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He didn't reply。 He just let his hand drop from his shoulder and stood open…armed against the wall。
〃Kill it！〃 Sartori was still saying。 〃Kill it！ It's just an illusion！〃
Pie turned； the blade still raised。 〃Don't！〃 Gentle said； but the mystif was already starting in the Autarch's direction。 Gentle called after it again； pushing himself from the wall to stop it。 〃Pie！ Listen to me…〃
The mystif glanced around； and as it did so Sartori raised his hand to his eye and in one smooth motion snatched at it； extending his arm and opening his fist to let fly what it had plucked。 Not the eye itself but some essence of his glance went from the palm like a ball trailing smoke。 Gentle reached for the mystif to drag it out of the sway's path； but his hand fell inches short of Pie's back； and as he reached again the sway struck。 The fluttering blade dropped from the mystif's hand as it was thrown backwards by the impact； its gaze fixed on Gentle as it fell into his arms。 The momentum carried them both to the ground； but Gentle was quick to roll from under the mystif s weight and put his hand to his mouth to defend them with a pneuma。 Sartori was already retreating into the smoke； however； on his face a look that would vex Gentle for many days and nights to e。 There was more distress in it than triumph； more sorrow than rage。
〃Who will reconcile us now？〃 he said； and then he was gone into the murk； as though he had mastery of the smoke and had pulled it around him to duck away behind its folds。
Gentle didn't give chase but went back to the mystif； lying where it had fallen。 He knelt beside it。
〃Who was he？〃 Pie said。
〃Something I made；〃 Gentle said； 〃when I was a Maestro。〃
〃Another Sartori？〃 Pie said。
〃Yes。〃
〃Then go after him。 Kill him。 Those creatures are the most…〃
〃Later。〃
〃Before he escapes。〃
〃He can't escape； lover。 There's nowhere he can go I won't find him。〃
Pie's hands were clutching at the place in mid…chest where Sartori's malice had struck。
〃Let me see；〃 Gentle said； drawing Pie's fingers away and tearing at the mystif's shirt。 The wound was a stain on its flesh； black at the center and fading to a pustular yellow at its edges。
〃Where's Huzzah？〃 Pie asked him； breath labored。
〃She's dead；〃 Gentle replied。 〃She was murdered by a Nullianac。〃
〃！〃
〃So much death；〃 Pie said。 〃It blinded me。 I would have killed you and not even known I'd done it〃
〃We're not going to talk about death；〃 Gentle said； 〃We're going to find some way of healing you。〃
〃There's more urgent business than that；〃 Pie said。 〃I came to kill the Autarch…〃
〃No； Pie。。。。〃
〃That was the judgment；〃 Pie insisted。 〃But now I can't finish it。 Will you do it for me？〃
Gentle put his hand beneath the mystifs head and raised Pie up。
〃I can't do that；〃 he said。
〃Why not？ You could do it with a breath。〃；
〃No； Pie。 I'd be killing myself。〃
〃What？〃
The mystif stared up at Gentle； baffled。 But its puzzle ment was short…lived。 Before Gentle had time to explain。
Pie let out a long； sorrowful sigh； in the shape of three soft words。
〃Oh； my Lord。〃
〃I found him in the Pivot Tower。 I didn't believe it at first。。。。〃
〃The Autarch Sartori；〃 Pie said； as if trying the words for their music。 Then； its voice a dirge； it said； 〃It has a ring。〃
〃You knew 1 was a Maestro all along； didn't you？〃
〃Of course。〃；
〃But you didn't tell me。〃
〃I got as close as I dared。 But I had sworn an oath never to remind you of who you were。〃°
〃Who made you swear that oath？〃
〃You did； Maestro。 You were in pain； and you wanted to forget your suffering。〃
〃How did I e to forget？〃
〃A simple feit。〃
〃Your doing？〃
Pie nodded。 〃I was your servant in that； as in everything。 I swore an oath that when it was done； when the past was i^ifidden away； I would never show it to you again。 And oaths don't decay。〃
〃But you kept hoping I'd ask the right questions…〃
〃Yes。〃
〃…and invite the memory back in。〃
〃Yes。 And you came close。〃
〃In Maike。 And in the mountains。〃
〃But never close enough to free me from my responsibilty。 I had to keep my silence。〃
〃Well； it's broken now； my friend。 When you're nealed…〃
〃No； Maestro；〃 Pie said。 〃A wound like this can't be healed。〃
〃It can and will；〃 Gentle said； not willing to countenance the thought of failure。
He remembered Nikaetomaas1 talk of the Dearthers' encampment on the margin of the Second and First Dominions； where she'd said Estabrook had been taken。 Miracles of healing were possible there； she'd boasted。
〃We're going to make quite a journey； my friend；〃 he said； starting to lift the mystif up。
〃Why break your back？〃 it said to him。 〃Let's say our farewells here。〃
〃I'm not saying goodbye to you here or anywhere；〃 Gentie said。 〃Now put your arms around me； lover。 We've got a long way to go together yet。〃
3
The et's ascent into the heavens above Yzordderrex； and the light it shed upon the city's streets； didn't shame the atrocities there into hiding or cessation； quite the other way around。 The city was ruled by Ruin now； and its court was everywhere： celebrating the enthronement； parading its emblems…the luckiest already dead…and rehearsing its rites in preparation for a long and inglorious reign。 Children wore ash today； and carried their parents' heads like censers； still smoking from the fires where they'd been found。 Dogs had the freedom of the city and devoured their masters without fear of punishment。 The carrion birds Sartori had once tempted off the desert winds to feed on bad meat were gathered on the streets in garrulous hordes； to dine on the men and women who'd gossiped there the day before。
There were those survivors； of course； who clung to the dream of Order and banded together to do what they could under the new regime； digging through the rubble in the hope of finding survivors； dousing fires in buildings that were whole enough to save； giving succor to the grieving and quick dispatch for those too wounded to bear another breath。 But they were easily outnumbered by the souls whose faith in sanity had been shattered and met the et's eye with dissolution in their hearts。 By midmorning； when Gentle and Pie reached the gate that led out of the city into the desert； many of those who'd begun the day determined to preserve something from this calamity had given up and were leaving while they still had their lives。 The exodus that would empty Yzordderrex of much of its population within half a week had begun。
Beyond the vague instruction； gleaned from Nikaetomaas； that the encampment to which Estabrook had been taken lay in the desert at the limits of this Dominion； Gentle was traveling blind。 He'd hoped to find somebody along the way to give him some better directions； but he encountered nobody who looked fit enough； mentally or physically； to lend him assistance。 He'd bound the hand he'd wounded beating down the door of the Pivot Tower as best he could before leaving the palace。 The stab wound he'd sustained when Huzzah had been snatched and the cut the mystif s ribbon blade had opened were slight enough to cause him little disfort。 His body； possessed of a Maestro's resilience； had survived three times a natural human span without significant deterioration； and it was quick to begin the process of mending itself now。
The same could not be said for Pie 'oh' pah's wounded frame。 Sartori's sway was venomous； draining the mystif s strength and consciousness。 By the time Gentle left the city； the mystif was barely able to move its legs； obliging Gentle to half…hoist it up beside him。 He only hoped they found some means of transport before too long； or this journey would be over before it was begun。
There was little chance of hitching a ride with any of their fellow refugees。 Most were on foot； and those who had transport…carts； cars； runty mules…were already laden with passengers。 Several overburdened vehicles had given up the ghost within sight of the city gates； and those who'd paid for their ride were arguing on the roadside。 But most of the travelers went on their way with an eerie hush； barely raising their eyes from the road a few feet in front of them； at least until they reached the spot where that road divided。
Here a bottleneck had been created； as people milled around； deciding on which of the three routes available to them they were going to take。 Straight ahead； though a considerable distance from the crossroads； lay a mountain range as impressive as the Jokalaylau。 The road to the left led off into greener terrain； and； not surprisingly perhaps； this was the most favored way。 The least favored； and for Gentle's purposes the most promising； was the road that lay to the right。 It was dusty and badly laid； the terrain it wound through the least lush and therefore the most likely to deteriorate into desert。 But he knew from his months in the Dominions that the terrain could change considerably within the space of a few miles； and that perhaps out of sight along this road lay verdant pastures； while the track behind him could just as easily lead into a wilderness。 While he was standing in the mill of travelers debating with himself； he heard a high…pitched voice and； peering through the dust；