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a few short ； strides； calling his name as she went。
He didn't move。 Wherever his mind wandered； it was too far from this place…or rather； this place was too small a part of his arena…for him to be claimed by any voices here； however desperate。 She halted at the edge of the circle。 Though there was nothing to suggest that what lay inside was in flux； she'd seen the harm done to both Dowd and his voider when the bounds had been injudiciously breached。 From down below she heard Celestine raise a cry of warning。 There was no time for equivocation。 What the circle would do it would do； and she'd have to take the consequences。
Steeling herself； she stepped over the perimeter。 Instantly； the myriad disforts that attended passage afflicted her…itches； pangs； and spasms…and for a moment … she thought the circle intended to dispatch her across the In Ovo。 But the work it was about had overruled such functions； and the pains simply mounted and mounted； driving her to her knees in front of Gentle。 Tears spilled from her knitted lids； and the ripest curses from her lips。 The circle hadn't killed her； but another minute of its persecutions and it might。 She had to be quick。
She forced open her streaming eyes and set her gaze on Gentle。 Shouts hadn't roused him； nor had curses； so she didn't waste her breath with more。 Instead she seized his shoulders and began to shake him。 His muscles were lax； and he lolled in her grasp； but either her touch or the fact of her trespass in this charmed circle won a response。 He gasped as though he'd been drawn up from some airless deep。
Now she began to talk。
〃Gentle？ Gentle！ Open your eyes！ Gentle。 I said； Open your fucking eyes！〃
She was causing him pain； she knew。 The tempo and volume of his gasps increased； and his face； which had been beatifically placid； was knotted with frowns and grimaces。 She liked the sight。 He'd been so smug in his messianic mode。 Now there had to be an end to that placency； and if it hurt a little it was his own damn fault for being too much his Father's child。
〃Can you hear me？〃 she yelled at him。 〃You've got to stop the working。 Gentle！ You've got to stop it！〃
His eyes started to flicker open。
〃Good！ Good！〃 she said； talking at his face like a school…marm trying to coax a delinquent pupil。
〃You can do it！ You can open your eyes。 Go on！ Do it！ If you won't； I'll do it for you； I'm warning you！〃
She was as good as her word； lifting her right hand to his left eye and thumbing back the lid。 His eyeball was rolled back into its socket。 Wherever he was； it was still a tong way off； and she wasn't sure her body had the strength to resist its harrowment while she coaxed him home。
Then； from the landing behind her； Sartori's voice。
〃It's too late； love；〃 he said。 〃Can't you feel it？ It's too late。〃
She didn't need to look back at him。 She could picture him well enough； with the knives in his hands and elegy on his face。 Nor did she reply。 She needed every last ounce of will and wit to stir the man in front of her。
And then inspiration！ Her hand went from his face to his groin； from his eyelid to his testicles。 Surely there was enough of the old Gentle left in the Reconciler to value his manhood。 The flesh of his scrotum was loose in the warmth of the room。 His balls were heavy in her hand； heavy and vulnerable。 She held them hard。
〃Open your eyes；〃 she said； 〃or so help me I'm going to hurt you。〃
He remained impassive。 She tightened her grip。 〃Wake up；〃 she said。
Still nothing。 She squeezed harder； then twisted。 〃Wake up！〃
His breath quickened。 She twisted again； and his eyes suddenly opened； his gasps being a yell which didn't stop until there was no breath left in his lungs to loose it on。 As he inhaled his arms rose to take hold of Jude at the neck。 She lost her grip on his balls； but it didn't matter。 He was awake and raging。 He started to rise and； as he did so； pitched her out of the circle。 She landed clumsily； but began harassing him before she'd even raised her head。
〃You've got to stop the working！〃
〃Crazy 。；。 woman 。。。〃 he growled。
〃I mean it！ You've got to stop the working！ It's all a plot！〃 She hauled herself up。 〃Dowd was right； Gentle！ It's got to be stopped；〃
〃You're not going to spoil it now；〃 he said。 〃You're too late。〃
〃Find a way！〃 she said。 〃There's got to be a way！〃
〃If you e near me again I'll kill you；〃 he warned。 He scanned the circle； to be certain it was still intact。 It was。 〃Where's Clem？〃 he yelled。 〃Clem？〃
Only now did he look beyond Judith to the door； and beyond the door to the shadowy figure on the landing。 His frown deepened into a scowl of revulsion； and she knew any hope of persuading him was lost。 He saw conspiracy here。
〃There； love；〃 said Sartori。 〃Didn't I tell you it was too late？〃
The two gek…a…gek fawned at his feet。 The knives gleamed in his fists。 This time he didn't offer the handle of either one。 He'd e to take her life if she refused to take her own。
〃Dearest one；〃 he said； 〃it's over。〃
He took a step and crossed the threshold。
〃We can do it here；〃 he said； looking down at her； 〃where we were made。 What better place？〃
She didn't need to look back at Gentle to know he was hearing this。 Was there some sliver of hope in that fact？
Some persuasion that might drop from Sartori's lips and move Gentle where hers had failed？
〃I'm going to have to do it for us both； love；〃 he said。 〃You're too weak。 You can't see clearly。〃
〃I don't。。。 want。。。 to die；〃 she said。
〃You don't have any choice；〃 he said。 〃It's either by the Father or the Son。 That's all。 Father or Son。〃
Behind her； she heard Gentle murmur two syllables。
〃Oh； Pie。〃
Then Sartori took a second step； out of the shadow into the candlelight。 When he did； the obsessive scrutiny of the room fixed him in every wretched morsel。 His eyes were wet with despair； his lips so dry they were dusty。 His skull gleamed through his pallid skin； and his teeth； in their array； made a fatal smile。 He was Death； in every detail。 And if she recognized that fact…she who loved him…then so； surely； did Gentle。
He took a third step toward her and raised the knives above his head。 She didn't look away； but turned her face up towards him； daring him to spoil with his blades what he'd caressed with his fingers only minutes before。
〃I would have died for you；〃 he murmured。 The blades were at the top of their gleaming arc； ready to fall。 〃Why wouldn't you die for me？〃
He didn't wait for an answer； even if she'd had one to give； but let the knives descend。 As they came for her eyes she looked away； but before they caught her cheek and neck the Reconciler howled behind her； and the whole room shook。 She was thrown from her knees； Sartori's blades missing her by inches。 The candles on the mantelpiece guttered and went out； but there were other lights to take their place。 The stones of the circle were flickering like tiny bonfires flattened by a high wind； flecks of their brightness racing from them to strike the walls。 At the circle's edge stood Gentle。 In his hand； the reason for this turmoil。 He'd picked up one of the stones； arming himself and breaking the circle in the same moment。 He clearly knew the gravity of his deed。 There was grief on his face； so profound it seemed to have incapacitated him。 Having raised the stone he was now motionless； as if his will to undo the working had already lost momentum。
She got to her feet； though the room was shaking more violently than ever。 The boards felt solid enough beneath ； her； but they'd darkened to near invisibility。 She could see only the nails that kept them in place； the rest； despite the light from the stones； was pitch black； and as she started towards the circle she seemed to be treading a void。
There was a noise acpanying every tremor now： a ； mingling of tortured wood and cracking plaster； all underscored by a guttural boiling； the source of which she didn't prehend until she reached the edge of the circle。 The darkness beneath them was indeed a void…the In Ovo； opened by Gentle's breaking of the circle…and in it； al… ； ready woken by Sartori's dabblings； the prisoners that connived and suppurated there； rising at the scent of escape。
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