A vine parted under her sawing knife…and two more slithered in to take its place。
〃I'm ing！〃 he promised； splitting two more cables； then dropping to the next stable…looking branch。 It sagged； then Dwer's footing went slippery as it seeped a clearish； greasy liquor。 He shouted； and his feet slid out from under him。
The same dense tangle he'd been cursing saved him from a broken neck。 His windmilling arms caught a vine； wrapping round it desperately as his legs swung in midair。 But his sigh of relief turned into a gagging gasp。 Under his chin； livid veins pulsed with some vile； crimson solution。 Blisters formed as corrosive liquid welled beneath the thinnest of membranes。 Dwer's eyes stung from escaping vapor。
（No； no。 Don't think I would ever harm you so！ You are much too precious for that。）
Before Dwer's tear…blurred gaze； the blisters stopped rising…then reddish fluid seemed to drain out of the throbbing arteries。
（That nectar is for plain stone。 For you； my unique one； only the gold。）
Dwer grimaced。 Thanks a lot！
Peering to one side； he found another tangle within reach of his feet。 Risking that perch； he pushed away from the loathsome branch that had broken his fall。
（Think nothing of it。）
Dwer was almost at Rety's level now； close enough to see grim determination replace panic in her eyes as she sawed another vine in half。 A fine spray rewarded her； gilding the forearm she raised to protect her face。 All of a sudden； Dwer realized…She's cutting in the wrong direction！
Instead of taking the most direct route toward daylight； she was heading deeper into the morass…toward the mechanical bird…thing！
Of all the times to chase an Ifni'slucking obsession！
Sudden liquid coolness brushed Dwer's wrist。 A shimmering meniscus bead lay amid the dark hairs。 He moved aside quickly； before another drop could fall from the seep…pore overhead。 Dwer shook the droplet off； but even after it was gone； the spot still felt chilled； touched with a not…unpleasant numbness； like when the village dentist spread powdered Nural leaves along a patient's gums； before spinning his hand…cranked drill。
The machete now wore its own streaked coating； already starting to crystallize in places。 Certainly it was an artifact worth collecting； a slab of star…god stuff； adapted by a tribe of primitives to new use in a twilight place； between the gritty earth and urbane sky。 Grimly； he raised his weapon and set to with a will。
Concentration was vital； so he ignored the stench and grinding dust with a hunter's narrow…minded focus。 Sweat beaded his brow； face； and neck； but he dared not wipe。 No doubt he already looked like Rety； who now glittered like some fairy confection； dusted with beads of honey。 Dwer did not bother shouting for her to turn and head toward him。 Given her obstinacy； he might as well save his breath。
Glancing back； he saw his escape route still looked clear…a tunnel lined by chopped branches and dangling severed vines。 One…of…a…Kind could marshal more； but the mule…spider was old； slow。 As Dwer neared Rety's cage； he felt sure he could thwart the spider's move； when it came。
Now he called； hoarsely。
〃Okay； Rety。 No foolin'。 Let's get outta here。〃
The girl was over at the far end of her funnel opening； staring at the bird…thing past the branches that blocked her way。 〃Hey； it noticed me！ It's turning around！〃
Dwer wouldn't care if it stood on its head and gave Drake's Farewell Address in Buyur…accented Galactic Three。 He sliced another cable and coughed as fumes flowed from both writhing ends。 〃Rety； we haven't got time！〃
When the smoke cleared； he sidled closer and saw that the bird…thing had risen up within its cell； peering skyward and ignoring droplets that settled； mistlike； on its feathered back。 Rety； too； seemed to notice its attention shift。 She turned to look upward； as Dwer heard a shrill； chittering sound from the same general direction。 It's just the bloody noor。
Beyond the diffracting crisscross of vines； he saw Mudfoot； returned from wherever it had fled。 Only now the creature stood on its hind legs； sinuous body upraised； whiskered snout pulled back； snarling at something out of sight； to the south。
Another flicker caught Dwer's eye。 Like an epileptic snake； a kinked vine twisted into view； crossing part of the opening Dwer had cut through the hedge。 Its jerky fits and starts seemed pathetic； all alone…but that tendril was followed by another； and another still。
〃Rety！〃 He shouted； preparing to slash at the remaining barrier between them。 〃The trap's closing。 It's now or never！〃
On her face lay the frustration of ing within arm's reach of her grail； only to have it snatched away by cruel fate。 Not waiting for her answer； he lifted the heavy machete with both weary arms and cried out； splitting with three hard strokes the heavy cable blocking his way forward。 Don't throw it away； Rety； he pleaded inside； knowing it would do no good to say anything more aloud。
With a cry of frustration； Rety whirled around； forsaking her treasure； hurling herself at smaller vines with her tiny blade； then squeezing between others with lithe； squirmy agility。 The tight passage smeared gold drops until she resembled a streaked pastry of swirled nut cream。 Dwer sliced relentlessly and at last was close enough to stretch one arm into the morass。
Rety's hand clasped his wrist。
Dwer planted his feet and hauled backward； drawing her through a dark； fetid funnel。 A low moan acpanied the passage。 He could not tell if it came from her； or himself； or both of them at once。
She slid free at last and clung to him with sudden fury； wrapping his torso in quivering arms and legs。 Underneath all her macho bravado； Dwer knew she must have been terrified in there。
〃We've got to hurry；〃 he said； tugging at one arm。
Rety resisted but a moment； then slithered off。 She inhaled。 〃Okay； let's go。〃
He gave her a boost with his hands； sending her clambering into the tunnel…chimney he had carved through the hedge。
（Oh； going so soon？ Have I been so poor a host？）
〃Dry up and burn； One…of…a…Kind；〃 Dwer muttered under ragged breaths as he climbed after Rety； trusting her strong instincts to lead the way。
（Someday I surely will。 But by then I'll have preserved a legacy。
（Think on it！ When Jijo's fallow age ends； and new tenants possess this world for an aeon of shining glory； they will gaze in wonder at this collection I've gathered。 Amid their glittering city towers； they'll cherish my samplings of the interregnum； setting my prize pieces on pedestals for all to see。 And paramount among those specimens will be you； my trophy； my treasure。 Perhaps the best…conserved exemplar of your by then long…extinct wolfling race。）
Dwer puzzled…how did the spider sink hooks into his brain to draw forth words he didn't recall ever learning； like exemplar and interregnum。 Lark might have used them in his presence sometime； when perhaps they lodged somewhere deep in memory。
You're the one who's going to be extinct； spider！ You and your whole damn race。
This time his blistering reply did not shove away the entity's mind…touch。
（By then； certainly。 But our type…design is always to be found in the Great Galactic Library； and we are far too useful ever to be forgotten。 Whenever a world must be evacuated； tidied up； and allowed to lay fallow once more…whenever the mighty works of some former tenant race must be rubbed down to recycled dust…then we shall always rise again。
（Can your tribe of ignorant monkeys claim such usefulness； my precious？ Can you claim any 〃purpose〃 at all？ Save a tenacious will to keep on existing？）
This time Dwer did not answer。 He needed to conserve his strength。 If the earlier descent had been awful； ascending became pure hell。 It was twice as hard craning backward to hack away at vines overhead as it had been striking down。 In addition to danger from whipping cables and spurting acid； he and Rety had to climb through a mist of shimmering drops。 It was no longer a matter of shaking them off one by one； but of dodging the thicker drifts and somehow preventing them from adhering to their eyes； noses； and ears。 Through that luminous miasma； Dwer saw more creepers twist and flop into a gathering mesh above； more quickly than he would have believed possible。 Clearly； One…of…a…Kind had been holding back till now。
（What did you expect？ That I would show you all the things that I am capable o…
（。。。 that I would show you all the。。。
（。。。 that I would show。。。）
When the voice in Dwer's head trailed off； his first reaction was relief。 He had other worries； like an agonizing crick in his neck and a right arm that looked as if it had been dipped in a jeweler's vat； and that seemed about to cramp from the repetitive hacking； hacking； hacking。 Now if only the chattering noor would shut up too； with its shrill keening。 Mudfoot's piercing chitters crescendoed； rising in pitch beyond the limit of Dwer's direct hearing but not past ability to scrape a vexing runnel under his skull。
Through it all； a nagging worry bothered Dwer。
I left the glaver all tied up。 Will she die of thi