Ventus by Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder / Ventus / Page 495
from touching them by some magical force. They fell into
darkness, landing on a frictionless surface and sliding faster
and faster toward a bone-rattling rumbling that soon made it
impossible to think. Jordan had the impression of huge objects
shooting past to all sides, and of a whirlpool motion pulling
them farther and farther down. The air around them was
suddenly snatched away by a wet, cold gale; after moments this
settled down, and the air became very still. The roaring
gradually subsided, but the sense of headlong motion
continued.
Tamsin clung tightly to him, her face mashed against his
chest. The muscles in her shoulders and back were clenched.
They only relaxed after it had been quiet for many minutes. He
felt her raise her head tentatively to look around, but there was
nothing to see. "I hate this," she said, and put her face back
against his chest.
Jordan’s ears were still ringing. He kept sliding around
on his backside, trying to find a still point on this impossible
surface. It was like an impenetrable surface of cold water, as
malleable and quick but dry.
Flickers of light approached from very far, loomed huge
and showed that they were deep underwater. Submerged green
archways and metal blockhouses that trailed beards of rust
passed overhead; he could see swirling eddies in the muddy
floor far below, and sediment suspended in the water all around
sparkled in the brief light before they were sucked into the
mouth of a huge black tunnel, and darkness fell again.
He was glad Tamsin hadn’t seen that.
"Mediation? Are you still here?"
"Ka," said a voice by his ear. "Mediation is silent. The
library is listening to you now."
"Library, tell us something."