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Pause.

The various amazing minds of the room pondered.

Inside me, Amel gave the softest most eloquent laugh with nothing of humor in it and everything of wonder that I could hope to hear.

I raised my hands for patience.

I had to sleep. And the morning was creeping up on the young ones with its sly burning fingers, and it would soon be creeping up even on me.

"Rose and Viktor," I said. "This day will be your last on Earth when the sun is visible to you and when the sun is your friend." I felt a sudden throb in my heart. I swallowed, trying to keep my voice steady. "Spend this day however you wish, but be wise and stay safe and come home to us at sunset ... to reaffirm your decision."

I saw my son beaming at me, and beside him Rose looking on in quiet wonder. I smiled. I put my fingers gently to my lips and let the silent kiss go.

I left the room quickly. There would be time to embrace them, and to weep, yes, to weep as I held their warm, tender mortal bodies in my arms, only some thirteen hours from now when the night threw its inevitable mantle once again across the great Savage Garden that was our world.

As I lay down to sleep in the French library, I spoke softly to Amel.

"You're quiet," I said, "strangely quiet but I know you are there."

"Yes, I'm here," he said. "And it's as you told them. Do you doubt your own explanation?" There was a pause but I knew he was going to say something more. "Years ago," he said, "when you were a mortal boy in your village in France you had a friend, a friend you loved."

"Nicolas," I said.

"And you and he would talk."

"Yes."

"By the hour, by the day, by the night, by the week and the month ..."

"Yes, always in those days when we were boys together, we would talk."

"Do you remember what you called it, your long flowing exchange?"

"Our conversation," I said. I marveled that he knew. Did he know because I knew? Could he search through my memory when I wasn't remembering? I was drowsy and my eyes were closing. "Our conversation," I said again. "And it went on and on...."

"Well, we are having 'our conversation,' aren't we?" he asked. "And our conversation will go on forever. There is no need for haste."

A great warmth came over me as if I'd been wrapped in a blanket of love.

"Yes," I whispered. "Yes."

29

Lestat

Pomp and Circumstance

AT SUNSET, the word went out that I would come before all in the park, at a deserted location well hidden from the mortal world. And as I set out to go, dressed in a new red-velvet coat and black pants and nice spiffy midcalf boots generously provided by Armand along with some old-fashioned lace at my throat, I discovered that Seth and Gregory were coming with me, that under no circumstances would they allow the Prince to walk amongst his people unguarded. Thorne and Flavius also accompanied us without a word.

I accepted it.

There were perhaps seventy-five fledglings in the gathering at eight o'clock and I had little difficulty greeting each with a clasp of hands and a promise that we would all work together to prosper. All had been young mortals when made, most dressed in black, some elegantly in old romantic nineteenth-century jackets or dresses, and others in the most exquisite black fashions of the present time, and still others were ragged, unkempt with matted hair--but all surrounded me with open hearts, with touching willingness to follow me and what I might demand. And one or two older ones were there, too, blood drinkers as old as Louis or myself. But there was no one older.

Taking a position in the middle of a circle, I explained that I was now their prince and I wouldn't fail them. I did not tell them yet that I contained the Sacred Core. I saw no reason for that to be announced in vulgar fashion in such a place, or for it to be announced by me personally at all. But I did assure them that the rampage of the Voice had been ended.

The darkness was soothing here, and there was a certain quiet, with the distant buildings of Manhattan flanking the park on either side, and the overhanging trees partially concealing us. But I knew I had to be quick. There were curious mortals about. And I wanted no disruption.

I told them all now that they were to be assured of my guidance.