Through the web of his fingers, Derek peered out to see Rhoshamandes holding the ax in his left hand while with his right he gazed at the screen of his cell phone. Arion too had his phone in his right hand. Their phones were talking, but the words had no meaning for Derek, something about a great drug company, laboratories, a doctor, a suspicious doctor with a common name.

“It’s one of them,” Rhosh said. He was powerfully excited.

He glared at Derek with narrow eyes. He strode forward and pushed the cell phone at Derek. Derek tried to turn away but another pair of hands had hold of his head and was making him turn to look at the cell phone. A lovely perfume rose from the silk robes rubbing against him.

“Child, just look at the picture on the phone,” said the female blood drinker. “Tell us if you know this woman.”

Fearfully, Derek looked through his tears.

And there she was all right, most certainly, there she was, without doubt, his magnificent Kapetria!

He struggled to turn around, to crawl through the very wall to get away from them, to conceal his thoughts and his heart from them. She too lives! He broke into frantic sobs again, sobs of relief and excitement and happiness, let them parse his sobs as they would, he didn’t care. They are both alive, Garekyn and Kapetria. He had only to hold out until they found him, he had only to hold out until he could somehow be free.

“I say call them now,” said Arion. “This woman too is on the run. And they are beside themselves. They’re calling all to the Château. Call the Prince and speak to the Prince. Tell him about this boy. Tell him you want peace and to be accepted again and you’ll bring the boy to Court now.”

“I loathe the Prince with my whole soul,” muttered Rhoshamandes. “I will not call him nor will I go to his court.”

“That’s it, isn’t it?” asked Allesandra.

“Which means what?” demanded Rhoshamandes.

They moved away back closer to the fire, and Derek peered at them again secretly through his fingers. In the very depths of his soul, he sang the word “Kapetria” over and over again. Kapetria. And at all times it will be Kapetria who will determine the time and the place, and it will be Kapetria to whom you are to defer….

“You want a great deal more than you’ve ever admitted,” said Allesandra, her voice rising in her anger. She reached out for Rhoshamandes and took him by the shoulders. “Rhosh, you cannot destroy the Prince,” she said in an imploring whisper. “You are powerless against them. Don’t dream of vengeance now. Take the possibility of truce and acceptance.”