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s going to change my mind。 You two go in to the Kesparate。 Wait for me。 I'll…〃
Before he could finish his instructions； the holler that had first announced Quaisoir's descent from the heights of the city was raised again； this time at a higher pitch； to be drowned out almost instantly by a surge of celebratory cheering。
〃That sounds like a retreat to me；〃 Pie said； and was proved right twenty seconds later with the reappearance of Quaisoir's vehicle； surrounded by the tattered remnants of her retinue。
The trio had plenty of time to step out of the path of wheels and boots as they thundered up the slope； for the pace of the retreat was not as swift as that of the advance。 Not only was the ascent steep but many of the elite had sustained wounds in defending the vehicle from assault and trailed blood as they ran。
〃There's going to be such reprisals now；〃 Pie said。
Gentle murmured his agreement as he stared up the slope where the vehicle had gone。 〃I have to see her again；〃 he said。
〃That's going to be difficult；〃 Pie replied。
〃She'll see me；〃 Gentle said。 〃If I know who she is； then she's going to know who I am。 I'll lay money on it。〃
The mystif didn't take up the bet。 It simply said； 〃What
now？〃
〃We go to your Kesparate； and we send out a search party to look for Huzzah's folks。 Then we go up〃…he nodded towards the palace…〃and get a closer look at Quai…soir。 I've got some questions to ask her。 Whoever she is；〃
The wind veered as the trio retraced their steps； the relatively clear ocean breeze giving sudden way to a blister…ingly hot assault off the desert。 The citizens were well prepared for such climatic changes； and at the first hint of a shift in the wind； scenes of almost mechanical； and therefore ical； efficiency were to be seen high and low。 Washing and potted plants were gathered from window…sills； ragemy and cats gave up their sun traps and headed inside； awnings were rolled up and windows shuttered。 In a matter of minutes the street was emptied。
〃I've been in these damn storms；〃 the mystif said。 〃I don't think we want to be walking about in one。〃
Gentle told it not to fret； and hoisting Huzzah onto his shoulders； he set the pace as the storm scourged the streets。 They'd asked for fresh directions a few minutes before the wind veered； and the shopkeeper who'd supplied them had known his geography。 The directions were good even if walking conditions were not。 The wind smelt like flatulence and carried a blinding freight of sand； along with ferocious heat。 But they at least had the freedom of the streets。 The only individuals they glimpsed were either felonious； crazy； or homeless； into all three of which categories they themselves fell。
They reached the Viaticum without error or incident； and from there the mystif knew its way。 Two hours or more after they'd left the siege at the harbor they reached the Eurhetemec Kesparate； The storm was showing signs of fatigue； as were they； but Pie's voice fairly sang when it announced； 〃This is it。 This is the place where I was born。〃
The Kesparate in front of them was walled； but the gates were open； swinging in the wind。
〃Lead on；〃 Gentle said； setting Huzzah down。
The mystif pushed the gate wide and led the way into streets the wind was unveiling before them as it fell； dropping sand underfoot。 The streets rose towards the palace； as did almost every street in Yzordderrex； but the dwellings built upon it were very different from those elsewhere in the city。 They stood discreet from one another； tall and burnished； each possessed of a single window that ran from above the door to the eaves； where the structure branched into four overhanging roofs； lending the buildings； when side by side； the look of a stand of petrified trees。 In the street in front of the houses were the real thing： trees whose branches still swayed in the dying gusts like kelp in a tidal pool； their boughs so supple and their tight white blossoms so hardy the storm had done them no harm。
It wasn't until he caught the tremulous look on Pie's face that Gentle realized what a burden of feeling the mystif bore； stepping back into its birthplace after the passage of so many years。 Having such a short memory； he'd never carried such luggage himself。 There were no cherished recollections of childhood rites； no Christmas scenes or lullabies。 His grasp of what Pie might be feeling had to be an intellectual construct and fell…he was sure…well shy of the real thing。
〃My parents' home；〃 the mystif said； 〃used to be between the chianculi〃…it pointed off to its right； where the last remnants of sand…laden gusts still shrouded the distance…〃and the hospice。〃 It pointed to its left； a white…walled building。
〃So somewhere near；〃 Gentle said。
〃I think so；〃 Pie said； clearly pained by the tricks memory was playing。
〃Why don't we ask somebody？〃 Huzzah suggested。
Pie acted upon the suggestion instantly； walking over to the nearest house and rapping on the door。 There was no reply。 It moved next door and tried again。 This house was also vacated。 Sensing Pie's unease； Gentle took Huzzah to join the mystif on the third step。 The response was the same here； a silence made more palpable by the drop in the wind。
〃There's nobody here；〃 Pie said； remarking； Gentle knew； not simply on the empty houses but on the whole
hushed vista。
The storm was pletely exhausted now。 People should have been appearing in their doorsteps to brush off the sand and peer at their roofs to see they were still secure。 But there was nobody。 The elegant streets； laid with such precision； were deserted from end to end。
〃Maybe they've all gathered in…one place；〃 Gentle suggested。 〃Is there some kind of assembly place？ A church or
a senate？〃
〃The chianculi's the nearest thing；〃 Pie said； pointing towards a quartet of pale yellow domes set amid trees shaped like cypresses but bearing Prussian blue foliage。 Birds were rising from them into the clearing sky； their shadows the only motion on the streets below。
〃What happens at the chianculi？〃 Gentle said as they started towards the domes。
〃Ah！ In my youth；〃 the mystif said； attempting a lightness of tone it clearly didn't feel； 〃in my youth it was where we had the circuses。〃
〃I didn't know you came from circus stock。〃 〃They weren't like any Fifth Dominion circus；〃 Pie replied。 〃They were ways we remembered the Dominion we'd been exiled from。〃
〃No clowns and ponies？〃 Gentle said。 〃No clowns and ponies；〃 Pie replied； and would not be drawn on the subject any further。
Now that they were close to the chianculi； its scale…and that of the trees surrounding it…became apparent。 It was fully five stories high from the ground to the apex of its largest dome。 The birds； having made one celebratory circuit of the Kesparate； were now settling in the trees again； chattering like myna birds that had been taught Japanese。
Gentle's attention was briefly claimed by the spectacle； only to be grounded again when he heard Pie say； 〃They're not all dead。〃
Emerging from between the Prussian blue trees were four of the mystif s tribe； negroes wrapped in undyed robes like desert nomads； some folds of which they held between their teeth； covering their lower faces。 Nothing about their gait or garments offered any clue to their sex； but they were evidently prepared to oust trespassers； for they came armed with fine silver rods； three feet or so in length and held across their hips。
〃On no account move or even speak；〃 the mystif said to Gentle as the quartet came within ten yards of where they stood。
〃Why not？〃
〃This isn't a weling party。〃
〃What is it then？〃
〃An execution squad。〃
So saying； the mystif raised its hands in front of its chest； palms out； then…breaking its own edict…it stepped forward； addressing the squad as it did so。 The language it spoke was not English but had about it the same oriental lilt Gentle had heard from the beaks of the settling birds。 Perhaps they'd indeed been speaking in their owners' tongue。
One of the quartet now let the bitten veil drop； revealing a woman in early middle age； her expression more puzzled than aggressive。 Having listened to Pie for a time； she murmured something to the individual at her right； winning only a shaken head by way of response。 The squad had continued to approach Pie as it talked； their stride steady； but now； as Gentle heard the syllables Pie 'oh' pah appear in the mystif s monologue； the woman called a halt。 Two more of the veils were dropped； revealing men as finely boned as their leader。 One was lightly mustached； but the seeds of sexual ambiguity that blossomed so exquisitely in Pie were visible here。 Without further word from the woman； her panion went on to reveal a second ambiguity； altogether less attractive。 He let one hand drop from the silver rod he carried and the wind caught it； a ripple passing through its length as though it were made not of steel but of silk。 He lifted it to his mouth and draped it over his tongue。 It fell in soft loops from his lips and fingers； still glinting like a blade even though it folded and fluttered。
Whether this gesture was a threat or not Gentle couldn't know； but in response to it the mystif dropped to its knees and indica