quot; said Shrike. "Im climbing. "
"Its gone!" shouted Spyder. "We cant see anything. "
"I dont need to see it," she said. "Cant you smell it?"
"What?"
"Flowers. "
"The smell of the Inferno is like vanilla roses," said Count Non. "If you can follow that scent, well follow right behind you. " Shrike nodded and the Count lifted her onto the rock face. Shrike climbed slowly, carefully, feeling her way up the wall, groping with her hands and feet for each purchase on the cliff.
Below, the desert floor was turning red and liquid as the sand superheated to glass where the airships light weapons hit. Spyder pressed his forehead into the mountain. For the first time in what seemed like a long time, he stepped outside himself and looked at where his sorry ass had landed him: clinging to a murderous mountain on some imaginary island, with warrior angels above and demons below. If you could see me now, Jenny, he whispered. If you could see me now.
Count Non put his hand on Spyders shoulder. Spyder looked up and saw Shrike kneeling on a ledge, gesturing for them to come up.
"Youre next, little brother. Dont leave the lady waiting," Non said, giving Spyder a leg up the rock. As he climbed, Spyder heard Lulu huffing and cursing behind him. When he reached the ledge where Shrike waited, she grabbed him and pulled him inside. Spyder turned and pulled in Lulu, as Count Non came up behind her. Outside, the killing light from the airships was hitting all around the cave entrance. Dust and stones rained down on them from the ceiling. The smell of roses was sickening, cloying, over-ripe. Spyder was suddenly afraid. A light bolt hit just below the lip
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