So it was over, then.
And that’s when Sthulhu seemingly appeared out of nowhere (his feathers all burned off so that his artificial nature of robotics and black steel was revealed), and, hovering, guided Shekalane’s hand into his own. After which, Dravidian pumped and kicked his legs frenziedly until at last he and Shekalane lie in the boat together, their chests heaving and their hearts racing, staring up at the orbis lunae (for they had moved into a new curve of the world, with a new orb, and had left the burning one behind).
He looked at her sidelong and found her eyes gazing back at him. They stayed that way for a span of three breaths or more, and, finally, she held up a trembling, languid hand— from which dangled, dripping, his ferryman’s mask.
He cupped her cheek and leaned towar
