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me to the wolves in the forest？ But go。 I want no more of you either。 Tell your scholars in the Talamasca where you have deposited me and perhaps they will offer me their kind shelter。 But be gone。 Whatever； be gone！ I don't want you here！〃
Though up to that second I had been hanging upon her every word； I abandoned her。
Hours passed。 I traveled the skies； not knowing where I went； marveling at the blurred landscape beneath me。
My power was far greater than it had ever been！ Would I to try it； I could easily reach England。
I saw the mountains and then the sea； and then suddenly my soul ached so pletely that I could do nothing but will myself to go back to her。
Bianca； what have I done？
Bianca； pray that you have waited for me！
Out of the deep dark heavens I somehow returned to her。 I found her in the stone room； sitting in the corner； collected and still； just as if she had been in the shrine； and as I knelt before her； she reached up and threw her arms about me。
I sobbed as I embraced her。
〃My beautiful Bianca； my beautiful one； I am so sorry； so sorry； my love；〃 I said。
〃Marius； I love you with my whole heart eternally。〃 She cried as freely and pletely as I did。 〃My precious Marius；〃 she said。 〃I have never loved anyone as I love you。 Forgive me。〃
We could do nothing but weep for the longest time and then I took her home to the shrine； and forted her； bing her hair as I so loved to do and trimming it with her slender ropes of pearls until she was my perfect lovely one。
〃What did I mean to say？〃 she implored。 〃I don't know。 Of course you could not have trusted any of them。 And had you shown them the Queen and the King some horrid anarchy might well have e from it！〃
〃Yes； you have said the perfect word；〃 I answered； 〃some awful anarchy。〃 I glanced quickly at the still impassive faces。 I went on。 〃You must understand； oh； please； if you love me at all； understand what power exists within them。〃 I stopped suddenly。 〃Oh； don't you see； as much as I lament their silence； perhaps it is for them a form of peace which they have chosen for the good of everyone。〃
This was the very essence of it and I think we both knew it。
I feared what might happen if Akasha were ever to stand up from her throne； if she were ever to speak or move。 I feared it with all my reason。
Yet still； that night and every night I believed that if and when Akasha were ever waked； a divine sweetness would pour forth from her。
Once Bianca had fallen asleep； I knelt before the Queen in the abject manner which was so mon to me now； and which I would never have revealed to Pandora。
〃Mother； I hunger for you；〃 I whispered。 I opened my hands。 〃Let me touch you with love；〃 I said。 〃Tell me if I have been in error。 Should I have brought the Satan worshipers to your shrine？ Should I have revealed you in all your loveliness to Santino？〃
I closed my eyes。 I opened them。
〃Unchangeable Ones；〃 I said in a soft voice； 〃speak to me。〃
I approached her and laid my lips on her throat。 I pierced the crisp white skin with my teeth； and the thick blood came into me slowly。
The garden surrounded me。 Oh； yes； this I love above all。 And it was the garden of the monastery in spring； how wondrous； and my priest was there。 I was walking with him in the clean swept cloister。 This was the supreme dream； for its colors were rich and I could see all the mountains around us。 I am immortal； I said。
The garden dissolved。 I could see colors washed from a wall。
Then I stood in a midnight forest。 In the light of the moon； I beheld a black carriage ing down the road； drawn by many dark horses。 It passed me； its huge wheels stirring up the dust。 There came behind it a team of guards all clothed in black livery。
Pandora。
When I woke； I was lying against Akasha's breast； my forehead against her throat； my left hand clasping her right shoulder。 It was so sweet that I didn't want to move； and all the light of the shrine had bee one golden shimmer in my eyes； rather the way that light would bee in those long Venetian banquet rooms。
At last I kissed her tenderly and withdrew and then lay down and placed my arms around Bianca。
My thoughts were troubled and strange。 I knew it was time to find some habitat other than the shrine itself； and I knew as well that strangers were ing into our mountains。
The small city at the foot of our cliff was now thriving。
But the most dreadful revelation of this night was that Bianca and I could quarrel； that the solid peace between us could be violently and painfully ruptured。 And that I； at the first hard words from my jewel； could crumple into mental ruin。
Why had I been so surprised？ Could I not remember my painful quarrels with Pandora？ I must know that in anger； Marius is not
Marius。 I must know and never forget it。
30
THE FOLLOWING NIGHT we hunted down a pair of brigands who were traveling the lower passes of our mountains。 The blood was good； and from this small feast we went on to a little German town where we could find a tavern。
Here we sat； a man and his wife； one might presume； and over our mulled wine we talked for hours。
I told Bianca all I had ever known of Those Who Must Be Kept。 I told her the legends of Egypt…of how the Mother and Father had centuries ago been bound and ill used by those who would steal their Precious Blood。 I told her of how Akasha herself had e to me in a vision begging me to take her out of Egypt。
I told her of the few times Akasha had ever spoken to me in the Blood。 And I told her finally； finally； of what a pure miracle it had been that the Divine Parents had opened the door of the Alpine shrine when I had e to them too weak to budge it。
〃Do they need me？〃 I asked。 I looked into Bianca's eyes。 〃I can't know。 That's the horror。 Do they want to be seen by others？ I am in ignorance。
〃But let me make my final confession。 I became so angry last night because centuries ago when Pandora first drank the Mother's blood； she was full of dreams of bringing back to the Divine Parents the old worship。 By that I mean； a worship that included the Druidic Gods of the Grove； a religion that went back to the temples of Egypt。
〃I was furious that Pandora could believe in such a thing； and on the very night of Pandora's making I broke her dreams with my forceful logic。 And I went beyond that。 I pounded with my fist upon the Mother's very breast and demanded that she speak to us。〃
Bianca was amazed。
〃Can you guess what happened？〃 I asked。
〃Nothing。 The Mother gave no answer。〃
I nodded。 〃And there came no rebuke or punishment either。 Perhaps the Mother had brought Pandora to me。 We could never know。 But please understand how I fear the very notion that the Divine Parents might ever be worshiped。
〃Bianca； we are immortals； yes； and we possess our King and Queen； but we must never for a moment believe that we understand them。〃
To all this she nodded。 She weighed it all for a long time and then she spoke：
〃I was very simply wrong in what I said to you；〃 she told me。
〃Not in all of it；〃 I answered。 〃Perhaps if Amadeo had seen the King and Queen； he would have escaped the Roman blood drinkers and e back to us。 Yet there is another way of looking at it。〃
〃Tell me。〃
〃If he had known the secret of the Mother and the Father； he might have been forced to reveal it to Santino； and the demons would have returned to Venice； searching for me。 They might have found both of us。〃
〃Ah； yes； all this is true；〃 she said。 〃I begin to see all of it。〃
We were easy now with each other in the tavern。 The mortals around us took no notice。 I talked on in a soft voice； telling her the story of how Mael had once tried； with my permission； to drink Akasha's blood and Enkil had moved to stop him。
I told her the dreadful tale of Eudoxia。 I told her of how I had left Constantinople。
〃I don't know what it is with you； my love；〃 I said； 〃but somehow I can tell you everything。 It was never so with Pandora。 It was never so with Amadeo。〃
She reached out and put her left hand on my cheek。
〃Marius；〃 she