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ng。〃
〃Don't speak another word to me；〃 I answered； pulling hard on my anger to rein it in。
〃Forgive me；〃 he said； 〃I only spoke my mind。〃
〃I know you did； but I don't want to hear any more。〃
I looked him over。 He was rather handsome in his new attire； though a few little details were absurdly crooked and not tucked properly； but I was not the one to make them right。 He struck me as not only barbaric； but ical。 But I knew that anyone else would think him an impressive man。
I hated him； but not pletely。 And as I stood there with him； I almost gave way to tears。 Quite suddenly； to stem this emotion； I spoke。
〃 What have you learnt in all this time？〃 I asked。
〃That's an arrogant question！〃 he said in a low voice。 〃What have you learnt？〃
I told him my theories； about how the West had risen again； once more drawing upon the old classics which Rome had taken from Greece。 I spoke of how the art of the old Empire was re…created now throughout Italy and I spoke of the fine cities of the North of Europe； prosperous as those of the South。 And then I explained how it seemed to me that the Eastern Empire had fallen to Islam and was no more。 The Greek world had been irrevocably lost。
〃We have the West again； don't you see？〃 I asked。
He looked at me as though I were perfectly mad。
〃Well？ 〃I responded。
There came a slight change in his face。
〃Witness in the Blood；〃 he said； repeating the words I'd spoken earlier； 〃watcher of the years。〃
He put his arms forward as though to embrace me。 His eyes were clear and I could sense no malice at all。
〃You've given me courage；〃 he said。
〃For what； may I ask？〃 I responded。
〃To continue my wandering；〃 he said。 He let his arms slowly drop。
I nodded。 What more was there for us to say？
〃You have all you need？〃 I asked。 〃I have plenty of Venetian or Florentine coin。 You know that wealth is nothing to me。 I'm happy to share what I have。〃
〃It's nothing to me either；〃 he said。 〃I shall get what I need from my next victim； and his blood and wealth will carry me to one after that。〃
〃So be it；〃 I said； which meant that I wanted him to leave me； But even as he realized it； as he turned to go； I reached out and took him by the arm。 〃Forgive me that I was cold to you；〃 I said。 〃We've been panions in time。〃
It was a strong embrace。
And I walked with him down to the front entrance where the torches shone too brightly on us for my taste； and saw him virtually disappear into the dark。
In a matter of seconds； I could hear no more of him。 I gave silent thanks。
I reflected。 How I hated Mael。 How I feared him。 Yet I had loved him once； loved him when we'd been mortals even； and I'd been his prisoner and he had been the Druid priest teaching me the hymns of the Faithful of the Forest； for what purpose； I didn't know。
And I had loved him on that long voyage to Constantinople； surely； and in that city when I'd given over Zenobia to him and Avicus； wishing them all well。
But I did not want him near me now！ I wanted my house； my children； Amadeo； Bianca。 I wanted my Venice。 I wanted my mortal world。
How I would not risk my mortal home even for a few hours longer with him。 How I wanted so to keep my secrets from him。
But here I was standing in the torchlight； distracted； and something was amiss。
Vincenzo wasn't very far away； and I turned and called to him。
〃I'm going away for a few nights；〃 I told him。 〃You know what to do。 I'll be back soon enough。〃
〃Yes； Master；〃 he said。
And I was able to assure myself that he'd sensed nothing strange in Mael whatsoever。 He was as always ready to do my will。
But then he pointed his finger。
〃There； Master； Amadeo； he's waiting to talk to you；〃 I was astonished。
On the far side of the canal； Amadeo stood in a gondola； watching me； waiting； and surely he'd seen me with Mael。 Why had I not heard him？ Mael was right。 I was careless。 I was all top softened by human emotions。 I was too greedy for love。
Amadeo told his oarsman to bring him alongside the house。
〃And why didn't you go with Riccardo？〃 I demanded。 〃I expected to find you at Bianca's。 You must do as I say。〃
Quite suddenly Vincenzo was gone； and Amadeo had stepped up onto the quais； and he had his arms around me； pressing my hard unyielding body with all his strength。
〃Where are you going？〃 he demanded in a rushed whisper。 〃Why do you leave me again？〃
〃I must leave；〃 I said； 〃but it's only for a few nights。 You know that I must leave。 I have solemn obligations elsewhere； and don't I always return？〃
〃Master； that one； the one who came； the one who just left you…。〃
〃Don't ask me；〃 I said sternly。 How I had dreaded this。 〃I'll e back to you within a few nights。〃
〃Take me with you；〃 Amadeo begged。
The words struck me。 I felt something within loosened。
〃That I cannot do；〃 I answered。 And out of my mouth there came words I thought I'd never speak。 〃I go to Those Who Must Be Kept；〃 I said as if I couldn't hold the secret within me。 〃To see if they are at peace。 I do as I have always done。〃
What a look of wonder came over his face。
〃Those Who Must Be Kept；〃 he whispered。 He said it like a prayer。
I shivered。
I felt a great release。 And it seemed that in the wake of Mael I had drawn Amadeo closer to me。 I had taken another fatal step。
The torchlight tormented me。
''e inside；〃 I said。 And into the shadowy entranceway we stepped together。 Vincenzo； never very far off； took his leave。
I bent to kiss Amadeo； and the heat of his body inflamed me。
〃Master； give me the Blood；〃 he whispered in my ear。 〃Master； tell me what you are。〃
〃What I am； child？ Sometimes I think I know not。 And sometimes I think I know only too well。 Study in my absence。 Waste nothing。 And I'll be back to you before you know the hour。 And then we'll speak of Blood Kisses and secrets and meantime tell no one that you belong to me。〃
〃Have I ever told anyone； Master？〃 he responded。 He kissed my cheek。 He placed his warm hand on my cheek as if he would know how inhuman I was。
I closed my lips over his。 I let a small stream of blood pour into him。 I felt him shudder。
I drew back from him。 He was limp in my arms。
I called for Vincenzo and I gave Amadeo over to him； and off I went into the night。
I left the splendid city of Venice with her glistering palaces； and I withdrew to the chilly mountain sanctuary； and I knew that the fate of Amadeo was sealed。
20
HOW LONG I WAS with Those Who Must Be Kept； I don't know。 A week； perhaps more； I came into the shrine； confessing my astonishment that I had confided the mere phrase 〃Those Who Must Be Kept〃 to a mortal boy。 I confided again that I wanted him； I wanted him to share my loneliness。 I wanted him to share all that I could teach and give。
Oh； the pain of it！ All that I could teach and give！
What was this to the Immortal Parents？ Nothing。 And as I trimmed the wicks of the lamps； as I filled them with oil； as I let the light grow bright around the eternally silent Egyptian figures； I knew the same penance I had always known。
Twice with a gust of the Fire Gift； I lighted the long bank of one hundred tall candles。 Twice I let it burn down。
But as I prayed； as I dreamt； one clear conclusion did e to me。 I wanted this mortal panion precisely because I had put myself into the mortal world。
Had I never stepped into Botticelli's workshop this mad loneliness would not have e over me。 It was mixed up with my love of all the arts； but most particularly painting； and my desire to be close to those mortals who nourished themselves gracefully upon the creations of this period as I fed upon blood。
I also confessed that my education of Amadeo was almost plete。
On waking I listened with the powerful Mind Gift to the movements and thoughts of Amadeo who was no more than a few hundred miles away。 He was obedient to my instructions。 In the night hours he kept to his books； and did not go to Bianca。 Indeed he kept to my bedchamber； for he no longer knew simple camaraderie with the other boys。