I heard Gallett's voice behind me but ignored it and did not hear their feet upon the stony path behind me until they had caught me up. Gallett strode a little breathlessly; Pennbaston was forced to trot every few paces as she took my other side. I was scarcely aware of them. My chest was tight consumed in the icy fire surging from my heart; my head was thick with the heat of my rage; my mind was blank except for that.         It was Pennbaston who grabbed me. I swung on her then halted myself as our eyes locked and I saw nothing in hers except her clarity and her thought for me which was more, and long had been more, than her duty to me as med even though I had been her rider. "What's happened? What are you doing?" Her voice was nearly a hiss and roughened with her urgency.         "I'm going."         "Going? Where?"         "From here. I'm leaving."
"What are you talking about. Rider?" she was trying to tighten my focus. She thought I needed it. She thought something had occurred in the tunnels which had disoriented me.         It had, but not in the way she thought. Gallett began to speak, so I said, "What are you still doing here? You're governor. Don't you have meetings today?"         Gallett hung silent in surprise.
I wrenched myself free of Pennbaston. She could not hold on to me and Gallett made no attempt to assist her. I was breathing quickly, raggedly, as the anger lifted up and swelled like an ugly poisoned vesicle within me pressing and squeezing my heart and lungs. I knew it and could not help it and hated myself for yet harboring it, for never, despite all my rider's enviable skills, ridding myself of it.         I backed a step from them. "I arrived here with passengers. I think. I must deliver them." I spun about and began to run down the mountain. I would run all the way to the carc slot by the openland.