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〃Sit there if you will； or here if you prefer；〃 said Marius kindly。 〃If you mind the fire； I'll damp it down。〃
〃And why would I mind it； friend？〃 asked Thorne； as he seated himself。 The cushions were thick and soft。
As his eyes moved over the room； he saw that almost all the wood paneling was painted in gold or blue； and there were carvings on the ceiling beams above； and on the beams over the doorways。 These carvings reminded him of his own times。 But it was all new … as Marius had said； it was made by a modern man； this place； but it was made well and with much thought and care to it。
Sometimes blood drinkers fear the fire；〃 said Marius； looking at the flames； his serene white face full of light and shadow。 〃One never knows。 I've always liked it； though once I suffered dreadfully on account of it； but then you know that story。〃
〃I don't think I do know it；〃 said Thorne。 〃No； I've never heard it。 If you want to tell it； I want to hear。〃
〃But first there are some questions you want answered；〃 said Marius。 〃You want to know if the things you saw with the Mind Gift were entirely real。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Thorne。 He remembered the net； the points of light； the Sacred Core。 He thought of the Evil Queen。 What had shaped his vision of her？ It had been the thoughts of the blood drinkers who had gathered around her council table。
He realized he was looking directly into Marius's eyes； and that Marius knew his thoughts pletely。
Marius looked away； and into the fire； and then he said offhandedly：
〃Put your feet up on the table。 All that matters here is fort。〃
Marius did this with his own feet； and Thorne stretched his legs out； crossing his feet at his ankles。
〃Talk as you please；〃 said Marius。 〃Tell me what you know； if you wish； tell me what you would know。〃 There seemed a touch of anger in his voice but it wasn't anger for Thorne。 〃I have no secrets；〃 Marius said。 He studied Thorne's face thoughtfully； and then he continued： 〃There are the others…the ones you saw at that council table； and even more； scattered to the ends of the world。〃
He gave a little sigh and then a shake of his head； then he went on speaking。
〃But I'm too alone now。 I want to be with those I love but I cannot。〃 He looked at the fire。 〃I e together with them for a short while and then I go away 。 。 。
〃。。。 I took Daniel with me because he needed me。 I took Daniel because it's unendurable to me to be utterly alone。 I sought the North countries because I was tired of the beautiful South lands； even tired of Italy where I was born。 I used to think no mortal nor blood drinker could ever grow tired of bountiful Italy； but now I'm tired； and want to look on the pure whiteness of snow。〃
〃I understand；〃 said Thorne。 The silence invited him to continue。 〃After I was made a blood drinker；〃 he said； 〃I was taken South and it seemed Valhalla。 In Rome I lived in a palace and looked out on the seven hills each night。 It was a dream of soft breezes and fruit trees。 I sat in a window high above the sea and watched it strike the rocks。 I went down to the sea； and the sea was warm。〃
Marius smiled a truly kind and trusting smile。 He nodded。 〃Italy； my Italy；〃 he said softly。
Thorne thought the expression on his face was truly wondrous； and he wanted Marius to keep the smile but very quickly it was gone。
Marius had bee sober and was looking into the flames again as though lost in his own sadness。 In the light of the fire； his hair was almost entirely white。
〃Talk to me； Marius；〃 said Thorne。 〃My questions can wait。 I want the sound of your voice。 I want your words。〃 He hesitated。 〃I know you have much to tell。〃
Marius looked at him as if startled； and warmed somewhat by this。 Then he spoke。
〃I'm old； my friend；〃 he said。 〃I'm a true Child of the Millennia。 It was in the years of Caesar Augustus that I became a blood drinker。 It was a Druid priest who brought me to this peculiar death； a creature named Mael； mortal when he wronged me； but a blood drinker soon after； and one who still lives though he tried not long ago to sacrifice his life in a new religious fervor。 What a fool。
〃Time has made us panions more than once。 How perfectly odd。 It's a lie that I hold him high in my affections。 My life is full of such lies。 I don't know that I've ever forgiven him for what he did… taking me prisoner； dragging me out of my mortal life to a distant grove in Gaul； where an ancient blood drinker； badly burnt； yet still imagining himself to be a god of the Sacred Grove； gave me the Dark Blood。〃
Marius stopped。 〃Do you follow my meaning？〃 〃Yes；〃 said Thorne。 〃I remember those groves and the whispers among us of gods who had lived in them。 You are saying that a blood drinker lived within the Sacred Oak。〃 Marius nodded。 He went on。
'Go to Egypt；' he charged me； this badly burnt god； this wounded god； 'and find the Mother。 Find the reason for the terrible fire that has e from her； burning us far and wide。' 〃
And this Mother；〃 said Thorne。 〃She was the Evil Queen who carried within her the Sacred Core。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Marius； his steady blue eyes passing over Thorne gently。 〃She was the Evil Queen； friend； no doubt of it。。。
〃。。。But in that time； two thousand years ago； she was silent and still and seemed the most desperate of victims。 Four thousand years old they were； the pair of them…she and her consort Enkil。 And she did possess the Sacred Core； there was no doubt of it； for the terrible fire had e to all blood drinkers on the morning when an exhausted elder blood drinker had abandoned the King and Queen to the bright desert sun。
〃Blood drinkers all over the world…gods； creatures of the night； lamias； whatever they called themselves…had suffered agony； some obliterated by terrible flames； others merely darkened and left with a meager pain。 The very oldest suffered little； the youngest were ashes。
〃As for the Sacred Parents…that is the kind thing to call them； I suppose…what had they done when the sun rose？ Nothing。 The Elder； severely burnt for all his efforts to make them wake or speak or run for shelter； found them as he had left them； unmovable； heedless； and so； fearing more suffering for himself he had returned them to a darkened chamber； which was no more than a miserable underground prison cell。〃
Marius stopped。 He paused so pletely it seemed that the memories were too hurtful to him。 He was watching the flames as men do； and the flames did their reliable and eternal dance。
〃Please tell me；〃 said Thorne。 〃You found her； this Queen； you looked upon her with your own eyes that long ago？〃
〃Yes； I found her；〃 Marius said softly。 His voice was serious but not bitter。 〃I became her keeper。 'Take us out of Egypt； Marius；' that is what she said to me with the silent voice…what you call the Mind Gift； Thorne…never moving her lips。
〃And I took her and her lover Enkil； and sheltered them for two thousand years as they remained still and silent as statues。
〃I kept them hidden in a sacramental shrine。 It was my life； it was my solemn mission。
〃Flowers and incense I put before them。 I tended to their clothes。 I wiped th