Page 12 (2/2)

Any vae was i," Ysabeau said dispassionately "But I could not kill my child, and I would not let anyone else do so either It was not Matthew’s fault that he was sick"

"It was no one’s fault, Maenetic disease--one that we still don’t understand Because of Philippe’s initial ruthlessness, and all the faation doesn’t know that the sickness is in my veins"

"They regation suspect it There were vampires who believed that your sister’s illness was not e"

"Gerbert," I whispered

Ysabeau nodded "Do to comfort her "I’ve sat at the council table while the disease was discussed, and no one had the slightest inkling I was afflicted with it So long as they believe blood rage is all but extinct, our secret is safe"

"I’ation believes blood rage is back," Marcus said

"What do you mean?" Matthew asked

"The vampire s Matthew had collected back in his Oxford laboratory last year The s idespread and had taken place over a nuators had been stymied, and the s see with the sensational headlines," Marcus continued "The perpetrator was never caught, so the Congregation is braced for the killings to resume at any moment Gerbert told me so in April, when I made my initial request that the covenant be repealed"

"No wonder Baldwin is reluctant to acknowledge me as his sister," I said "With all the attention Philippe’s blood voould bring to the de Clerht all becoree contains no mention of Benjamin What Phoebe and Marcus have discovered are only family copies," Ysabeau said "Philippe said there was no need to share Matthew’sindiscretion When Benjarees were in Constantinople We were in far away Outre to hold our territory in the Holy Land Who would knoe left him out?"

"But surely other vampires in the Crusader colonies knew about Benjamin?" Hamish asked

"Very few of those vampires survive Even feould dare to question Philippe’s official story,"

Matthew said Haht to worry When Matthew’s e--not to mention Philippe’s blood vow and the existence of the twins--so to do so any longer," Ysabeau said

This ti "Gerbert"

Ysabeau nodded "Someone will remember Louisa’s escapades And then another va Marcus’s children in New Orleans Gerbert o, Mattheed signs of row out of them The de Clermonts will be vulnerable as they have never been before"

"And one or both of the twins ht have the disease," Ha prospect No creature would bla action"

"Perhaps a witch’s blood will so root," Ysabeau said

"Wait" Marcus’s face was still as he concentrated "When exactly was Benjamin made?"

"In the early twelfth century," Matthew replied, frowning "After the First Crusade"

"And when did the witch in Jerusaleive birth to a vampire baby?"

"What vaunshot

"The one that Ysabeau told us about in January," Sarah said "It turns out you and Diana aren’t the only special creatures in the world This has all happened before"

"I’ve always thought it was nothing ainst one another," Ysabeau said, her voice shaking "But Philippe believed the tale And now Diana has conant"

"Tell "

"A vampire raped a witch in Jerusale out in a rush "We never kneho the vampire was The witch refused to identify him"

Only weavers could carry a vampire’s child--not ordinary witches Goody Alsop had told me as much in London

"When?" Matthew’s tone was hushed

"After the First Crusade" Ysabeau looked thoughtful "Just before the Congregation was forned"

"Just after I made Benjamin," Matthew said

"Perhaps Benjae from you," Hamish said

"And the child?" Matthew asked

"Died of starvation," Ysabeau whispered "The babe refused his mother’s breast"

Matthew shot to his feet

"Many newborns will not take their mother’s milk," Ysabeau protested