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〃Is this the only way of getting to the island？〃 she asked Lotti。
〃There aren't ferries； if that's what you mean。〃
〃I'd better start swimming； then；〃 Jude said。
Her clothes were an encumbrance； but she wasn't yet so easy with herself that she could strip off on the rocks and go into the waters naked； so with a brief thanks to Lotti and Paramarola she started to climb down the tumble of blocks that surrounded the pool。
〃I hope you're wrong； Judith；〃 Lotti called after her。
〃So do I；〃 Jude replied。 〃Believe me； so do I。〃
Both this exchange and her ungainly descent drew the puzzled gaze of several of the bathers； but none made any objection to her appearing in their midst。 The closer she got to the waters of the basin； the more anxious she became about the crossing； however。 It was several years since she'd swum any distance； and she doubted she'd have the strength to resist the currents and eddies if they chose to keep her from her destination。 But they wouldn't drown her； surely。 They'd borne her all the way up here； after all； sweeping her through the palace unharmed。 The only difference between this journey and that （though it was a profound one； to be sure） was the depth of the water。
Another wave was approaching the lip of the pool； and there was a woman and child floating forward to take it。 Before they could do so； she took a running jump off the boulder she was perched on； clearing the heads of the bathers below by a hair's breadth and plunging into the tide。 It wasn't so much a dive as a plummet； and it took her deep。 She flailed wildly to right herself； opening her eyes but unable to decide which way was up。 The waters knew。 They lifted her out of their depths like a cork and threw her up into the spume。 She was already twenty yards or more from the rocks and being carried away at speed。 She had time to glimpse Lotti searching for her in the surf； then the eddies turned her around； and around again； until she no longer knew the direction in which the pool lay。 Instead； she fixed her eyes on the island and began to swim as best she could towards it。 The waters seemed content to supplement her efforts with energies of their own； though they were describing a spiral around the island； and as they carried her closer to its shore they also swept her in a counterclockwise motion around it。
The et's light fell on the waves all around her； and its glitter kept the depths from sight； which she was glad of。 Buoyed up though she was； she didn't want to be reminded of the pit beneath her。 She put all her will into the business of swimming； not even allowing herself to enjoy the roiling of the waters against her body。 Such luxury； like the questions she'd wanted to ask as she'd walked with Lotti and Paramarola； was for another day。
The shore was within fifty yards of her now； but her strokes became increasingly irrelevant the closer to the island she came。 As the spiral tightened； the tide became more authoritative； and she finally gave up any attempt at self…propulsion and surrendered herself utterly to the hold of the waters。 They carried her around the island twice before she felt her feet scraping the steeply inclined rocks beneath the surge； presenting her with a fine； if giddying； view of Uma Umagammagi's temple。 Not surprisingly； the waters had been more inspired here than in any other spot she'd seen。 They'd worked at the blocks of which the tower was built； monumental though they were； eroding the mortar between them； then eating at them top and bottom； replacing their severity with a mathematics of undulation。 Slabs of stone the height of the masons who'd first carved them were no longer locked together but balanced like acrobats； one corner laid against another； while radiant water ran through the cavities and carried on its work of turning the once…impregnable tower into a wedded column of water； stone； and light。 The eroded motes had run off in the rivulets and been deposited on the shore as a fine； soft sand； in which Jude lay when she emerged from the basin； given a giggling wele by a quartet of children playing nearby。
She allowed herself only a minute to catch her breath； then she got to her feet and started up the beach towards the temple。 Its doorway was as elaborately eroded as the blocks； a veil of bright water concealing the interior from those waiting nearby。 There were perhaps a dozen women at the threshold。 One； a girl barely past pubescence； was walking on her hands； somebody else seemed to be singing； but the music was so close to the sound of running water that Jude couldn't decide whether a voice was flowing or some stream was aspiring to melody。 As at the pool； nobody objected to her sudden appearance； nor remarked on the fact that she was weighed down by waterlogged clothes while they were in various states of undress。 A benign languor was on them all； and had it not been for Jude's willpower she might have let it claim her too。 She didn't hesitate； however； but stepped through the water door without so much as a murmur to those waiting at the threshold。
Inside； there was no solid sight to greet her。 Instead； the air was filled with forms of light； folding and unfolding as though invisible hands were performing a lucid origami。 They weren't working towards petty resemblance； but transforming their radiant stuff over and over； each new shape on its way to being another before it was fixed。 She looked down at her arms。 They were still visible； but not as flesh and blood。 They'd learned the trick of the light already and were blossoming into a multiplicity of forms in order to join the play。 She reached out to touch one of her fellow visitors with her burgeoning fingers and； brushing her； caught a glimpse of the woman from whom this origami had emerged。 She appeared the way a body might if a damp sheet billowed against it； momentarily clinging to the shape of her hip； her cheek； her breast； then billowing again and snatching the glimpse away。 But there'd been a smile there； she was certain of that。
Reassured that she was neither alone nor unwele here； she began to advance into the temple。 The promise of eroticism she'd first felt as she gazed into the pool was now realized。 She felt the forms of her own body spreading like milk dropped into the fluid air and grazing the bodies of those she was passing between。 Musings； most no more than half formed； mingled with the sensation。 Perhaps she would dissolve here and flow out through the walls to join the waters around the islands； or perhaps she was already in that sea； and the flesh and blood she thought she'd owned was just a figment of those waters； conjured to fort the lonely land。 Or perhaps。。。 or perhaps。。。 or perhaps。 These speculations were not divorced from the brushing of form against form but were part of the pleasure； her nerves bearing these fruits； which in turn made her more tender to the touches of her panions。
They were falling away as she advanced； she realized。 Her progress was taking her up into the heights of the temple。 If there had been solid ground beneath her feet； she'd lost all sense of it as she crossed the threshold and rose without effort； her stuff possessed of the same law…defying genius as had been the waters below。 There was another motion ahead and above her； more sinuous than the forms she'd met at the door； and she rose towards it as if summoned； praying that when the moment came she'd have the words and lips to shape the thoughts in her head。 The motion was getting clearer and if she'd had any doubt below as to whether these sights were imagined or seen； she now had such dichotomies swept away。
She was both seeing with her imagination and imagining she saw the glyph that hung in the air in front of her： a Mobius strip of light…haunted water； a steady rhythm passing through its seamless loop and throwing off waves of brilliant color； which shed bright rains around her。 Here was the raiser of springs； here was the summoner of rivers； here was the sublime presence whose strength had brought the palace to rubble and made a home for oceans and children where there'd only been terror before。 Here was Uma Umagammagi。
Though she studied the Goddess's glyph； Jude could see no hint of anything that breathed； sweated； or corrupted in it。 But there was such an emanation of tenderness from the form that； faceless as the Goddess was； it seemed to Jude she could feel Her smile； Her kiss； Her loving gaze。 And love it was。 Though this power knew her not at all； Jude felt embraced and forted as only love could embrace and fort。 There'd never been a time in her life； until now； when some part of her had not been afraid。 It was the condition of being alive that even bliss was attended by the imminence of its decease。 But here such terrors seemed absurd。 This face loved her unconditionally and would do so forever。
〃Sweet Judith；〃 she heard the Goddess say； the voice so charged； so resonant； that these few syllables were an aria。 〃Sweet Judith； what's so urgent that you risk your life to e here？〃
As Uma Umagammagi spoke； Jude saw her own face appearing in the ripples； brightening； then teased out into a thread of light that was run into the Goddess's glyph。 She's reading me； Jude thought。 She's trying to understand why I'm here； and when She does She'll take the responsibility away。 I'll be able to stay in this glorious place with Her； always。
〃So；〃 said the Goddess after a time。 〃This is a grim business。 It falls to you to choose between stopping this Reconciliation or letting it go on and risking some harm from Hapexamendios…〃
〃Yes；〃 Jude replied； grateful that she'd been relieved of the need to explain herself。 〃I don't know what the Unbeheld is planning。 Maybe nothing 。。。〃
〃。。。 and maybe the end of the Imajica。〃
〃Could He do that？〃
〃Very possibly；〃 said Uma Umagammagi。 〃He's done harm to Our temples and Our sisters many； many times； both in His own person and through His agents。 He's a soul in error； and lethal。〃
〃But would He destroy a whole Dominion？〃
〃I can no more predict Him than you can；〃 Umagammagi said。 〃But I'll mourn if the chance to plete the circle is missed。〃
〃The circle？〃 said Jude。 〃What circle？〃
〃The circle of the Imajica；〃 the Goddess replied。 〃Please understand； sister； the Dominions were never meant to be divided this way。 That was the work of the first human spirits； when they came into their terrestrial life。 Nor was there any harm in it； at the beginning。 It was their way of learning to live in a condition that intimidated them。 When they looked up； they saw stars。 When they looked down； they saw Earth。 They couldn't make their mark on what was above； but what was below could be divided and owned and fought over。 From that division； all others sprang。 They lost themselves to territories and nations； all shaped by the other sex； of course； all named by them。 They e；ven buried themselves in the Earth to have it more utterly； preferring worms to the pany of light。 They were blinded to the Imajica； and the circle was broken； and Hapexamendios； who was made by the will of these men； grew strong enough to forsake His makers and so passed from the Fifth Dominion into the First…〃
〃…murdering Goddesses as He went。〃
〃He did harm； yes； but He could have done greater harm still if He'd known the shape of the Imajica。 He could have discovered what mystery it circled and gone there instead。〃
〃What mystery's that？〃
〃You're going back into a dangerous place； sweet Judith； and the less you know the safer you'll be。 When the time es； we will unravel these mysteries together； as sisters。 Until then take fort that the error of tire Son is also the error of the Father； and in time all errors must undo themselves and pass away。〃
〃So if they'll solve themselves；〃 Jude said； 〃why do I have to go back to the Fifth？〃
Before Uma Umagammagi could resume speaking； another voice intruded。 Particles rose between Jude and the Goddess as this other woman spoke； pricking Jude's flesh where they touched； reminding her of a state that knew ice and fire。
〃Why do you trust this woman？〃 the stranger said。
〃Because she came to us openhearted； Jokalaylau；〃 the Goddess replied。
〃How openhearted is a woman who treads dry…eyed in the place where her sister died？〃 Jokalaylau said