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There was no question in this speech； therefore no reply except the other's quickening breath。
〃Can you take us now？〃 Gentle said。
〃If that's what you want。〃
〃It's what I want； Pie。 Prove what you've said is true； or leave me alone forever。〃
It was eighteen minutes to midnight when Jude got into her car to start her journey to Gentle's house。 It was an easy drive； with the roads so clear； and she was several times tempted to jump red lights； but the police were especially vigilant on this night； and any infringement might bring them out of hiding。 Though she had no alcohol in her system； she was by no means sure it was innocent of alien influences。 She therefore drove as cautiously as at noon； and it took fully fifteen minutes to reach the studio。 When she did she found the upper windows dark。 Had Gentle decided to drown his sorrows in a night of high life； she wondered； or was he already fast asleep？ If the latter； she had news worth waking him for。
〃There are some things you should understand before we leave；〃 Pie said； tying their wrists together； left to right； with a belt。 〃This is no easy journey； Gentle。 This Dominion； the Fifth； is unreconciled； which means that getting to the Fourth involves risk。 It's not like crossing a bridge。 Passing over requires considerable power。 And if anything goes wrong； the consequences will be dire。〃
〃Tell me the worst。〃
〃In between the Reconciled Dominions and the Fifth is a state called the In Ovo。 It's an ether； in which things that have ventured from their worlds are imprisoned。 Some of them are innocent。 They're there by accident。 Some were dispatched there as a judgment。 They're lethal。 I'm hoping we'll pass through the In Ovo before any of them even notice we're there。 But if we were to bee separated…〃
〃I get the picture。 You'd better tighten that knot。 It could still work loose。〃
Pie bent to the task； with Gentle fumbling to help in the darkness。
〃Let's assume we get through the In Ovo；〃 Gentle said。 〃What's on the other side？〃
〃The Fourth Dominion；〃 Pie replied。 〃If I'm accurate in my bearings； we'll arrive near the city of Patashoqua。〃
〃And if not？〃
〃Who knows？ The sea。 A swamp。〃
〃Shit。〃
〃Don't worry。 I've got a good sense of direction。 And there's plenty of power between us。 I couldn't do this on my own。 But together。 。 。〃
〃Is this the only way to cross over？〃
〃Not at all。 There are a number of passing places here in the Fifth： stone circles； hidden away。'But most of them were created to carry travelers to some particular location。 We want to go as free agents。 Unseen； unsuspected。〃
〃So why have you chosen Patashoqua？〃
〃It has 。 。 。 sentimental associations；〃 Pie replied。 〃You'll see for yourself； very soon。〃 The mystif paused。 〃You do still want to go？〃
〃Of course。〃
〃This is as tight as I can get the knot without stopping our blood。〃
〃Then why are we delaying？〃
Pie's fingers touched Gentle's face。 〃Close your eyes。〃
Gentle did so。 Pie's fingers sought out Gentle's free hand and raised it between them。
〃You have to help me；〃 the mystif said。
〃Tell me what to do。〃
〃Make a fist。 Lightly。 Leave enough room for a breath to pass through。 Good。 Good。 All magic proceeds from breath。 Remember that。〃
He did； from somewhere。
〃Now；〃 Pie went on。 〃Put your hand to your face； with your thumb against your chin。 There are very few incantations in our workings。 No pretty words。 Just pneuma like this； and the will behind them。〃
〃I've got the will； if that's what you're asking；〃 Gentle said。
〃Then one solid breath is all we need。 Exhale until it hurts。 I'll do the rest。〃
〃Can I take another breath afterwards？〃
〃Not in this Dominion。〃
With that reply the enormity of what they were undertaking struck Gentle。 They were leaving Earth。 Stepping off the edge of the only reality he'd ever known into another state entirely。 He grinned in the darkness； the hand bound to Pie's taking hold of his deliverer's fingers。
〃Shall we？〃 he said。
In the murk ahead of him Pie's teeth gleamed in a matching smile。
〃Why not？〃
Gentle drew breath。
Somewhere in the house； he heard a door slamming and footsteps on the stairs leading up to the studio。 But it was too late for interruptions。 He exhaled through his hand； one solid breath which Pie 'oh' pah seemed to snatch from the air between them。 Something ignited in the fist the mystif made； bright enough to burn between its clenched fingers。 。 。。
At the door； Jude saw Gentle's painting almost made flesh： two figures； almost nose to nose； with their faces illuminated by some unnatural source； swelling like a slow explosion between them。 She had time to recognize them both…to see the smiles on their faces as they met each other's gaze…then； to her horror； they seemed to turn inside out。 She glimpsed wet red surfaces； which folded upon themselves not once but three times in quick succession； each fold diminishing their bodies； until they were slivers of stuff； still folding； and folding； and finally gone。
She sank back against the doorjamb； shock making her nerves cavort。 The dog she'd found waiting at the top of the stairs went fearlessly to the place where they'd stood。 There was no further magic there； to snatch him after them。 The place was dead。 They'd gone； the bastards； wherever such avenues led。
The realization drew a yell of rage from her； sufficient to send the dog scurrying for cover。 She dearly hoped Gentle heard her； wherever he was。 Hadn't she e here to share her revelations with him； so that they could investigate the great unknown together？ And all the time he was preparing for his departure without her。 Without her！
〃How dare you？〃 she yelled at the empty space。
The dog whined in fear； and the sight of its terror mellowed her。 She went down on her haunches。
〃I'm sorry；〃 she said to it。 〃e here。 I'm not cross with you。 It's that little fucker Gentle。〃
The dog was reluctant at first but came to her after a time； its tail wagging intermittently as'it grew more confident of her sanity。 She rubbed its head； the contact soothing。 All was not lost。 What Gentle could do； she could do。 He didn't have the copyright on adventuring。 She'd find a way to go where he'd gone； if she had to eat the blue eye grain by grain to do so。
Church bells began to ring as she sat chewing this over； announcing in their ragged peals the arrival of midnight。 Their clamor was acpanied by car horns in the street outside and cheers from a party in an adjacent house。
〃Whoopee；〃 she said quietly； on her face the distracted look that had obsessed so many of the opposite sex over the years。 She'd forgotten most of them。 The ones who'd fought over her； the ones who'd lost their wives in their pursuit of her； even those who'd sold their sanity to find her equal： all were forgotten。 History had never much engaged her。 It was the future that glittered in her mind's eye； now more than ever。
The past had been written by men。 But the future… pregnant with possibilities…the future was a woman。
18
Until the rise of Yzordderrex； a rise engineered by the Autarch for reasons more political than geographical； the city of Patashoqua； which lay on the edge of the Fourth Dominion； close to where the In Ovo marked the perimeter of the Reconciled worlds； had just claim to be the preeminent city of the Dominions。 Its proud inhabitants called it casje au casje； simply meaning the hive of hives； a place of intense and fruitful labor。 Its proximity to the Fifth made it particularly prone to influences from that source； and even after Yzordderrex had became the center of power across the Dominions it was to Patashoqua that those at the cutting edge of style and invention looked for the ing thing。 Patashoqua had a variation on the motor vehicle in its streets long before Yzordderrex。 It had rock and roll in its clubs long before Yzordderrex。 It had hamburgers； cinemas； blue jeans； and countless other proofs of modernity long before the great city of the Second。 Nor was it simply the trivialities of fashion that Patashoqua reinvented from Fifth Dominion models。 It was philosophies and belief systems。 Indeed； it was said in Patashoqua that you knew a native of Yzordderrex because he looked like you did yesterday and believed what you'd believed the day before。 As with most cities in love with the modern； however； Patashoqua had deeply conservative roots。 Whereas Yzordderrex was a sinful city； notorious for the excesses of its darker Kesparates； the streets of Patashoqua were quiet after nightfall； its occupants in their own beds with their own spouses； plotting vogues。 This mingling of chic and conservatism was nowhere more apparent than in architecture。 Built as it was in a temperate region； unlike the semi…tropical Yzordderrex； the buildings did not have to be designed with any climatic extreme in mind。 They were either elegantly classical； and built to remain standing until Doomsday； or else functions of some current craze； and likely to be demolished within a week。
But it was on the borders of the city where the most extraordinary sights were to be seen； because it was here that a second； parasitical city had been created； peopled by inhabitants of the Four Domi