“No,” Ramus said. But it was a plea more than a statement.

“Shall we move on?” Lulah said.

“I don't know,” Ramus said. “I'm not sure I can. Not now, not if I'm here too late. A whole new world, yes, but if that Sleeping God is awake . . .”

But he realized that if it was awake, then they had nothing to fear. This place had been abandoned for a long time, and whoever had once worshipped here was long gone. Perhaps the God had also vanished.

“I don't like the thought of resting here,” the Serian said.

“South,” Ramus said. “Maybe it went that way.”

Lulah shrugged because she had nothing to say.

“Deeper into exile,” he continued. “Fallen . . .” He felt the pain behind his eyes readying again, threatening like a raised fist, and that presence in his head seemed to expand larger than was possible.

“Come on,” Lulah said. “We'll go through the village and camp on its outskirts. I want to spend tonight on open ground, where we can see anything closing in.”

They went back out into the ruined settlement, moving from building to building and pausing only if they saw something new. The structures were basic but remarkable, lined and joined as they were with sprays of pipes and tubes, metal junctions and thicker columns that entered the ground at regular intervals. Lulah tried to shake one such column, but it did not budge. To be so solid, it must have been buried deep.

Toward the center of the village, they found a small square. Unlike the buildings, it was not clogged with rampant plant growth, but there was a patch of trees that seemed to wave and lean even though there was no breeze. Mist hung around their roots, and when they drew closer, Ramus saw several small holes in the hard ground from which steam issued in short, weak puffs. Whatever forces existed beneath and between the trees' root systems set them shifting with power.

Lulah went close to one of the steam holes, knelt down and reached out with her sword. Moisture beaded on the blade and she drew back quickly. “Hot,” she said.

“Nomi should feel at home here,” Ramus said. “If they even made it up.” He saw Lulah's face darken at that, and he almost apologized. They were her friends he was talking about, after all.

“They'll have made it,” Lulah said. “We should move on.” She sheathed her sword and walked away from the gently moving trees.