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"I have your oath, that we will ponder this secret together, and that if you have no interest you will not betray my trust?"

"Of course you have it, Roland," said the other with obvious feeling. "Roland, in all the world...except for my Allesandra and my Eleni...you are the only one among us who has ever shown me love."

"I've always loved you, Rhosh. Always," said Roland. "It was you who sent me off long ago. I understood. I never held it against you. But others have loved you very much as well."

A bitter sound of derision came from Rhosh.

"Seriously, you know you've been loved," said Roland. "But do I have your vow?"

"You do."

"Come then, I'll show you the bargaining chip, as they say."

Chairs scraping on wooden flooring. Steps above, and, yes, yes, of course, I am the bargaining chip, as they say!

Derek heard the bolts thrown back, the creak of hinges, and their softer steps on the winding stone stairs.

Closer and closer.

"How old is this dungeon?" said Rhosh under his breath. "This is more ancient even than my house by the sea."

"Oh, there's a story to it, and to the centuries I lived here before the coming of the city above. Some night I'll tell you all of it."

They had reached Derek's door.

Derek turned his face to the wall. He pulled the blanket up over his shoulder and he started crying again and he couldn't stop it.

One bolt lifted and then another, and the grind of the hinges that were never oiled.

Roland snapped on the overhead light--a single small soiled bulb in a cage in the stone ceiling.

"Well, this is a cozy little dungeon cell, isn't it?" said Rhoshamandes.

"It would be a lot cozier if he would cooperate. I'd provide him with unlimited light, books, food, whatever he asks for. He could have the comforts of music, television, whatever he likes in this room. But he refuses to cooperate. He refuses to tell what he knows."

How Derek hated that tone, always so soft, so polite, as if it meant to say kind things, but it never said kind things. And even more he hated the mocking smile that went with it. He didn't want to see it. He kept his right hand clutched to his head.

Silence.

Derek knew they stood only a few feet from his bed.

"He's not human!" said Rhoshamandes in a whisper.

"That's correct. He is not."

Another silence in which the only sound was that of Derek crying.

"And don't be fooled by his seeming youth," said Roland, his voice growing hard now, hard with anger and frustration. "He looks so innocent, I know, and almost sweet. Just a boy. But he's no boy. And he's as stubborn as I am. I have the distinct impression that he's been on this earth far longer than you or I."

"And you think Seth and Fareed will want this."

"If they don't, they're fools."

"I've never seen anything remotely like this before."

"That's the whole idea. Neither have I. And neither have they. And if there are more of them, if there is a whole tribe of them somewhere, living in our world..."

"I see."