CHAPTER 10
Tarkos helped Tiklik find its balance on its three remaining legs, as they stood together on the edge of the vent. The wind whistling through the open tunnel behind them made the suspended boats shift, their cables creaking. Somewhere, the intruding water must have shorted a power connection: the lights in the Library began to flicker, causing an eerie strobing among the ominous ships.
When he was confident that Tiklik could stand alone, Tarkos reached around and pressed his hands to the stone. His suit extruded gecko hairs, and the nanotech grippers seized the black stone, pulling his palm flat. He planted a foot on the wall, pulled himself out onto the surface, and ascended into the dark. The armor’s power assist made the climb feel easy—easier than the descent had bee
