I thought for a moment, pressing my fingers together right under my eyes. Then I said, “Look, I’m not speaking for the Voice’s benefit. I’m not trying to trick him by praising his sensibilities or his growth or his capacity to love others. I’m saying this because I believe it. The Voice can tell us things no other entity in this world can, and that includes perhaps other spirits who are among us—.” I glanced knowingly at Sevraine. I was speaking now of Gremt. “Entities that aren’t really confiding in us! Or helping us. Such spirits may be so angry at Amel, so against him, so inveterately his enemy from the time before time that they can’t be counted on right now to help us.”

“We don’t know that,” said Sevraine. “We only know they will not help. You’re speaking of powerful spirits who may in time help us but for now are waiting, waiting to see what we aim to do.”

“No, I would not count out those spirits,” said Pandora suddenly. “They may help us yet.”

“Precisely,” said Sevraine.

At once everyone was in a bit of an uproar. But it was plain many at the table knew what we were talking about and many did not. Benji did not. Neither did Louis or Armand, but Marius knew and so did Pandora. And even the flashy and dapper Everard knew.

“The Talamasca will not help us yet,” said Marius. “But they are with us in this.”

“The Talamasca’s made up of spirits?” demanded Benji. “Since when did that come to be known!”

Quickly, Marius told him to be quiet, that it would all be explored.

And then I held up my hands for silence. I fully expected to be ignored, but the exact opposite happened.