“So that’s its goal?” said Daniel. “I mean his goal. Is it to confine us to a small population?”

“Oh, I think he dreams of much-greater accomplishments than that,” said Marius. “Can anyone know what his ultimate purpose might be?”

“He rages,” said Daniel. “When he’s gotten into my head, he’s raged.”

Marius shuddered. He had so hoped somehow this would all pass without his active acknowledgment, that somehow his time of holding the survival of the tribe in his hands was past. Had he not cared for the Mother and Father for two millennia? But he knew now he could not remain on the sidelines any longer.

“What do you want us to do?” asked Daniel.

“Join Louis and Armand and Benji as soon as you can. Whatever happens, you, the blood drinkers enlivened by this thing and dependent upon it, must come together and be prepared to act. Go to them now. If you go, others will go.”

“And you’re not one of us?” Marius asked. “You are not coming yourself?”

“I am and I am not. I chose the path of the Talamasca long ago, and that was a path to observe but never to intervene.”

“I don’t see that that old vow much matters now,” said Marius.

“My friend, think on what you’re saying,” said Teskhamen. “I gave my life into the hands of Gremt, and I have given it since to him and to my fellow Elders of the Talamasca. I’m the only blood drinker among them. How can I walk away from them now?”

“But why should you have to walk away?” Marius insisted. “Why won’t you help us? You said yourself that Gremt came into the physical realm to watch this thing, Amel.”

“And what if it is Gremt’s decision that the body in which Amel resides must be destroyed?” asked Daniel. He spoke calmly, reasonably, as if he had no fear. “I mean last time it was the soul of Akasha that was condemned to perish, but not this thing that animated her. If this thing is condemned, then we all die.”

“Ah, but it was not the Talamasca that condemned Akasha’s body and soul to death,” said Teskhamen. “It was Mekare who slew her, and Mekare and her twin who removed the Sacred Core. We ourselves made no decision.”

“Because you didn’t have to,” said Daniel. “Isn’t that so?”

Teskhamen shrugged. He made a little gesture of agreement with his hands.

“And now, you may come to a decision, that’s what you’re telling us,” said Daniel. “You and Gremt and Hesketh and whoever else is with you, if there are other spirit elders with you—you may decide that you think Amel himself should be destroyed.”

“I don’t know,” said Teskhamen softly. “I only know that I stand with Gremt.”

“Even if you perish? Or are you certain yourself to return the way Hesketh returned?”

Teskhamen put up his hands again but this time defensively. “Daniel,” he said gently. “I honestly do not know.”

Marius went silent. He was reaching for courage, true courage to say that if this is what must happen, I will support it, but he did not quite have that courage. His mind wanted possibilities, it wanted some chance of containing or controlling this Voice that did not involve the death of all that he, Marius, was and knew.

“It slays only blood drinkers,” he said. “Why should it perish for this? Even now, it’s made no real destructive incursion into the world.”

Teskhamen’s face was unreadable, except for its geniality, its gentleness.

“For now, I can tell you that it’s not our intention to remain indifferent,” said Teskhamen. “We are with you. That’s why I am here. In time, Gremt will come to you. I’m sure of it. But when that will be, I don’t know. Gremt knows so many things. We are your friends. Think back on your own life, of how the Talamasca once supported you, comforted you, helped you to find Pandora. We’ve never really been your enemy or the enemy of any blood drinker. We’ve had our battles, when mortal members were brought over, yes.”

“Ah, yes, my beloved old friend Raymond Gallant did help me,” said Marius. “He gave his whole life to you and he died without ever knowing who founded his Order, he died without ever knowing who or what we were.”

“Well, he might have died without that knowledge,” said Teskhamen. “But he is with us now. He has been with us since the night he died. I was there when his spirit hovered, remained in the Motherhouse. I saw it when those gathered around his deathbed could not see it. And he is indeed one of us now. He is anchored in the physical now as surely as my Hesketh, and there are other ghosts with us as well.”

“I knew it,” said Daniel softly. “Of course. You would have gathered other ghosts like Hesketh over the years.”

Marius was astonished. He was almost moved to tears.

“Oh, yes, Marius, you will see your beloved Raymond again, I assure you,” said Teskhamen. “You will see all of us—and there are indeed many others—and it is not our wish that the blood drinkers of this world be extinguished. It’s never been. But allow us our old caution, our old passivity, even now.”

“I understand,” said Marius. “You want us to come together as a tribe, the very same thing that Benji wants. You want us to do the very best that we can in the face of this challenge—without your intervention.”

“You’re a splendid being, Marius,” said Teskhamen. “Never have you ever bowed the knee to any fancy, fantasy, or superstition. The others need you now. And this Amel, he knows you, and you know him perhaps better than you think. I was made by the Mother. I have that direct and pure primal blood. But you have even more of it than I was ever given. And this Voice, if he is to be understood, controlled, educated, whatever is to happen, you must surely play a role.”

Teskhamen started to rise, but Marius still held his hand.

“And where will you go now, Teskhamen?” he asked.

“We must come together ourselves before we meet with you and your kindred,” Teskhamen answered. “Believe me, we will eventually come to you. I’m certain of it. Gremt wants to help. I am certain that this is what Gremt wants. I will see you very soon again.”

“You give my love to my precious Raymond,” Marius said.

“He knows you love him, Marius,” said Teskhamen. “Many times he’s watched over you, been near you, seen your pain, and wanted to intervene. But he is loyal to us and our slow and wary ways. He is Talamasca as he was when he was living. You know our old motto: ‘We watch and we are always here.’ ”