Page 42 (1/2)

But things inding down From what I could tell, we had about two or three cases left to deal with--then I could rest for a few hours before the ball

When the Lilithian stepped back into the crowd, Walter stood up fro pages in his notepad "Your Majesty, Queen Amara, I present Derek Hill, of the Lower House"

I s back as he stood; he had an eager kind of grin--sence and what I read as a lust for life--proverbially--not the kind he usually lusted after, being that he was a varatulations on this special day"

"Thank you, Derek" I gave a soft nod "And, what can I do for you today?"

"I am here to address the nes of Vampire Sets"

"Go on"

"We are thrilled with the recent decision that those under your rule are free from their Set, but were unclear on a few of the restrictions"

"Okay, what did you want to know?"

"Several of my people wish to partake in career paths whichwidely noticed"

"Like faaine She did warnvauidelines would be a bad idea But I never thought of anything like fauess I just assumed freeup

"Now, hang on a sec" I stood up "Why?"

"Queen Amara, you know the reasons we have the lae do Even when Lilith ruled, this restriction applied to Lilithians also, not just vampires We must not be a spectacle in the public eye"

"Why, because we don’t age?"

"That, and people may study us too closely, come to conclusions about e are"

"Walter, were you not in the Queen’s Navy--when Lilith ruled?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, but--"

"Then you ell-known?"

"Yes, but it differs greatly to one seeking world faht Okay, so…" I looked back at Derek "What kinds of careers are we talking?"

"I have two bands and an aspiring actor"

"Denied," Walter said, without giving thethat" I stomped my foot

"My queen, not only is it unsafe, as it may expose us to the human world, but we have skills and experience far beyond that of a huht do we have to take rolls they could otherwise occupy?"

"By giving ht do we have to keep music from anybody, just because we may be better than someone else? Music--any area of creativity and self-expression should belong to everyone--vaift"

"And what about in twenty years when this faret said

"With the advances in medical science now, no one would really notice," I said

"Well, that’s not the point, Your Majesty We stick to tradition" Walter sat down

"Well, I don’t like it" I sat down, too "What does everyone else here think?"

The crowd looked a, their eyes a little wide

"Someone speak up," I said "Should vampires and Lilithians be allowed to follow careers of passion, which would lead to fame?"

A hand shot up in the back of the room "I think so, Your Majesty"

"As do I," another said, and it seemed to be unified Mainly only really ancient vampires or Lilithians disapproved

I looked at Arthur, who didn’t seem to have an opinion either way I wished he did, because I’d have ruled based on what he thought I even gave a little nod, ider eyes, proetically

"What kinds of lanced over his shoulder at a group of young guys, who nodded eagerly at hiht, Eric sat beside E widely at the vampires behind Derek I wondered if they were in his band or if inal songs?" I looked directly at the bands

When ushered forward, one guy stepped up and bowed quickly "We already have, Majesty--we’ve been writing for about twenty years But we’ve just been working the cover scene, you know, since we aren’t allowed to get noticed"

I took a deep breath I wanted to say yes, I really did, but Walter and the rest of the House would surely skin me if I did Except, it wasn’t fair; none of the Ancients played music--not one from the House could even play piano They just didn’t have the passion, didn’t understand the burn it caused inside you--what it took to write a song and want to share that with the world And if someone told me I could never live that dream, just because I was bitten and turned into a vampire, I think I’d shut myself in a coffin for the rest of eternity--because that’s what it would feel like anyway