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If it was indeed Kreiger； why didn't he answer her call？ Perhaps it wasn't him。
Keeping her silence now； she crept down the stairs and went out into the garden。
There was a gentle； balmy breeze tonight： it made the bushes and trees churn。 The garden was large； and its layout plex； but she'd been playing here since she was a child。 She could have found her way down its narrow； labyrinthine paths and around its rose patches and secret groves with her eyes closed。
She went directly to the place where she thought she'd seen the man when she'd been up at the bedroom window。 Despite the sweetness of honeysuckle and the night…blooming jasmine； her nostrils caught the scent of something else； somebody else； in the vicinity。 There was a stink that was not the bitter smell of her own body； or that of Kreiger。 This was something else。 Something that made her think of disease； of corruption； of death。
She stood very still。 Something moved through the bushes close by。 She saw its form； silhouetted against the starless sky： a vast misshapen head； armoured shoulders； the chest of an ox。 Whatever it was； it walked with a pronounced limp； dragging its left leg。 The closer it came to her the stronger the smell of corruption became。 This trespasser was the source； no doubt of that。
Then； from the darkness close by； the sound of her lover's voice：
〃Lucidique！ Get away from here！ Quickly！〃
There was something broken in his voice。
〃What's happened to you？〃 she said； afraid of the answer。
Hearing her voice； the trespasser looked in her direction。 A hood of flesh slid slickly back from the upper half of its face。 revealing its skeletal features。 This was…like them…a monster。 And yet it was not like them。 Not Agonistes' handiwork； at least。 Not the product of the unsung architect of Eden。
This trespasser was a charnel…house child if ever there was one。 It was made of parcels of rotten flesh and nerve and bone； all nailed together and given foetid breath。
She retreated as it strode towards her。 She knew how to kill； that was not in doubt。 But the creature still made her afraid。 It was a powerhouse； and indifferent； she guessed； to any pain she might be able to cause it。
〃Go！〃 she heard Kreiger yelling to her。
Her eyes flittered in his direction； and by the light shed from the bedroom window she saw him； on the ground； blood pouring out of him。
〃Christ！〃
She started towards him； but the trespasser moved to intercept her； its vast hands eager to tear out her throat。
But she wasn't going to flee the garden； not with her lover lying there in the dirt； bleeding from a hundred places。 Instead she turned and led the limping slaughterer away from Kreiger； dodging through the darkened garden； using her knowledge of its layout to double the distance between them。
Still it came after her； throwing its weight through the tangle of thorny bushes； emitting a guttural din as it did so； like the noise of some immense mechanism that imperfectly copied the sound of a tormented animal； a bull； perhaps； beneath the slaughterer's hammer。 It was horrible to hear。
She had e to the place where she hoped to outwit her pursuer： a tree which she had climbed a thousand times as a child； and now climbed again； so quickly that by the time the trespasser came in sight of it she was already concealed in its verdant canopy。
Now； she thought； if the beast would only wander beneath the tree； she could perhaps kill it。 Drop out of the branches and cut open its throat。 Even if it was something that was made from mortuary slops； it drew breath； and if she could open its throat from ear to ear； it would be dead as any other slitted thing。
But about six feet from the tree the creature stopped； and sniffed the air； looking around suspiciously。 Did it sense that there was a trap laid for it here？ She couldn't believe it had the wit to be so cautious。 And yet it had halted； hadn't it？ And now it retreated from the tree； loosing a low； barely audible noise in its throat； limping off into the darkness。
She carefully parted the foliage； to see if she could discover what it was up to。 There was some sound from the direction in which she'd e； and then an audible moan from Kreiger。
Oh God； no； she thought。 Don't let the trespasser be smart enough to use Kreiger as bait。。。
Her fears were realized a moment later； as the creature reappeared between the thorn bushes； dragging a heavy burden behind him。 It was Kreiger； of course。 This lover of hers； who was now reduced to little more than a sack； hauled behind the nameless fiend； had been a terror in his own right not so long ago。 As the assassin Zarles Kreiger he'd once haunted the city of Primordium from the shanties to the chateaus。 Then； after the transformation worked upon him by Agonistes； as the Scythe…Meister； he'd wiped out the ruling class of the city in one scarlet night。
But now look at him！ His face was torn open； as though the fiend had simply put his fingers into Kreiger's mouth （whose lips Lucidique had kissed an hour before） and ripped it apart like a paper bag。 The rest of his body had been just as cruelly treated； the flesh torn away from its seating； exposing the breastbone and the ribs and the long bone of his thigh。 The loss of blood from these wounds was traumatic。 It was a wonder Kreiger was still alive。 But plainly…having been surprised in the garden while peacefully flower…picking…he'd fought back until he had no strength to fight with； at which point his attacker had simply waited in the garden while one of its two victims slowly bled to death； knowing the other would appear given time。
And so she had。 No doubt the creature had expected to dispatch her in a heartbeat； now it was obliged to coax her out of her hiding place with this bloody hostage。 It grabbed Kreiger's neck and lifted him up by one hand； thrusting his broken face towards the tree。 Kreiger's head lolled on his neck； his eyes rolled back into their sockets。 He was as close to dead as made no difference。
Then his killer lifted its other hand and beckoned to the woman in the tree。 As it did so it twitched Kreiger's head back and forth； like that of a doll。 For Lucidique it was agonizing beyond words to see her lover； a man who had brought down a dynasty； bobbing around like a ventriloquist's doll。 It made her lose all reason。 Though she knew the trespasser below had the physical power to kill her； she could not watch Kreiger's last moments played out as a humiliating puppet…show。
She leapt from the tree with a shriek of rage； and before the creature could bring down its visor of flesh； she had slit both of its eyes with her weapon； blinding it。
It dropped Kreiger； and let out a roar that sounded pleasingly like panic。 She ducked under its flailing arms and went to Kreiger。
He was dead。
She glanced back at his killer； who was indeed in a state of child…like terror。 His roar had turned into howls that were close to descending into whimpers。
She could have wounded it again easily enough； and perhaps； after a dozen woundings； or two dozen； she might have claimed its life。 But she didn't have any time to waste with the