Living flesh closed on the dead emperor's feet.
Hest pulled the carrier. Valea pushed from the other handle. Living walls met above their backs, soft at first, then hard enough to bow the poles between them.
Nothing in the male's body moved.
His mate came off the hide with blood on her breast and struck Hest's burned hand.
He released the handle.
"I agree that this is unacceptable," Hest said. "The wall remains unmoved by my position."
Another heartbeat passed through the fold.
Warm flesh drew apart. The carrier slid free before the opening narrowed again, but pale red threads had curled around the male's legs. They tightened toward a slit below the road.
His mate bit through the first thread.
It recoiled into the wall. Two more found the blood-soaked hide beneath her mate.
Valea caught the carrier before its lower edge turned. "It is drawing still tissue into the side channel."
