“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.”