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Of all the mornings to be plagued with such distraction！ The beguilements of the flesh had no place in the work ahead of him。 They'd brought the last Reconciliation to tragedy； and he would not allow them to lead him from his sanctified path by a single step。 He looked down at his groin； disgusted with himself。
〃Cut it off；〃 Little Ease advised。
If he could have done the deed without making an invalid of himself； he'd have done so there and then； and gladly。 He had nothing but contempt for what rose between his legs。 It was a hotheaded idiot； and he wanted rid of it。
〃I can control it；〃 he replied。
〃Famous last words；〃 the creature said。
A blackbird had e into the tree and was singing blithely there。 He looked its way and beyond； up through the branches into the burnished blue sky。 His thoughts abstracted as he studied it； and by the time he heard Clem ing up the stairs with food and drink the spasm of carnality had passed； and he greeted his angels with a cooling brow。
〃So now we wait；〃 he told Clem。
〃What for？〃
〃For Jude to e back。〃
〃And if she doesn't？〃
〃She will；〃 Gentle replied。 〃This is where she was born。 It's her home； even if she wishes it weren't。 She'll have to make her way back here eventually。 And if she's conspired against us； Clem…if she's working with the enemy…then I swear I'll draw a circle right here〃…he pointed to the boards…〃and Til unmake her so well it'll be as though she never drew breath。〃
19
The law…defying waters were passionate。 Though they carried Jude through the palace at considerable speed； roaming through corridors their passage had already stripped of tapestries and furnishings； they treated their cargo with care。 She wasn't thrown against the walls or the pillars； but was borne up on a ship of surf that neither faltered nor foundered but hurried； remotely helmed； to its destination。 That place could scarcely be in doubt。 The mystery at the heart of the Autarch's maze had always been the Pivot Tower； and though she'd witnessed the beginning of the tower's undoing； it was still； surely； her place of debarkation。 Prayers and petitions had gone there for an age； attracted by the Pivot's authority。 Whatever force had replaced it； calling these waters； it had set its throne on the rubble of the fallen lord。
And now she had proof of that； as the waters carried her out of the naked corridors and into the still severer environs of the tower； slowing to deliver her into a pool so thick with detritus it was almost solid。 Out of this wreckage rose a staircase； and she hauled herself from the debris and lay on the lower steps； giddy but exhilarated。 The waters continued to surge around the staircase like an eager spring tide； and their clear desire to be up the flight was contagious。 She got to her feet； after a little time； and proceeded to climb。
Although there were no lights burning at the top； there was plenty of illumination spilling down the stairs to meet her； and like the light at the springing places it was prismatic； suggesting there were more waters ahead that had e into the palace via other routes。 Before she was even halfway up the flight； two women appeared and stared down at her。 Both were dressed in simple off…white shifts； the fatter of the pair； a woman of gargantuan proportions； unbuttoned to bare her breasts to the baby she was nursing。 She looked almost as infantile as her charge； her hair wispy； her face； like her breasts； heavy and sugar…almond pink。 The woman beside her was older and slimmer； her skin substantially darker than that of her panion； her gray hair braided and bed out to her shoulders like a cowl。 She wore gloves； and glasses； and regarded Jude with almost professorial detachment。
〃Another soul saved from the flood；〃 she said。
Jude had stopped climbing。 Though neither woman had made any sign that she was forbidden entry； she wanted to e into this miraculous place as a guest； not a trespasser。
〃Am I wele？〃
〃Of course；〃 said the mother。 〃Have you e to meet the Goddesses？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Are you from the Bastion； then？〃
Before Jude could reply； her panion supplied the answer。 〃Of course not！ Look at her！〃
〃But the waters brought her。〃
〃The waters'll bring any woman who dares。 They brought us； didn't they？〃
〃Are there many others？〃 Jude asked。
〃Hundreds；〃 came the reply。 〃Maybe thousands by now。〃
Jude wasn't surprised。 If someone like herself； a stranger in the Dominions； had e to suspect that the Goddesses were still extant； how much more hopeful must the women who lived here have been； living with the legends of Tishalulle and Jokalaylau。
When Jude reached the top of the stairs； the bespectacled woman introduced herself。
〃I'm Lotti Yap。〃
〃I'm Judith。〃
〃We're pleased to see you； Judith；〃 the other woman said。 〃I'm Paramarola。 And this fellow〃…she looked down at the baby…〃is Billo。〃
〃Yours？〃 Jude asked。
〃Now where would I have found a man to give me the likes of this？〃 Paramarola said。
〃We've been in the Annex for nine years；〃 Lotti Yap explained。 〃Guests of the Autarch。〃
〃May his thorn rot and his berries wither；〃 Paramarola added。
〃And where have you e from？〃 Lotti asked。
〃The Fifth；〃 Jude said。
She was not fully attending to the women now； however。 Her interest had been claimed by a window that lay across the puddle…strewn corridor behind them： or； rather； by the vista visible through it。 She went to the sill； both awed and astonished； and gazed out at an extraordinary spectacle。 The flood had cleared a circle half a mile wide or more in the center of the palace； sweeping walls and pillars and roofs away and drowning the rubble。 All that was left； rising from the waters； were islands of rock where the taller towers had stood； and here and there a corner of one of the palace's vast amphitheaters； preserved as if to mock the overweening pretensions of its architect。 Even these fragments would not stand for much longer； she suspected。 The waters circled this immense basin without violence； but their sheer weight would soon bring these last remnants of Sartori's masterwork down。
At the center of this small sea was an island larger than the rest； its lower shores made up of the half…demolished chambers that had clustered around the Pivot Tower； its rocks the rubble of that tower's upper half； mingled with vast pieces of its tenant； and its height the remains of the tower itself； a ragged but glittering pyramid of rubble in which a white fire seemed to be burning。 Looking at the transformation these waters had wrought； eroding in a matter of days； perhaps hours； what the Autarch had taken decades to devise and build； Jude wondered that she'd reached this place intact。 The power she'd first encountered on the lower slopes as an innocent； if willful； brook was here revealed as an awesome force for change。
〃Were you here when this happened？〃 she asked Lotti Yap。
〃We saw only the end of it；〃 she replied。 〃But it was quite a sight； let me tell you。 Seeing the towers fall…〃
〃We were afraid for our lives；〃 Paramarola said。
〃Speak for yourself；〃 Lotti replied。 〃The waters didn't set us free just to drown us。 We were prisoners in the Annex； you see。 Then the floor cracked open； and the waters just bubbled up and washed the walls away。〃
〃We knew the Goddesses would e； didn't we？〃 Paramarola said。 〃We always had faith in that。〃
〃So you never believed they were dead？〃
〃Of course not。 Buried alive； maybe。 Sleeping。 Even lunatic。 But never dead。〃
〃What she says is right；〃 Lotti observed。 〃We knew this day would e。〃
〃Unfortunately； it may be a short victory；〃 Jude said。
〃Why do you say that？〃 Lotti replied。 〃The Autarch's gone。〃
〃Yes； but his Father hasn't。〃
〃His Father？〃 said Paramarola。 〃I thought he was a bastard。〃
〃Who's his father then？〃 said Lotti。
〃Hapexamendios。''
Paramarola laughed at this； but Lotti Yap nudged in her well…padded ribs。
〃It's not a joke； Rola。'1
〃It has to be；〃 the other protested。
〃Do you see the woman laughing？〃 Then； to Jude： 〃Do you have any evidence for this？〃
〃No； I don't。〃
〃Then where'd you get such an idea？〃
Jude had guessed it would be difficult to persuade people of Sartori's origins；