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"Well, very likely that is never going to happen!" Rhoshamandes flashed furiously, "because the Voice has things to learn in my body, a world to see as he's never seen it before. This thing, this, this Voice ..." He was stammering now in frustration. "This Voice has only just come to consciousness."

"Yes, and it wants a better host body," said Seth in a strong cold tone. "And it's chosen you, a splendid male specimen, but once you take it into yourself you do realize it might just drive you stark raving mad."

"We're wasting time," said Rhoshamandes. "Don't you understand?"

"What? That you're a pawn or a slave of this thing?" Seth was facing him and I couldn't see his face except in semiprofile, but his tone was withering as before.

Rhoshamandes sat back in the chair and put up his hands. He stared at the phone again.

Suddenly Benji slid out of his place at my right and silently hurried down the length of the table until he stood at Rhoshamandes's left and then he stared down at the phone.

"You touch it, and the boy dies!" said Rhoshamandes. He was now full of rage. His eyes were blazing as he glared at Benji, and his mouth was contorted, his lips pressed together and then released in a vicious sneer. "As I said, one errant signal from that phone and Benedict kills Viktor--."

"And when that happens," said Sevraine, "we destroy you, don't we, in the most painful way because you no longer have any bargaining power whatsoever. What makes you think you can get what you want here?"

"I warn you!" He put up his right hand. Right, I was noticing. He'd taken out the phone with his right hand. Right-handed. "This will happen as the Voice has decreed."

Marius cleared his throat and sat forward, hands clasped on the table. "The Voice is young to govern this tribe. And I think if you have the Sacred Core within you, you will expose yourself to the sun--and more of the younger generations of us will perish, because that's what the Voice wants."

"What of it!" demanded Rhoshamandes.

"What of it?" asked Marius. "All of us here have younger fledglings whom we love! You think I want to sit idly by while you destroy Armand, or Bianca?" He was allowing his own rage to rise. "You think I want to see Benji and Sybelle die?"

"Doesn't matter what you want," said Rhosh. "Do you realize that if you don't respond to this offer within the next few minutes, if I fail to contact Benedict, he'll kill the boy as directed, and I'll withdraw from you--and make no mistake, I will do that so swiftly you'll never catch me, and we will simply have to go over all this again, and again, and again, until the Voice achieves his purpose?"

"That sounds rather cynical to me," said Marius.

"And to me also," said Gregory. This was the first time he'd spoken.

"Don't you realize what you're dealing with!" Rhoshamandes glared at Gregory. "Nebamun," he said, appealing to him by his ancient name. "The Voice hears every word we're saying here. The Voice is here with us. The Voice can direct Benedict to kill the boy--."

"Ah, but will Benedict do this for the Voice," asked Gregory, "without a word from you?"

"I think not," said Allesandra. "I think your gentle Benedict is a poor choice of ally

in this."

"Don't be such a fool!" said Rhoshamandes. He was desperate. "You don't know where Mekare is."

"Small matter, that," said Marius, "since she's safe wherever she is for the moment since you cannot take the Sacred Core from her without help."

"Oh, yes, I can and I will." He stood up. "I can leave here and kill that mortal boy and work the transfer just as it was worked before. Why, I might very well compel Viktor to assist me."

I started to laugh. I couldn't stop myself. I laughed. I just broke down laughing and then bending forward, my left hand on my waist as I laughed, I shot the Mind Gift at the iPhone and brought it right to me at my end of the table.

"Don't you dare touch it!" Rhoshamandes roared. I knew the volume of his voice was hurting Rose, had to be hurting her, and could be heard out there on the street by any of the young who might be lingering about.

I laughed harder. I just couldn't stop it. I really didn't want to be laughing like this, but I couldn't stop.

I snatched up the phone and shoved it in my pocket, and using the seat of the chair beside me as a step, I mounted the table, and laughing uncontrollably I started to walk down the length of it towards him.

"Oh, Voice," I said through fits of laughter. "You are such a precocious child! However did you think this stupid plan would work!"

The Voice came into my head in a fury. "I'll destroy your son!" he cried. "You will not block me in this."

"Yes, yes," I said, laughing, taking one stride after another on the gilded blocks of the table. "I know. I have heard your threats before, haven't I? Don't you realize that I am the only one here who actually loves you?"

I had reached the end and suddenly sat down on the edge of the table to one side of Rhoshamandes, who was glaring at me now in fury.