Books In English "City Of Illusions" Ursula K. Le Guin | Page 85

sliders flickered along the half-glimpsed streets and slender bridges. The
sun, still not far above the massive peaks to eastward, seemed scarcely to
cast shadows here; the great green towers shone as if translucent to the
light.
"Come," Estrel said, a pace ahead of him, her eyes shining. "There's
nothing to fear here, Falk."
He followed her. There was no one on the street, which descended
between lower buildings toward the cliff-edge towers. Once he glanced
back at the gate, but he could no longer see the opening between the
pillars. "Where do we go?"
"There's a place I know, a house where my people come." She took his
arm, the first time she had ever done so in all the way they had walked
together, and clinging to him kept her eyes lowered as they came down the
long zigzag street. Now to their right the buildings loomed up high as they
neared the city's heart, and to the left, without wall or parapet, the dizzy
gorge dropped away full of shadows, a black gap between the luminous
perching towers.
"But if we need money here—"
"They'll look after us."
People brightly and strangely dressed passed them on sliders; the
landing-ledges high up the sheer-walled buildings flickered with
helicopters. High over the gorge an aircar droned, going up.
"Are these all…Shing?"
"Some."
Unconsciously he was keeping his free hand on his laser. Estrel
without looking at him, but smiling a little, said, "Do not use your lightgun
here, Falk. You came here to gain your memory, not to lose it"
"Where are we going, Estrel?"
"Here."
"This? This is a palace."
The luminous greenish wall towered up windowless, featureless, into
the sky. Before them a square doorway stood open.
"They know me here. Don't be afraid. Come on with me."
She clung to his arm. He hesitated. Looking back up the street he saw
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