Атлант расправил плечи

           "IwishIcouldspareyouwhatyou’regoingtogothrough,"hesaid,thegentlenessofhisvoicesaying:It’snotmethatyoushouldpity.

           "ButIcan’t.Everyoneofushastotravelthatroadbyhisownsteps.

           Butit’sthesameroad."

           "Wheredoesitlead?"

           Hesmiled,asifsoftlyclosingadooronthequestionsthathewouldnotanswer."ToAtlantis,"hesaid.

           "What?"sheasked,startled.

           "Don’tyouremember?—thelostcitythatonlythespiritsofheroescanenter."

           Theconnectionthatstruckhersuddenlyhadbeenstrugglinginhermindsincemorning,likeadimanxietyshehadhadnotimetoidentify.

           Shehadknownit,butshehadthoughtonlyofhisownfateandhispersonaldecision,shehadthoughtofhimasactingalone.Nowsherememberedawiderdangerandsensedthevast,undefinedshapeoftheenemyshewasfacing.

           "You’reoneofthem,"shesaidslowly,"aren’tyou?"

           "Ofwhom?"

           "WasityouinKenDanagger’soffice?"

           Hesmiled."No."Butshenotedthathedidnotaskwhatshemeant.

           "Isthere—youwouldknowit—isthereactuallyadestroyerlooseintheworld?"

           "Ofcourse."

           "Whoisit?"

           "You."

           Sheshrugged;herfacewasgrowinghard.