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Sloane glanced up at her。 〃You？〃
〃There's no way in hell you're going up there without me。〃
Sloane stood up； began coiling the rope。 〃Done any climbing？〃
〃Some。 Mostly one…pitch scrambles and boulder problems。〃
〃What about your hands？〃
〃They're fine；〃 Nora insisted。 〃I'll wear my gloves。〃
Sloane hesitated for a moment。 〃I didn't bring a lot of gear along； so you're going to have to belay me without a harness。〃
〃No problem。〃
〃Then let's do it；〃 said Sloane； with a sudden radiant grin。
In a moment they were at the base of the cliff。 Sloane tied on with a figure eight； then helped Nora set up the ground stance and showed her how to use the belay device。 Nora braced the rope around her body as Sloane dusted her hands； then turned to address the sheer face。 〃Climbing；〃 she called out in a clear voice。
As Nora watched； Sloane moved up the rock with care and precision； instinctively finding tiny holds in the cliff face。 As she climbed； her small loop of friends； cams； and carabiners dangled in the still air。 Nora played out the rope sparingly。 Fifteen feet up； Sloane paused to select a nut； insert it into a crack； and pull down sharply； testing for tightness。 Satisfied； she attached a quickdraw to the wire and clipped the climbing rope into it。 She continued up the face； placing a nut here； a friend there。 At one point she called out 〃Rock！〃 and Nora dodged a shower of chips。 Another minute and Sloane had reached the single toe hold； then gained the ledge above it。 She set up the anchor and tied in； yelling 〃Off belay！〃 Then； leaning out onto her anchors； she called down to Nora； 〃On belay！〃
There was a brief silence。 Then she cried out again。 〃I can see a route！〃 The sound echoed crazily around the valley。 〃It goes up another two hundred feet and disappears over the edge of the first bench。 Nora； the city must be recessed in an alcove just above！〃
〃I'm ing up！〃 Nora shouted。
〃Take it slow；〃 came the voice from above。 〃Follow my chalk marks for the best holds。 Don't jam straight in； use the insides of your feet。 The handholds are small。〃
〃Got it；〃 Nora said； freeing the rope from the belay device。 〃Off belay！〃
She began working her way up the cliff face； painfully aware that her climb had none of the grace or assurance of Sloane's。 Within minutes； the muscles of her arms and calves were twitching spasmodically from the strain of clinging to the thin holds。 Despite the gloves； the ends of her fingers were exquisitely painful。 She was aware that Sloane was keeping the rope tighter than normal； but she was grateful for the added lift。
As she approached the single ancient step； she felt her right foot lose its purchase on the rock。 Her bandaged hands could not pensate； and she began to slip。 〃Watch me！〃 she cried。 Immediately； the rope tightened。 〃Lean away from the rock！〃 she heard Sloane call。 〃I'll haul you up！〃
Taking short； choppy breaths； Nora half climbed and was half pulled the last few feet onto the ledge。 She climbed shakily to her feet； massaging her fingers。 From this vantage point she could see that the canyon wall sloped back at a terrifying angle。 But at least it wasn't vertical； and as it continued the angle lessened。 Sloane was right： though invisible from the ground； from up here the trail was unmistakable。
〃You okay？〃 Sloane asked。 Nora nodded； and her panion began a second pitch up the rock； rope trailing from her harness。 With the hand…and…toe trail still in place it was a simple pitch。 After another fifty feet； she anchored herself and in a few minutes Nora was beside her； breathless from the exertion。 The recessed benchland above them loomed closer； its hidden secrets now a single pitch away。
Another ten minutes of climbing； and the trail leveled off considerably。 〃Let's solo the rest；〃 Sloane said； the excitement clear in her voice。
Nora knew that； technically； they should keep to the safety of the ropes。 But she was as eager to reach the bench as Sloane was。 On an unspoken signal； they untied from the ropes and began moving quickly up the trail。 It was the work of a minute to climb the last remaining stretch of rock。
The bench was about fifteen feet wide； sloping gently； covered with grass and prickly pear cactus。 They stood motionless； staring ahead。
There was nothing： no city； no alcove； just the naked shelf of rock that ended in another cliff face twenty feet away； which rose vertically for at least five hundred feet。
〃Oh； shit；〃 Sloane groaned。 Her shoulders slumped。
In disbelief； Nora scanned the entire bench again。 There was nothing。 Her eyes began to sting； and she turned away。
And then she glanced across the canyon for the first time。
There； on the opposite cliff face； a huge alcove arched across the length of the canyon； poised halfway between ground and sky。 The morning sun shone in at a perfect angle； shooting a wedge of pale light into the recesses below the huge arch。 Tucked inside was a ruined city。 Four great towers rose from the corners of the city； and between them lay a plicated arrangement of roomblocks and circular kivas； dotted with black windows and doorways。 The morning sun gilded the walls and towers into a dream…city： insubstantial； airy； ready to evaporate into the desert air。
It was the most perfect Anasazi city Nora had ever seen； more beautiful than Cliff Palace； as large as Pueblo Bonito。
Sloane looked at Nora。 And then she； too； slowly turned to look across the canyon。 Her face went deathly pale。
Nora closed her eyes； squeezed them shut； then opened them again。 The city was still there。 She gazed slowly across the vista； drinking it in。 Wedged into the middle of the city； she could make out the circular outline of a Great Kiva： the largest she had ever seen； still roofed。 An intact Great Kiva 。 。 。 nothing like it had ever been found。
She could see how the alcove itself was set back from the bench； making it invisible from below。 The great sandstone cliff above billowed out in a huge convex curve that leaned at least fifty feet beyond the bottom of the alcove。 It was this fortuitous artifact of geology and erosion that allowed the city to be hidden； not only from above and below； but also from the opposite canyon rim。 She had a fleeting； desperate thought： I hope my father saw this。
Suddenly her knees grew weak and she dropped slowly to the ground。 Seated； she continued to stare across the valley。 There was a rustling sound； and Sloane knelt down beside her。
〃Nora；〃 came the voice； the slightest trace of irony leavening the reverence； 〃I think we've found Quivira。〃
25
SHOULD WE？〃 SLOANE MURMURED TO NORA。
There was a long pause。 Nora's eyes followed the benchland as it curved around the canyon。 In places where the bench became a narrow ledge of slickrock； she could see that a shallow groove had actually been worn into the sandstone by countless prehistoric feet。 One part of her registered all this quite dispassionately； another part was far away； still in shock； unable to prehend the magnitude of the discovery。
The dispassionate part told her that they should go back for the others； bring in the equipment； begin a formal survey。
〃What the hell；〃 she replied。 〃Let's go。〃
She rose shakily to her feet； Sloane following。 A quick； dreamlike walk brought them around the far end of the canyon to the edge of the great alcove。 Here Nora paused。 They were now looking on the ruin from the far side； at an acute angle。 The morning sun only penetrated the facade of the city； the rest faded back into darkness under the heavy brow of rock； a ghostly ruin melting into purple shadow。 Quivira had a gracefulness； a sense of balance； that belied its massive stone construction。 It was as if the city had been planned and built as a unit； rather than growing by accretion； as most other large Anasazi cliff dwellings had。 There were still traces of gypsum whitewash on the outer walls； and the Great Kiva showed traces of what had once been a blue disk painted on its side。
The four towers were paired； two on each side of the alcove； with the main city lying between and the circular Great Kiva at the very center。 Each tower rose about fifty feet。 The front