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And then the screams began, piercing, terrible screams.

For it was happening to all of them. All of the terrified immortals who had removed their sunglasses at the sight of the magnificent woman now standing proudly on the empty terrace, staring down at all of them like a monarch preparing to address her subjects. Only her address was silent, Julie realized, and it unfolded with terrible and destructive speed.

All over the lawn, the immortals had begun to wither and decompose, creating little pockets of chaos among the guests. Here a withering arm reached out for nothing; there a desiccated torso collapsed onto a pair of suddenly hollow legs, both becoming clouds of swirling ash.

Chairs and tables were overturned as everyone raced to make an escape.

When a hand seized the back of her dress, Julie screamed.

It was the stately black woman, the architect of this, Julie was sure.

"Come with me," she said. "Both of you."

She held Ramses in a similar grip and pulled them both backwards up the steps as chaos reigned.

"Who are you?" Ramses demanded. He was masking dread with fury.

"I am your queen," the woman answered.

"I answer to no queen."

"Perhaps not," the woman answered. "But you still have one."

26

Inside the house, servants fled down the front hallway.

The woman led them through empty rooms, then out a side door and across a terrace much smaller than the western one. Then they were hurrying through a shady, manicured garden towards a wide gate that stood open across the entrance to the staff road.

Beyond, two gleaming motorcars sat parked. Standing next to each one, a tall black man in a beige suit and tie. Both cars were Unic Landaulettes, each with a pair of backseats that faced each other.

"We can't just leave!" Julie finally cried.

"Why not?" the woman answered. "Everyone else is."

"But Samir and Alex and--"

"No mortals have been harmed by what I've done."

"We cannot abandon our mortal friends to this panic," said Ramses.

"I sent a message!" the woman replied. She whirled on them. Her eyes blazed with anger. "I destroyed those who came to abduct your fiancee. In this way, I have sent a message to the one who sent these lackeys. And the message is this. I am awake, I walk, and I know of his evil designs. These actions of mine call for your gratitude, Ramses the Great, not your disapproval."

Whoever she was, this self-proclaimed queen, she seemed coolly satisfied by their reactions to her shocking words. And she spoke his former title with just enough disregard to indicate she would not be cowed by it.

"We have much to say to one another," she said, more quietly. "And we will do so once there is safe distance between us and this place."

She started for the car parked in front.

Her tall servant continued to hold open the back door to the one parked just behind it.

"That's not enough," Ramses said firmly.

"Enough for what?" she asked.

"Enough for us to feel like anything other than your captives. Captives to whatever poison you used on those guests."

"If I wished to poison you, I would have done so already."