by Mike Crowson
* * *
In Salamanca Ian talked low and urgently with Cornelius as they tried to cope with Stella. "It's like a bad trip on drugs," said Ian.
"Almost."
"Did she say what she was doing on the astral?" Ian asked. "Presumably she heard something."
Cornelius nodded.
"It must have concerned the rings. She must have thought they were in danger somehow."
"She did."
Ian was frustrated by Cornelius's silences and monosyllabic answers, though his English was clear and almost unaccented and his understanding near perfect.
"We'll have to get to Boloña and find out for ourselves what's going on," he said. "There's no time to waste. We'll have to leave as soon as we've had breakfast. I'll wake Julie."
Cornelius nodded.
* * *
On Hoy, Steve stirred and rubbed his eyes. "What a crazy dream," he thought out loud but with no Gill to hear. "Wait 'till I tell Gill. She'll probably think I'm going potty."
He glanced at his watch and turned over. 'Ten more minutes and I'll be up to start breakfast,' he thought.