Kapetria opened it. Derek could easily read the large perfect alphabetical script without leaning over to crowd her. In a flash, he realized what it was. It was what Dertu had told Kapetria to do over the phone line—if they had to communicate with one another via the internet—to transliterate the ancient tongue of Atalantaya into phonic words via the alphabet. And as he heard the written syllables in his head he understood them:

You cannot hurt him. I love him. You cannot hurt them. I love them. You must find a way to do it without hurting him or them. Or it will not be done.

She looked up and smiled. “Very well,” she said.

“What does it say?” asked the Prince.

“You really don’t know?”

“No.” Again he shrugged. “He didn’t tell me what it meant. He only kept repeating it and telling me that I had to give you the message. That you couldn’t leave without the message. And so I wrote it down just before coming to see you. Does it make sense?”

“Yes,” she said. “It makes sense. Isn’t it his place to tell you what it means?”

“Probably,” said the Prince. He sat up, and let the front legs of the chair settle on the floor, and he rose to his feet.

Kapetria was looking up at him with a kind of wonder but Derek stood out of respect. Marius had also risen and moved towards the door.

Slowly Kapetria rose. She folded the sheet of stationery back into fours and tucked it inside the neck of her dress. She did this carefully as if it had some ceremonial meaning. Then she gestured for them to wait. She moved soundlessly into the bedroom and came back with a large capped vial filled with blood.

Derek was amazed. He watched with misgivings as she put the vial in the Prince’s hand.

“This is my blood,” she said. “Give it to Fareed. He wanted it, didn’t he? Well, this is a pure sample. I want him to have it, to make what he can of what he discovers in it.”

The Prince slipped the vial into his jacket pocket and bowed. “Thank you,” he said. He laughed. “This will make the mad scientist supremely happy, perhaps more than either of us can know.”

Kapetria stretched out her arms to the Prince.

They embraced tightly, and they stood together like that for a long moment.

Then Kapetria said, “Let me tell Amel now through you that I understand,” she said. “And I love you, and will never do you harm.”

The Prince smiled, but it was no spontaneous innocent smile.

He nodded.

“And you, Derek, let me take you in my arms too,” said the Prince. “You’ve been through too much suffering. Forgive us for what happened.” They embraced, and then Marius offered his hand in farewell.