The buildings were stone bubbles, some single, some multiple. Singles were set in a neat row near the southern side of the enclosure, with small patches of growing things by the round sliding doors. There was a line half a dozen bubbles long near the eastern side, and in the middle, two taller structures. One was a pyramid with six or so bubbles-at the angle he was viewing from he couldn’t be sure of the count-at the base, tapering to a single bubble at the top that seemed to be made of dark glass; it glittered like glass whatever it was. The second was a tower two bubbles wide, two deep and four high with round thick windows at every level.

In one of the windows on the tower’s third level, he caught a glimpse of a pale face and a shock of red hair; he steadied the ocular, fiddled with the focus again. “Ihoi!” *I see Glois. Looking out a window. Ah! Utelel just came up to him, put a hand on his shoulder. And I can see more movement behind xe. Looks like they’re all there.*

He let the ocular drop to swing at the end of the neck strap, rubbed at his eyes then squinted at the distant enclave. The buildings were toys now, the mesuchs like chetor busy about their hills, so it took him a while to locate the building where the boys and the Meloach were confined.

*Are they in health?*

*From the little I could see. Glois was angry. That’s nothing new. Utelel was dark and xe’s chesisil flowers were closed to bud, but that was probably because xe was shut away from the sun. They don’t look afraid.*

Melech sang satisfaction and the tentacle withdrew. A moment later xe was drifting free of the tree, a shimmering glass gas bell with trailing cords that glittered diamond bright where the suction disks dotted them.