rner。 Thunder rattled the roof； but there was no rain to soothe its choler。
I don't want to be here； he thought。 The other memories had entertained him。 He'd liked his role in the proceedings。
But this darkness was another matter entirely。 It was full of death； and he wanted to run from it。
The lightning came again； horribly livid。 By it； he saw Lucius Cobbitt standing halfway up the stairs； clutching the banister as though he'd fall if he didn't。 He'd bitten his tongue or lip； or both； and blood dribbled from his mouth and chin； made stringy by the spit with which it was mingled。 When Gentle climbed the stairs he smelt excrement。 The boy had loosed his bowels in his breeches。 Seeing Gentle； he raised his eyes。
〃How did it fail； Maestro？〃 he sobbed。 〃How？〃 Gentle shuddered as the question brought images flooding into his head； more horrendous than all the scenes he'd witnessed at the Erasure。 The failure of the Reconciliation had been sudden； and calamitous； and had caught the Maestros representing the five Dominions at such a delicate time in the working that they'd been ill…equipped to prevent it。 The spirits of all five had already risen from their circles across Imajica and； carrying the analogues of their worlds； had converged on the Ana； the zone of inviolability that appeared every two centuries in the heart of the In Ovo。 There； for a tender time； miracles could be worked； as the Maestros； safe from the In Ovo's inhabitants but freed and empowered by their immaterial state； unburdened themselves of their similitudes and allowed the genius of the Ana to plete the fusing of the Dominions。 It was a precarious time； but they'd been reaching its conclusion when the circle in which the Maestro Sartori's physical body sat； its stones protecting the outside world from the flux which let on to the In Ovo； broke。 Of all the potential places for failure in the ceremonies； this was the unlikeliest： tantamount to transubstantiation failing for want of salt in the bread。 But fail it did； and once the breach was opened； there was no way to seal it until the Maestros had returned to their bodies and mustered their feits。 In that time the hungry tenants of the In Ovo had free access to the Fifth。 Not only to the Fifth； but to the exulted flesh of the Maestros themselves； who vacated the Ana in confusion； leading the hounds of the In Ovo back to their flesh。
Sartori's life would certainly have been forfeited along with all the others had Pie 'oh' pah not intervened。 When the circle broke； Pie was being forcibly removed from the Retreat on Godolphin's order； for voicing a prophetic murmur of alarm and disturbing the audience。 The duty of removal had fallen to Abelove and Lucius Cobbitt； but neither had possessed the strength to hold the mystif。 It had broken free； racing across the Retreat and plunging into the circle； where its master was visible to the assembly only as a blaze of light。 The mystif had learned well at Sartori's feet。 It had defenses against the flux of power that roared in the circle and had pulled the Maestro from under the noses of the approaching Oviates。
The rest of the assembly； however； caught between the mystif's yells of warning and Roxborough's attempts to maintain the status quo； were still standing around in confusion when the Oviates appeared。
The entities were swift。 One moment the Retreat was a bridge to the transcendental； the next； it was an abattoir。 Dazed by his sudden fall from grace； the Maestro had seen only snatches of the massacre； but they were burned on his eyes； and Gentle remembered them now in all their wretched detail： Abelove； scrabbling at the ground in terror as an Oviate the size of a felled bull； but resembling something barely born； opened its toothless maw and drew him between its jaws with tongues the length of whips； McGann； losing his arm to a sleek dark animal that rippled as it ran but hauling himself away； his blood a scarlet fountain； while the thing was distracted by fresher meat； and Flores…poor Flores； who'd e to Gamut Street the day before； carrying a letter of introduction from Casanova…caught by two beasts whose skulls were as flat as spades and whose translucent skin had given Sartori a terrible glimpse of their victim's agony as his head was taken down the throat of one while his legs were devoured by the other。
But it was the death of Roxborough's sister that Gentle remembered with profoundest horror； hot least because the man had been at such pains to keep her from ing and had even abased himself to the Maestro； begging him to talk to the woman and persuade her to stay away。 He'd had the talk； but he'd knowingly made his caution a seduction…almost literally； in fact…and she'd e to see the Reconciliation as much to meet the eyes of the man who'd wooed her with his warnings as for the ceremony itself。 She'd paid the most terrible price。 She'd been fought over like a bone among hungry wolves； shrieking a prayer for deliverance as a trio of Oviates drew out her entrails and dabbled in her open skull。 By the time the Maestro； with Pie 'oh' pah's help； had raised sufficient feits to drive the entities back into the circle； she was dying in her own coils； thrashing like a fish half filleted by a hook。
Only later did the Maestro hear of the atrocities visited on the other circles。 It was the same story there as in the Fifth： the Oviates appearing in the midst of innocents； carnage ensuing； which was only brought to a halt when one of the Maestro's assistants drove them back。 With the exception of Sartori； the Maestros themselves had all perished。
〃It would be better if I'd died like the others；〃 he said to Lucius。
The boy tried to persuade him otherwise； but tears overwhelmed him。 There was another voice； however； rising from the bottom of the stairs； raw with grief but strong。
〃Sartori！ Sartori！〃
He turned。 Joshua was there in the hallway； his fine powder…blue coat covered with blood。 As were his hands。 As was his face。
〃What's going to happen？〃 he yelled； 〃This storm！ It's going to tear the world apart！〃
〃No； Joshua。〃
〃Don't lie to me！ There's never been a storm like this！ Ever！〃
〃Control yourself…〃
〃Jesus Christ our Lord； forgive us our trespasses。〃
〃That's not going to help； Joshua。〃
Godolphin had a crucifix in his hand and put it to his lips。
〃You Godless trash！ Are you a demon？ Is that it？ Were you sent to have our souls？〃 Tears were pouring down his crazed face。 〃What Hell did you e out of？〃
〃The same as you。 The human hell。〃
〃I should have listened to Roxborough。 He knew！ He said over and over you had some plan； and I didn't believe him； wouldn't believe him； because Judith loved you； and how could anything so pure love anything unholy？ But you hid yourself from her too； didn't you？ Poor； sweet Judith！ How did you make her love you？ How did you do it？〃
〃Is that all you can think of？〃
〃Tell me！ How？〃
Barely coherent in his fury； Godolphin started up the stairs towards the seducer。
Gentle felt his hand go to his mouth。 Godolphin halted。 He knew this power。
〃Haven't we shed enough blood tonight？〃 the Maestro said。
〃You； not me；〃 Godolphin replied。 He jabbed a finger in Gentle's direction； the crucifix hanging from his fist。 〃You'll have no peace after this；〃 he said。 〃Roxborough's already talking about a purge； and I'm going to give him every guinea he needs to break your back。 You and all your works are damned！〃
〃Even Judith？〃
〃I never want to see that creature again。〃
〃But she's yours； Joshua；〃 the Maestro said flatly； descending the stairs as he spoke。 〃She's yours forever and ever。 She won't age。 She won't die。 She belongs to the family Godolphin until the sun goes out。〃
〃Then I'll kill her。〃
〃And have her innocent soul on your blotted conscience？〃
〃She's got no soul！〃
〃I promised you Judith to the lash； and that's what she is。 A religion。 A discipline。 A sacred mystery。 Remember？〃
Godolphin buried his face in his hands。
〃She's the one truly innocent soul left among us； Joshua。 Preserve her。 Love her as you've never loved any living thing； because she's our only victory。〃 He took hold of Godolphin's hands and unmasked him。 〃Don't be ashamed of our ambition；〃 he said。 〃And don't believe anyone who tells you it was the Devil's doing。 We did what we did out of love。〃
〃Which？〃 Godolphin said。 〃Making her； or the Reconciliation？〃
〃It's all One；〃 he replied。 〃Believe that； at least。〃
Godolphin claimed his hands from the Maestro's grip。 〃I'll never believe anything again〃 he said and； turning his back； began his weary descent。
Standing on the stairs； watching the memory disappear； Gentle said a second farewell。 He had never seen Godolphin again after that night。 A few weeks later the man had retreated to his estate and sealed himself up there； living in silent self…mortification until despair had burst his tender heart。
〃It was my fault；〃 said the boy on the stairs behind him。
Gentle had forgotten Lucius was still there； watching and listening。 He turned back to the child。
〃No；〃 he said； 〃You're not to blame。〃
Lucius had wiped the blood from his chin； but he couldn't control his trembling。 His teeth chattered between his stumbling words。 〃I did every