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g towers of ocher and scarlet fabric； the colors all the more vivid given that the desert floor； which had been sand…colored at the outset； was now almost black； and the heavens they rose against were gray； being the wall between the
Second Dominion and the unknown world haunted by Hapexamendios。
Floccus halted the car a quarter of a mile from the perimeter of the encampment。 〃I should go ahead；〃 he said； 〃and explain who we are and what we're doing here。〃
〃Make it quick；〃 Gentle told him。
Floccus was away like a gazelle； over ground that was no longer sand but a flinty carpet of stone shards； like the clippings from some stupendous sculpture。 Gentle looked at the mystif； lying in his arms as if in a charmed sleep； its brow innocent of frowns。 He stroked its cold cheek。
How many friends and loved ones must he have seen pass away in the two centuries and more of his life on earth？ Though he'd wiped those griefs from his conscious mind； could he doubt they'd made their mark； fueling his terror of sickness and hardening his heart over the years？ Perhaps he'd always been a philanderer and plagiarist； a master of counterfeited emotion； but was that so surprising in a man who knew in his gut that the drama； however soul…searing； was cyclic？ The faces changed and changed； but the story remained essentially the same。 As Klein had been fond of pointing out； there was no such thing as originality。 It had all been said before； suffered before。 If a man knew that； was it any wonder love became mechanical and death just a scene to be shunned？ There was no absolute knowledge to be gained from either。 Just another ride on the merry…go…round； another blurred scene of faces smiling and faces grieved。
But his feelings for the mystif had been no sham； and with good reason。 In Pie's self…denials （〃I'm nothing and nobody；〃 it had said at the beginning） he'd heard an echo of the anguish he himself felt； and in Pie's gaze； so heavy with the freight of years； seen a r'ade soul who understood the nameless pain he carried。 It had stripped him of his shams and chicanery and given him a taste of the Maestro he'd been and might be again。 There was good to be done with such power； he now knew： breaches to be healed； rights to be restored； nations to be roused； and hopes reawakened。 He needed his inspiration beside him if he was to be a great Reconciler。
〃I love you； Pie 'oh' pah；〃 he murmured。
〃Gentle。〃
The voice was Floccus'； calling him from outside the window。
〃I've seen Athanasius。 He says we're to e straight in。〃
〃Good！ Good！〃 Gentle threw open the door。
〃Do you want help？〃
〃No。 I'll carry Pie。〃 He got out； then reached back into the car and picked up the mystif。
〃Gentle； you do understand that this is a sacred place？〃 Floccus said as he led the way towards the tents。
〃No singing； dancing； or farting； huh？ Don't look so pained； Floccus。 I understand。〃
As they approached； Gentle realized that what he'd taken to be an encampment of closely gathered tents was in fact a continuum； the various pavilions； with their swooping roofs； joined by smaller tents to form a single golden beast of wind and canvas。
Inside its body； the gusts kept everything in motion。 Tremors moved through even the most tautly erected walls； and in the heights of the roof swaths of fabric whirled like the skirts of dervishes； giving off a constant sigh。 There were people up among the folds； some walking on webs of rope as if they were solid board； others sitting in front of immense windows opened in the roof； their faces turned to the wall of the First World as though they anticipated a summons out of that place at any moment。 If such a summons came； there'd be no hectic rush。 The atmosphere was as measured and soothing as the motion of the dancing sails above。
〃Where do we find the doctor？〃 Gentle asked Floccus。 〃There is no doctor；〃 he replied。 〃Follow me。 We've been given a place to lay the mystif down。〃
〃There must be some kind of medical attendants。〃 〃There's fresh water and clothes。 Maybe some laudanum and the like。 But Pie's beyond that。 The uredo won't be dislodged with medications。 It's the proximity of the First Dominion that'll heal it。〃
〃Then we should go outside right now；〃 he said。 〃Get Pie closer to the Erasure。〃
〃Any closer than this would take more resilience than either you or I possess； Gentle；〃 Floccus said。 〃Now follow me； and be respectful of this place。〃'
He led Gentle through the beast's tremulous body to a smaller tent； where a dozen plain low beds were set； some occupied； most not。 Gentle laid the mystif down in one and proceeded to unbutton its shirt while Floccus went in search of cool water for its now…burning skin and some sustenance for Gentle and himself。 While he waited； Gentle examined the spread of the uredo； which was too extensive to be fully examined without stripping Pie pletely； which he was loath to do with so many strangers in the vicinity。 The mystif had been covetous of its privacy…it had been many weeks before Gentle had glimpsed its beauty naked…and he wanted to respect that modesty； even in Pie's present condition。 In fact； very few of those who passed by even glanced their way； and after a time he began to feel the fear lose its grip on him。 There was very little more that he could do。 They were at the edge of the known Dominions； where all maps stopped and the enigma of enigmas began。 What use was fear in the face of such imponderables？ He had to put it aside and proceed with dignity and containment； trusting to the powers that occupied the air here。
When Floccus returned with the means to wash Pie； Gentle asked if he might be left alone to do so。
〃Of course；〃 Floccus replied。 〃I've got friends here。 I'd like to seek them out。〃
When he left； Gentle began to bathe the suppurating eruptions of the uredo； which oozed not blood but a silvery pus； the smell of which pricked his sinuses like ammonia。 The body it fed upon seemed not only enfeebled but somehow unfocused； as though its contours and musculature were about to bee a vapor； and the flesh disperse。 Whether this was the uredo's doing or simply the condition of a mystif when life； and therefore its capacity to shape the sight of those gazing upon it； was fading； Gentle didn't know； but it made him think back over the way this body had appeared to him。 As Judith； of course； as an assassin； armored in nakedness； and as the loving androgyne of their wedding night in the Cradle； that had momentarily taken his face and stared back at him like a prophecy of Sartori。 Now； finally； it seemed to be a form of burnished mist； receding from his hand even as he touched it。
〃Gentle？ Is that you？ I didn't know you could see in the dark。〃
Gentle looked up from Pie's body to find that in the time he'd been washing the mystif； half mesmerized by memory； the evening had fallen。 There were lights burning at the bedsides of those nearby； but none near Pie 'oh' pah。 When he returned his gaze to the body he'd been washing； it was barely discernible in the gloom。
〃I didn't know I could either。〃
He stood up to greet the newer。 It was Athanasius； a lamp in his hand。 By its flame； which was as subject to the wind's whim as the canvas overhead； Gentle saw he'd been wounded in the fall of Yzordderrex。 There were several cuts on his face and neck and a larger； livid injury on his belly。 For a man who'd celebrated Sundays by making himself a new crown of thorns； these were probably wele disforts。
〃I'm sorry I didn't e to wele you earlier；〃 he said。 〃But with such numbers of casualties ing in I spend a lot of time administering last rites。〃
Gentle didn't remark on this； but the fear crept back up his spine。
〃We've had a lot of the Autarch's soldiers find their way here； and that makes me nervous。 Fm afraid we'll let in someone on a suicide mission； and he'll blow the place apart。 That's the way the bastard thinks。 If he's destroyed； he'll want to bring everything down with him。〃
〃I'm sure he's much more concerned with making his getaway；〃 Gentle said。
〃Where can he go？ The word's already spread across the Imajica。 There's armed uprising in Patashoqua。 There's hand…to…hand bat on the Lenten Way。 Every Dominion's shaking。 Even