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euma； fell on the spot where she'd stood。 It initiated a hard； lethal rain； shards of stone falling on all sides。 There was safety in the shelter of the Pivot； however； and there they met and kissed and embraced as though they'd been parted a lifetime； not weeks； which in a sense was true。 The din of falling rock was muted in the shadow； though its thunder was only yards from where they stood。 When she cupped his face in her hands and spoke； her whispers were quite audible； as were his。
〃I've missed you；〃 she said。 There was a wele warmth in her voice； after the days of anguish and accusation he'd heard。 〃I even dreamed about you。。。。〃
〃Tell me；〃 he murmured； his lips close to hers。
〃Later； maybe；〃 she said； kissing him again。 〃I've so much to tell you；〃
〃Likewise；〃 Gentle said。
〃We should find ourselves somewhere safer than this；〃 she said。
〃We're out of harm's way here；〃 Gentle said。
〃Yes； but for how long？〃
The scale of the demolition was increasing； its violence out of all proportion to the force Gentle had unleashed； as though the Pivot had taken the pneuma's power and magnified it。 Perhaps it knew…how could it not？ … that the man it had been in thrall to had gone and was now about the business of shrugging off the prison Sartori had raised around it。 Judging by the size of the slabs falling all around； the process would not take long。 They were monumental； their impact sufficient to open cracks in the floor of the tower； the sight of which brought a cry of alarm from Jude。
〃Oh； God； Quaisoir！〃 she said。
〃What about her？〃
〃She's down there！〃 Jude said； staring at the gaping ground。 〃There's a chamber below this！ She's in it！〃
〃She'll be out of there by now。〃
〃No； she's high on kreauchee！ We have to get down there！〃
She left Gentle's side and crossed to the edge of their shelter； but before she could make a dash for the open door a new fall of rubble and dust obliterated the way ahead。 It wasn't simply blocks of the tower that were falling now； Gentle saw。 There were vast shards of the Pivot itself in this hail。 What was it doing？ Destroying itself； or shedding skins to uncover its core？ Whichever； their place in the shadow was more precarious by the second。 The cracks underfoot were already a foot wide and widening； the hovering monolith above them shuddering as if it was about to give up the effort of suspension and drop。 They had no choice but to brave the rockfall。
He went to join Jude； searching his wits for a means to survival and picturing Chicka Jackeen at the Erasure； his hands high to ward off the detritus dropped by the storm。 Could he do the same？ Not giving himself pause to doubt； he lifted his hands above his head as he'd seen the monk do； palms up； and stepped out of the Pivot's shadow。 One heavenward glance confirmed both the Pivot's shedding and the scale of his jeopardy。 Though the dust was thick； he could see that the monolith was sloughing off scales of stone； the pieces large enough to smash them both to pulp。 But his defense held。 The slabs shattered two or three feet above his naked head； their smithereens dropping like a fleeting vault around him。 He felt the impact nevertheless； as a succession of jolts through his wrists； arms； and shoulders； and knew he lacked the strength to preserve the feit for more than a few seconds。 Jude had already grasped the method in his madness； however； and stepped from the shadow to join him beneath this flimsy shield。 There were perhaps ten paces between where they stood and the safety of the door。
〃Guide me；〃 he told her； unwilling to take his eyes off the rain for fear his concentration slip and the feit lose its potency。
Jude slipped her arm around his waist and navigated for them both； telling him where to step to find clear ground and warning him when the path was so heavily strewn they were obliged to stumble over stone。 It was a tortuous business； and Gentle's upturned hands were steadily beaten down until they were barely above his head； but the feit held to the door； and they slid through it together； with the Pivot and its prison throwing down such a hail of debris that neither was now visible。
Then Jude was off at speed； down the murky stairs。 The walls were shaking； and laced with cracks as the demolition above took its toll below； but they negotiated both the trembling passageway and the second flight of stairs down to the lower level unharmed。 Gentle was startled at the sight and sound of Concupiscentia； who was screeching in the passageway like a terrified ape； unwilling to go in search of her mistress； Jude had no such qualms。 She'd already thrown open the door and was heading down an incline into a lamp…lit chamber beyond； calling Quaisoir's name to stir her from her stupor。 Gentle followed； but was slowed by the cacophony that greeted him； a mingling of manic whispers and the din of capitulation from above。 By the time he reached the room itself； Jude had bullied her sister to her feet。 There were substantial cracks in the ceiling and a constant drizzle of dust； but Quaisoir seemed indifferent to the hazard。
〃I said you'd e back；〃 she said。 〃Didn't I？ Didn't I say you'd e back？ Do you want to kiss me？ Please kiss me； sister。〃
〃What's she talking about？〃 Gentle asked。
The sound of his voice brought a cry from the woman。 She flung herself out of Jude's arms。
〃What have you done？〃 she yelled。 〃Why did you bring him here？〃
〃He's e to help us；〃 Jude replied。
Quaisoir spat in Gentle's direction。 〃Leave me alone！〃 she screeched。 〃Haven't you done enough？ Now you want to take my sister from me！ You bastard！ I won't let you！ We'll die before you touch her！〃 She reached for Jude； sobbing in panic。 〃Sister！ Sister。'〃
〃Don't be frightened；〃 Jude said。 〃He's a friend。〃 She looked at Gentle。 〃Reassure her；〃 she begged him。 〃Tell her who you are； so we can get out of here。〃
〃I'm afraid she already knows；〃 Gentle replied。
Jude was mouthing the word what？ when Quaisoir's panic boiled up again。
〃Sartori！〃 she screeched； her denunciation echoing around the room。 〃He's Sartori； sister！ Sartori！〃
Gentle raised his hands in mock surrender； backing away from the woman。 〃I'm not going to touch you；〃 he said。 〃Tell her； Jude。 I don't want to hurt her！〃
But Quaisoir was in the throes of another outburst。 〃Stay with me； sister；〃 she said； grabbing hold of Jude。 〃He can't kill us both！〃
〃You can't stay in here；〃 Jude said。
〃I'm not going out！〃 Quaisoir said。 〃He's got soldiers out there！ Rosengarten！ That's who he's got！ And his torturers！〃
〃It's safer out there than it is in here；〃 Jude said； casting her eyes up at the roof。 Several carbuncles had appeared in it； oozing debris。 〃We have to be quick！〃
Still she refused； putting her hand up to Jude's face and stroking her cheek with her clammy palm： short； nervy strokes。
〃We'll stay here together；〃 she said。 〃Mouth to mouth。 Mind to mind。〃
〃We can't；〃 Jude told her； speaking as calmly as circumstance allowed。 〃I don't want to be buried alive； and neither do you。〃
〃If we die； we die；〃 said Quaisoir。 〃I don't want him touching me again； do you hear？〃
〃I know。 I understand。〃
〃Not ever！ Not ever！〃
〃He won't；〃 Jude said； laying her own hand over Quaisoir's； which was still stroking her face。 She laced her fingers through those of her sister and locked them。 〃He's gone；〃 she said。 〃He won't be ing near either of us again。〃
Gentle had indeed retreated as far as the passageway； but even though Jude waved him away he refused to go any further。 He'd had too many reunions cut short to risk letting her out of his sight。
〃Are you certain he's gone？〃
〃I'm certain。〃
〃He could still be waiting outside for us。〃
〃No； sister。 He was afraid for his life。 He's fled。〃
Quaisoir grinned at this。 〃He was afraid？〃 she said。
〃Terrified；〃
〃Didn't I tell you？ They're all the same。 They talk like heroes； but there's piss in their veins。〃 She began to laugh out loud； as careless now as she'd been in terror moments before。 〃We'll go back to my bedroom；〃 she said when the outburst subsided； 〃and sleep for a while。〃
〃Whatever you want to do；〃 Jude said。 〃But let's do it soon。〃
Still chuckling to herself； Quaisoir allowed Jude to lift her up and escort her towards the door。 They had covered maybe half that distance； Gentle standing aside to let them pass； when one of the carbuncles in the ceiling burst and threw down a rain of wreckage from the tower above。 Gentle saw Jude struck and felled by a chunk of stone； then the chamber filled with an almost viscous dust that blotted out both sisters in an instant。 With his only point of reference the lamp； the flame of which was just visible through the dirt； he headed into the fog to fetch her； as a thundering from above announced a further escalation of the tower's collapse。 There was no time for protective feits or for keeping his silence。 If he failed to find her in the next few seconds； they'd all be buried。 He started to yell her name through the rising roar and； hearing her call back to him； followed her voice to where she was lying； half buried beneath a cairn of rubble。
〃There's time；〃 he said to her as he began to dig。 〃There's time。 We can make it out。〃
With her arms