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Chapters (48)
  1. Cover
  2. ALSO BY ANNE RICE
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  7. A Brief History of the Vampires
  8. Blood Argot
  9. Proem
  10. Part I
  11. 1
  12. 2
  13. 3
  14. 4
  15. 5
  16. 6
  17. 7
  18. 8
  19. 9
  20. 10
  21. 11
  22. 12
  23. 13
  24. 14
  25. 15
  26. 16
  27. 17
  28. 18
  29. Part II
  30. 19
  31. 20
  32. 21
  33. 22
  34. 23
  35. 24
  36. Part III
  37. 25
  38. 26
  39. 27
  40. 28
  41. 29
  42. 30
  43. 31
  44. 32
  45. 33
  46. Appendix 1
  47. Appendix 2
  48. What’s next onyour reading list?

The figure of Roland went up in flames. Flames sprang from his heart, his limbs. Rhosh could scarcely believe what he was seeing, Roland turning around and around, and the flames shrinking him to a great whirling cinder while not a sound rose from Roland, not a sound rose from anyone—not from anyone—flames shooting to the ceiling, flames dancing and collapsing on themselves until there was nothing more in the flames. And no flames.

Out went the fire. Not a sound in this room. Something unspeakable was collected there on the stone floor. Something as thick and dark and foul as the soot in the fireplace.

And then Benedict crying, Benedict the only one crying for Roland—that was the only sound.

Rhosh closed his eyes. He could hear the sea pounding against the island, and the wind rushing into the great open arched windows, the wind that wore at the delicate Gothic tracery of the windows. Benedict was sobbing.

A weight struck Rhosh.

It was Benedict crushed up against Rhosh, his back to Rhosh and his arms out. For a moment Rhosh was free of the pressure of the telepathic beams and tried with all his might to throw Benedict aside, but Benedict was unyielding and Benedict was finally calling on all his strength, finally learning how to use it, to remain there as the others held Rhosh’s arms.

“Very well,” said Seth, the vicious Prince, the proud Prince of Kemet. “Give us your word that you will never again strike out at any one of us or any one of them.”

“He gives it!” cried Benedict. “Rhosh, tell them.”

Sevraine stepped forward and turned now towards the others. “And let it be known throughout the world that no one shall accuse him or spit at him, or curse him or in any way seek to mock him!—that that is at an end!”

When no one spoke, she raised her voice again. “What is the good of a court or a prince or a council, if you can’t give that order! Roland is gone, finished, punished for what he did. Now Rhoshamandes, please, give them what they want, and you, and you and you, give him what he wants!”

Benedict turned around and embraced Rhosh and laid his head against Rhosh’s head. “Please,” he whispered. “Or I will die with you, I swear it.”

Gently, Rhosh moved Benedict to the side.