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A terrible calm had descended。 The last glimpses of the In Ovo had disappeared； the light in the stones was all but gone。 In the gathering darkness she saw Sartori find his place at the center of the circle and sit。
〃Don't do this；〃 she murmured to him。
He raised his head and made a little grunt； as though he was surprised she was still in the room。
〃It's already done；〃 he said。 〃All I have to do is hold the circle till midnight。〃
She heard a moan from below； as Clem saw what the Oviates had brought to the top of the stairs。 Then came the thump； thump； thump as the body was thrown down the flight。 There could only be seconds before they came back for her； seconds to coax him from the circle。 She knew only one way； and if it failed there could be no further appeal。
〃I love you；〃 she said。
It was too dark to see him； but she felt his eyes。
〃I know；〃 he said； without feeling。 〃But my Heavenly Father will love me more。 It's in His hands now。〃
She heard the Oviates moving behind her； their breaths chilly on her neck。
〃I don't ever want to see you again；〃 Sartori said。
〃Please call them off；〃 she begged him； remembering the way Clem had been apprehended by these beasts； his arms half swallowed。
〃Leave of your volition； and they won't touch you；〃 he said。 〃I am about my Father's business。〃
〃He doesn't love you。。。。〃
〃Leave。〃
〃He's incapable。。。。〃
〃Leave；〃
She got to her feet。 There was nothing left to say or do。 As she turned her back on the circle the Oviates pressed their cold flanks against her legs and kept her trapped between them until she reached the threshold； to be certain she made no last attempt on their summoner's life。 Then she was allowed to go unescorted onto the landing。 Clem was halfway up the stairs； bludgeon in hand； but she instructed him to stay where he was； fearful that the gek…a…gek would claw him to shreds if he climbed another step。
The door to the Meditation Room slammed behind her； and she glanced back to confirm what she'd already guessed： that the Oviates had followed her out and were now standing guard at the threshold。 Still nervous that they'd land some last blow； she crossed to the top of the flight as though she were walking on eggs and only picked up her speed once she was on the stairs。
There was light below； but the scene it illuminated was as grim as anything above。 Gentle was lying at the bottom of the stairs； his head laid on Celestine's lap。 The sheet she'd worn had fallen from her shoulders； and her breasts were bare； bloodied where she'd held her son's face to her skin。
〃Is he dead？〃 Jude murmured to Clem。
He shook his head。 〃He's holding on。〃
She didn't have to ask what for。 The front door was open； hanging half demolished from its hinges； and through it she could hear the first stroke of midnight from a distant steeple。
〃The circle's plete；〃 she said。
〃What circle？〃 Clem asked her。
She didn't reply。 What did it matter now？ But Celestine had looked up from her meditation on Gentle's face； and the same question was in her eyes as on Clem's lips； so Jude answered them as plainly as she could。
〃The Imajica's a circle；〃 she said。
〃How do you know？〃 Clem asked。
〃The Goddesses told me。〃
She was almost at the bottom of the stairs； and now that she was closer to mother and son she could see that Gentle was literally holding on to life； clutching at Celestine's arm and staring up into her face。 Only when Jude sank down onto the bottom stair did Gentle's eyes go to her。
〃I。。。 never knew；〃 he said。
〃I know；〃 she replied； thinking he was speaking of Hapexamendios' plot。 〃I didn't want to believe it either。〃
Gentle shook his head。 〃I mean the circle；〃 he said。 〃I never knew it was a circle。。。。〃
〃It was the Goddesses' secret；〃 Jude said。
Now Celestine spoke； her voice as soft as the flames that lit her lips。 〃Doesn't Hapexamendios know？〃
Jude shook her head。
〃So whatever fire he sends；〃 Celestine murmured； 〃will burn its way around the circle。〃
Jude studied her face； knowing there was some profit in this knowledge but too exhausted to make sense of it。 Celestine looked down at Gentle's face。
〃Child？〃 she said。
〃Yes； Mama。〃
〃Go to Him；〃 she said。 〃Take your spirit into the First and find your Father。〃
The effort of breathing seemed almost too much for Gentle； never mind a journey。 But what his body was incapable of； maybe his spirit could achieve。 He lifted his fingers towards his mother's face。 She caught hold of them。
〃What are you going to do？〃 Gentle said。
〃Call His fire；〃 Celestine said。
Jude looked towards Clem to see if this exchange made any more sense to him than it did to her； but he looked pletely perplexed。 What was the use of inviting death when it was going to e anyway； and all too quickly？
〃Delay Him；〃 Celestine was telling Gentle。 〃Go to Him as a loving son； and hold His attention for as long as you can。 Flatter Him。 Tell Him how much you want to see His face。 Can you do that for me？〃
〃Of course； Mama。〃
〃Good。〃
Content that her child would do as he was charged； Celestine laid Gentle's hand back upon his chest； and slid her knees out from beneath his head； lowering it tenderly to the boards。 She had one last instruction for him。
〃When you go into the First； go through the Dominions。 He mustn't know that there's another way； do you understand？〃
〃Yes； Mama。〃
〃And when you get there； child； listen for the voice。 It's in the ground。 You'll hear it； if you listen carefully。 It says…〃
〃Nisi Nirvana。〃
〃That's right。〃
〃I remember；〃 Gentle said。 〃Nisi Nirvana。〃
As if the name were a blessing and would protect him as he went on his way； he closed his eyes and took his leave。
Celestine didn't indulge in sentiment but rose； pulling the sheet up around her as she crossed to the bottom of the stairs。 〃Now I have to speak to Sartori。〃
〃That's going to be difficult；〃 Jude said。 〃The door's locked and guarded。〃
〃He's my son；〃 Celestine replied； looking up the flight。 〃He'll open it for me。〃
And so saying； she ascended。
24
Gentle's spirit went from the house； thinking not of the Father that awaited him in the First Dominion but of the mother he was leaving behind。 In the hours since his return from the Tabula Rasa's tower they'd shared all too brief a time together。 He'd knelt beside her bed for a few minutes while she told the story of Nisi Nirvana。 He'd held on to her in the Goddesses' rain； ashamed of the desire he felt but unable to deny it。 And finally； moments ago； he'd lain in her arms while the blood seeped out of him。 Child； lover； cadaver。 There was the arc of a little life there； and they'd have to be content with it。
He didn't entirely prehend her purpose in sending him from her； but he was too confounded to do anything but obey。 She had her reasons； and he had to trust them； now that the work he'd labored to achieve had soured。 That too he didn't entirely prehend。 It had happened too fast。 One moment he'd been so remote from his body he was almost ready to forget it entirely； the next he was back in the Meditation Room； with Jude's grip earning his screams； and his brother mounting the stairs behind her； his knives gleaming。 He'd known then； seeing death in his brother's face； why the mystif had torn itself to shreds in order to make him seek Sartori out。 Their Father was there in that face； in that despairing certainty； and had been all along； no doubt。 But he'd never seen it。 All he'd ever seen was his own beauty； twisted out of true； and told himself how fine it was to be Heaven to his other's Hell。 What a mockery that was！ He'd been his Father's dupe…His agent； His fool… and he might never have realized it if Jude hadn't dragged him raw from the Ana and showed him in terrible particulars the destroyer in the mirror。
But the recognition had e so late； and he was so ill equipped to undo the damage he'd done。 He could only hope that his mother understood better than he where the little hope left to them lay。 In pursuit of it； he'd be her agent now and go into the First to do whatever he could at her behest。
He went the long way round； as she'd instructed； his path taking him back over the territories he'd traveled when he'd sought out the Synod； and though he longed to swoop out of the air and pass the time of a new day with the others； he knew he couldn't linger。
He glimpsed them as he went； however； and saw that they'd survived the last hectic minutes in the Ana and were back in their Dominions； beaming with their triumph。 On the Mount of Lipper Bayak； Tick Raw was howling to the heavens like a lunatic； waking every sleeper in Vanaeph and stirring the guards in the watchtowers of Patashoqua。 In the Kwem； Scopique was clambering up the slope of the Pivot pit where he'd sat to do his part； tears of joy in his eyes as he turned them skyward。 In Yzordderrex； Athanasius was on his knees in the street outside the Eurhetemec Kesparate； bathing his hands in a spring that was leaping up at his wounded face like a dog that wanted to lick him well。 And on the borders of the First； where Gentle's spirit slowed； Chicka Jackeen was watching the Erasure； waiting for the blank wall to dissolve and give him a glimpse of