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he might have done the same； but that its error was evident。 Caught in the flux； but too late to be taken where the travelers had gone； its whistle became a screech as it was unknitted。 Its arms and head； thrust into the knot of power which marked the place of departure； began to turn inside out。 Its lower half； untouched by the power； convulsed； its legs scrambling for purchase on the mosaic as it tried to retrieve itself。 Too late。 She saw its head and torso unveiled； saw the skin of its arms stripped and sucked away。
The power that trapped it quickly died。 But it was not so lucky。 With its arms still clutching at the world it had perhaps glimpsed as its eyes went from its head； it dropped to the ground； the blue…black stew of its innards spilling across the mosaic。 Even then； gutted and blind； its body refused to cease。 It thrashed in its coils like the victims of a grand mal。
Dowd stepped past her； approached the passing place cautiously for fear the flux had left an echo； but； finding none； drew a gun from inside his jacket and； eyeing some vulnerable place in the mess at his feet； fired twice。 The voider's throes slowed； then stopped。 Sighing heavily； Dowd stepped away from the body and returned to where Jude stood。
〃You shouldn't be here；〃 he said。 〃None of this is for your eyes。〃
〃Why not？ I know where they've gone。〃
〃Oh； do you？〃 he said； raising a quizzical eyebrow。 〃And where's that？〃
〃To the Imajica；〃 she said； affecting plete familiarity with the notion； though it still astonished her。
He made a tiny smile； though she wasn't sure whether it was one of acceptance or subtle mockery。 He watched her study him； almost basking in her scrutiny； taking it； perhaps； for simple admiration。
〃And how do you know about the Imajica？〃 he inquired。
〃Doesn't everybody？〃
〃I think you know better than that；〃 he replied。 〃Though how much better； I'm not entirely sure。〃
She was something of an enigma to him； she suspected； and； as long as she remained so； might hope to keep him friendly。
〃Do you think they made it？〃 she asked。
〃Who knows？ The voider may have spoilt their passage by trying to tag along。 They may not have reached Yzord…derrex。〃
〃So where will they be？〃
〃In the In Ovo； of course。 Somewhere between here and the Second Dominion。〃
〃And how will they get back？〃 〃Simple；〃 he said。 〃They won't。〃
So they waited。 Or； rather； she waited； watching the sun disappear behind trees blotted with rookeries； and the evening stars appearing as light bringers in its place。 Dowd busied himself dealing with the bodies of the voiders； dragging them out of the chapel； making a simple pyre of dead wood； and burning them upon it。 He showed not the least concern that she was witnessing this； which was a lesson and perhaps a warning to her。 He apparently assumed she was part of the secret world he and the voiders occupied； not subject to the laws and moralities the rest of the world was bounded by。 In seeing all she'd seen； and passing herself off as expert in the ways of the Imajica； she had bee a conspirator。 There was no way back after this； to the pany she'd kept and the life she'd known； she belonged to the secret； every bit as much as the secret belonged to her。
That of itself would be no great loss if Godolphin returned。 He would help her find her way through the mysteries。 If he didn't return； the consequences were less palatable。 To be obliged to keep Dowd's pany； simply because they were fellow marginals； would be unbearable。 She would surely wither and die。 But then if Godolphin was not in her life； what could that matter？ From ecstasy to despair in the space of an hour。 Was it too much to hope the pendulum would swing back the other way before the day was out？
The chill was adding to her misery； and…having no other source of warmth…she went over to the pyre； preparing to retreat if the scent or the sight was too offensive。 But the smoke； which she'd expected to smell of burning meat； was almost aromatic； and the forms in the fire unrecognizable。 Dowd offered her a cigarette； which she accepted； lighting it from a branch plucked from the edge of the fire。
〃What were they？〃 she asked him； eyeing the remains。
〃You've never heard of voiders？〃 he said。 〃They're the lowest of the low。 I brought them through from the In Ovo myself； and I'm no Maestro； so that…gives an idea of how gullible they are。〃
〃When it smelled the wind…〃
〃Yes； that was rather touching； wasn't it？〃 Dowd said。 〃It smelled Yzordderrex。〃
〃Maybe it was born there。〃
〃Very possibly。 I've heard it said they're made of collective desire； but that's not true。 They're revenge children。 Got on women who were working the Way for themselves。〃
〃Working the Way isn't good？〃
〃Not for your sex； it isn't。 It's strictly forbidden。〃
〃So somebody who breaks the law's made pregnant as revenge？〃
〃Exactly。 You can't abort voiders； you see。 They're stupid； but they fight； even in the womb。 And killing something you gave birth to is strictly against the women's codes。 So they pay to have the voiders thrown into the In Ovo。 They can survive there longer than just about anything。 They feed on whatever they can find； including each other。 And eventually； if they're lucky； they get summoned by someone in this Dominion。〃
So much to learn； she thought。 Perhaps she should cultivate Dowd's friendship； however charmless he was。 He seemed to enjoy parading his knowledge； and the more she knew the better prepared she'd be when she finally stepped through the door into Yzordderrex。 She was about to ask him something more about the city when a gust of wind； blowing from out of the chapel； threw a flurry of sparks up between them。
〃They're ing back；〃 she said； and started towards the building。
〃Be careful；〃 Dowd said。 〃You don't know it's them。〃
His warning went unheeded。 She went to the door at a run； and reached it as the spicy summer wind died away。 The interior of the chapel was gloomy； but she could see a single figure standing in the middle of the mosaic。 It staggered towards her； its breathing ragged。 The light from the fire caught it as it came within two yards of her。 Jt was Oscar Godolphin； his hand up to his bleeding nose。 〃That bastard；〃 he said。 〃Where is he？〃
〃Dead；〃 he said plainly。 〃I had to do it； Judith。 He was crazy。 God alone knows what he might have said or done。 。 。。〃 He put his arm towards her； 〃Will you help me？ He damn near broke my nose。〃
〃I'll take him；〃 Dowd said possessively。 He stepped past her； fetching a handkerchief from his pocket to put to Oscar's nose。 It was waved away。
〃I'll survive；〃 Oscar said。 〃Let's just get home。〃 They were out of the chapel now； and Oscar was eyeing the fire。 〃The voiders；〃 Dowd explained。 Oscar threw a glance at Judith； 〃He made you pyre…watch with him？〃 he said。 〃I'm so sorry。〃 He looked back at Dowd； pained。 'That's no way to treat a lady；〃 he said。 〃We're going to have to do better in future。〃 〃What do you mean？〃
〃She's ing to live with us。 Aren't you； Judith？〃 She hesitated a shamelessly short time； then she said； 〃Yes； I am。〃
Satisfied； he went over to look at the pyre。
〃e back tomorrow；〃 she heard him tell Dowd。 〃Scatter the ashes and bury the bones。 I've got a little prayer book Peccable gave me。 We'll find something appropriate in there。〃
While he spoke she stared into the murk of the chapel； trying to imagine the journey that had been taken from here； and the city at the other end from which that tantalizing wind had blown。 She would be there one day。 She'd lost a husband in pursuit of passage； but from her present perspective that seemed like a negligible loss。 There was a new order of feeling in her； founded at the sight of Oscar Godolphin。 She didn't yet know what he would e to mean to her； but perhaps she could persuade him to take her away with him； someday soon。
Eager as she was to create in her mind's eye the mysteries that lay beyond the veil of the Fifth； Jude's imagination； for all its fever； could never have conjured the reality of that journey。 Inspired by a few clues from Dowd； she had imagined the In Ovo as a kind of wasteland； where voiders hung like drowned men in deep…sea trenches； and creatures the sun would never see crawled towards her； their paths lit by their own sickly luminescence。 But the inhabitants of the In Ovo beggared the bizarreness of any ocean floor。 They had forms and appetites that no book had ever set down。 They had rages and frustrations that were centuries old。
And the scenes she'd imagined awaiting her on the other side of that prison were also very different from those she'd created。 If she'd traveled on the Yzordderrexian Express she'd would not have been delivered into the middle of a summer city but into a dampish cellar； lined with the merchant Peccable's forbidden cache of charms and petrifi…cations。 In order to reach the open air； she would have had to climb the stairs and pass through the house itself。 Once she'd reached the street； she'd have found some of her expectations satisfied at least。 The air was warm and spicy there； and the sky was bright。 But it was not a sun that blazed overhead； it was a et； trailing its glory across the Second Dominion。 And if she stared at it a m