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〃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 unpinned she began to speed her own excavation； hauling herself up out of the debris and locking her arms around Gentle's neck。 He started to stand； pulling her free of the remaining rocks； but as he did so another motion began； louder than anything that had preceded it。 This was not the din of destruction but a shriek of white fury。 The dust above their heads parted； and Quaisoir appeared； floating inches from the fissured ceiling。 Jude had seen this transformation before…ribbons of flesh unfurled from her sister's back and bearing her up…but Gentle had not。 He gaped at the apparition； distracted from thoughts of escape。
'She's mine！〃 Quaisoir yelled； swooping towards them with the same sightless but unerring accuracy she'd possessed in more intimate moments； her arms outstretched； her fingers ready to twist the abductor's head from his neck。
But Jude was quick。 She stepped in front of Gentle； calling Quaisoir's name。 The woman's swoop faltered； the hungry hands inches from her sister's upturned face。
〃I don't belong to you！〃 she yelled back at Quaisoir。 〃I don't belong to anybody！ Hear me？〃
Quaisoir threw back her head and loosed a howl of rage at this。 It was her undoing。 The ceiling shuddered and abandoned its duty at her din； collapsing beneath the weight of nibble heaped behind it。 There was； Jude thought； time for Quaisoir to escape the consequences of her cry。 She'd seen the woman move like lightning at Pale Hill； when she had the will to do so。 But that will had gone。 Face to the killing dirt； she let the debris rain upon her； inviting it with her unbroken cry； which didn't bee alarm or plea； but remained a solid howl of fury until the rocks broke and buried her。 It wasn't quick。 She went on calling down destruction as Gentle took Jude's hand and hauled her away from the spot。 He'd lost all sense of direction in the chaos； and had it not been for the screeching of Concupiscentia in the passageway beyond they'd never have made it to the door。
But make it they did； emerging with half their senses deadened by dust。 Quaisoir's death cry had ceased by now； but the roar behind them was louder than ever and drove them from the door as the canker spread across the roof of the corridor。 They outran it； however； Concupiscentia giving up her keening when she knew her mistress was lost and overtaking them； fleeing to some sanctuary where she could raise a song of lamentation。
Jude and Gentle ran until they were out from under any stone； roof； arch； or vault that might collapse upon them； into a courtyard full of bees feasting on bushes that had chosen that day； of all days； to blossom。 Only then did they put their arms around each other again； each sobbing for private griefs and gratitudes； while the ground shook under them to the din of the demolition they'd escaped。
In fact the ground didn't stop reverberating until they were well outside the walls of the palace and wandering in the ruins of Yzordderrex。 At Jude's suggestion they made their way back at all speed to Peccable's house； where； she explained to Gentle； there was a well…used route between this Dominion and the Fifth。 He put up no resistance to this。 Though he hadn't exhausted Sartori's hiding places by any means （could he ever； when the palace was so vast？） he had exhausted his limbs； his wits； and his will。 If his other was still here in Yzordderrex； he posed very little threat。 It was the Fifth that needed to be defended against him： the Fifth； which had forgotten magic and could so easily be his victim。
Though the streets of many Kesparates were little more than bloody valleys between rubble mountains； there were sufficient landmarks for Jude to trace her way back towards the district where Peccable's house had stood。 There was no certainty； of course； that it would still be standing after a day and a night of cataclysm； but if they had to dig to reach the cellar； so be it。
They were silent for the first mile or so of the trek； but then they began to talk； begining…inevitably…with an explanation from Gentle as to why Quaisoir； hearing his voice； had taken him for her husband。 He prefaced his account with the caveat that he wouldn't mire it in apology or justification but would tell it simply； like some grim fable。 Then he went on to do precisely that。 But the telling； for all its clarity； contained one significant distortion。 When he described his encounter with the Autarch he drew in Jude's mind the portrait of a man to whom he bore only a rudimentary resemblance； a man so steeped in evil that his flesh had been corrupted by his crimes。 She didn't question this description； but pictured an individual whose inhumanity seeped from every pore； a monster whose very presence would have induced nausea。
Once he'd unraveled the story of his doubling； she began to supply details of her own。 Some were culled from dreams； some from clues she'd had from Quaisoir； yet others from Oscar Godolphin。 His entrance into the account brought with it a fresh cycle of revelations。 She started to tell Gentle about her romance with Oscar； which in turn led on to the subject of Dowd； living and dying； thence to Clara Leash and the Tabula Rasa。
〃They're going to make it very dangerous for you back in London；〃 she told him； having related what little she knew about the purges they'd undertaken in the name of Roxborough's edicts。 〃They won't have the slightest punction about murdering you； once they know who you are。〃
〃Let them try；〃 Gentle said flatly。 〃Whatever they want to throw at me； I'm ready。 I've got work to do； and they're not going to stop me。〃
〃Where will you start？〃
〃In CJerkenwell。 I had a house in Gamut Street。 Pie says it's still standing。 My life's there； ready for the remembering。 We both need the past back； Jude。〃
〃Where do I get mine from？〃 she wondered aloud。
〃From me and from Godolphin。〃
〃Thanks for the offer； but I'd like a less partial source。 I've lost Clara； and now Quaisoir。 I'll have to start looking。〃 She thought of Celestine as she spoke； lying in