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〃Then where'd you get such an idea？〃
Jude had guessed it would be difficult to persuade people of Sartori's origins； but she'd optimistically supposed that when the moment came she'd be possessed by a sudden lucidity。 Instead she felt a rage of frustration。 If she was obliged to unravel the whole sorry history of her involvement with the Autarch Sartori to every soul who stood between her and the Goddesses； the worst would be upon them all before she was halfway there。 Then； inspiration。
〃The Pivot's the proof；〃 she said。
〃How so？〃 said Lotti； who was now studying this woman the flood had brought to their feet with fresh intensity。
〃He could never have moved the Pivot without his Father's collaboration。〃
〃But the Pivot doesn't belong to the Unbeheld；〃 Paramorola said。 〃It never did。〃
Jude looked confounded。
〃What Rola says is true；〃 Lotti told her。 〃He may have used it to control a few weak men。 But the Pivot was never His。〃
〃Whose then？〃
〃Uma Umagammagi was in it。〃
〃And who's that？〃
〃The sister of Tishalulle〃 and Jokalaylau。 Half…sister of the daughters of the Delta。〃
〃There was a Goddess in the Pivot？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And the Autarch didn't know it？〃
〃That's right。 She hid Herself there to escape Hapexamendios when He passed through the Imajica。 Jokalaylau went into the snow and was lost there。 Tishalulle…〃
〃…in the Cradle of Chzercemit；〃 Jude said。
〃Yes indeed；〃 said Lotti； plainly impressed。
〃And Uma Umagammagi hid Herself in solid rock；〃 Paramarola went on； telling the tale as though to a child； 〃thinking He'd pass over the place not seeing Her。 But He chose the Pivot as the center of the Imajica and laid His power upon it； sealing Her in。〃
This was surely the ultimate irony； Jude thought。 The architect of Yzordderrex had built his fortress； indeed his entire empire； around an imprisoned Goddess。 Nor was the parallel with Celestine lost on her。 It seemed Roxborough had been unwittingly working in a grim tradition when he'd sealed Celestine up beneath his house。
〃Where are the Goddesses now？〃 Jude asked Lotti。
〃On the island。 We'll all be allowed into their presence in time； and we'll be blessed by them。 But it'll take days。〃
〃I don't have days；〃 Jude said。 〃How do I get to the island？〃
〃You'll be called when your time es。〃
〃That has to be now；11 Jude said； 〃or it'll be never。〃 She looked left and right along the passageway。 〃Thank you for the education；〃 she said。 〃Maybe I'll see you again。〃
Choosing right over left she made to leave； but Lotti took hold of her sleeve。
〃You don't understand； Judith；〃 she said。 〃The Goddesses have e to make us safe。 Nothing can harm us here。 Not even the Unbeheld。〃
〃I hope that's true；〃 Jude said。 〃To the bottom of my heart； I hope that's true。 But I have to warn them； in case it isn't。〃
〃Then we'd better e with you；〃 Lotti said； 〃You'll never find your way otherwise。〃
〃Wait；〃 Paramarola said。 〃Should we be doing this？ She may be dangerous。〃
〃Aren't we all？〃 Lotti replied。 〃That's why they locked us away in the first place； remember？〃
If the atmosphere of the streets outside the palace had suggested some post…apocalyptic carnival…the waters dancing； the children laughing； the air pavonine…then that sense was a hundred times stronger in the passageways around the rim of the flood…scoured basin。 There were children here too； their laughter more musical than ever。 None was over five or so； but there were both boys and girls in the throng。 They turned the corridors into playgrounds； their din echoing off walls that had not heard such joy since they'd been raised。 There was also water； of course。 Every inch of ground was blessed by a puddle； a rivulet； or a stream； every arch had a liquid curtain cascading from its keystone； every chamber was refreshed by burbling springs and roof…grazing fountains。 And in every tinkling trickle there was the same sentience that Jude had felt in the tide that had brought her up here： water as life； filled to the last drop with the purpose of the Goddesses。 Overhead； the et was at its height and sent its straight white beams through any chink it could find； turning the humblest puddle into an oracular pool and plaiting its light into the gush of every spout。
The women in these glittering corridors came in all shapes and sizes。 Many； Lotti explained； were like themselves； former prisoners of the Bastion or its dreaded Annex； others had simply found their way up the hill following their instincts and the streams； leaving their husbands； dead or alive； below。
〃Are there no men here at all？〃
〃Only the little ones；〃 said Lotti。
〃They're all little ones；〃 Paramarola observed。
〃There was a captain at the Annex who was a brute；〃 Lotti said； 〃and when the waters came he must have been emptying his bladder； because his body floated by our cell with his trousers unbuttoned。〃
〃And you know； he was still holding on to his manhood；〃 Paramarola said。 〃He had the choice between that and swimming…〃
〃…and instead of letting go； he drowned；〃 Lotti said。
This entertained Paramarola no end； and she laughed so hard the baby's mouth was dislodged from her teat。 Milk spurted in the child's face； which brought a further round of merriment。 Jude didn't ask how Paramarola came to be so nourishing when she was neither the mother of the child nor； presumably； pregnant。 It was just one of the many enigmas this journey showed her： like the pool that clung to one of the walls； filled to brimming with luminous fish； or the waters that imitated fire； from which some of the women had made crowns； or the immensely long eel she saw carried past； its gaping head on a child's shoulder； its body looped between half a dozen women； back and forth across their shoulders ten times or more。 If she'd requested an explanation for any one of these sights she'd have been obliged to inquire about them all； and they'd never have got more than a few yards down the corridor。
The journey brought them； at last； to a place where the waters had carved out a shallow pool at the edge of the main basin； served by several rivulets that climbed through rubble to fill it to brimming； its overflow running into the basin itself。 In it and around it were perhaps thirty women and children； some playing； some talking； but most； their clothes shed； waiting silently in the pool； gazing out across the turbulent waters of the basin to Uma Umagammagi's island。 Even as Jude and her guides approached the place； a wave broke against the lip of the pool and two women； standing there hand in hand； went with it as it withdrew and were carried away towards the island。 There was an eroticism about the scene which in other circumstances Jude would certainly have denied she felt。 But here； such priggishness seemed redundant； even ludicrous。 She allowed her imagination to wonder what it would be like to sink into the midst of this nakedness； where the only scrap of masculinity was between the legs of a suckling infant； to brush breast to breast； and let her fingers be kissed and her neck be caressed； and kiss and caress in her turn。
〃The water in the basin's very deep；〃 Lotti said at her side。 〃It goes all the way down into the mountain。〃
What had happened to the dead； Jude wondered； whose pany Dowd had found so educative？ Had the waters sluiced them away； along with the invocations and entreaties that had dropped into that same darkness from beneath the Pivot Tower？ Or had they been dissolved into a single soup； the sex of dead men forgiven； the pain of dead women healed； and…all mingled with the prayers…bee part of this indefatigable flood？ She hoped so。 If the powers here were to have authority against the Unbeheld； they would have to reclaim every forsaken strength they could。 The walls between Kesparates had already been dragged down； and the plashing streams were making a continuum of city and palace。 But the past had to be reclaimed as well； and whatever miracles it had boasted…surely there'd been some； even here…preserved。 This was more than an abstract desire on Jude's part。 She was； after all； one of those miracles； made in the image of the woman who'd ruled here with as much ferocity as her husband。
〃Is this the only w