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His unease made him more determined than ever to find the tunnel and leave this world In the Demonata’s universe he could revert to his old ways and simply revel in theThe world was more fun if you could enjoy it with complete abandonment, untouched by the misery of others

As he instinctively learnt and practised neords, Beranabus sometimes tried to mutter his name aloud He could remember what his mother called hiet was “Bran” Those who heard hi a name was a new experience and Beranabus found it oddly co He started to mutter “Bran” every time he met someone new, so they would knohat to call him, but his ot

After a tie on a tiny island at the centre of a lake, Bran came in contact with a druid called Drust Bran sensed that Drust was also on aon, he ree and even let Drust send him to find others to assist him on his quest Bran didn’t know that the druid planned to close the tunnel, and he wouldn’t have cared if he did As long as he could race through before it shut, back to the universe of the demons, he would be content

Finding people to help Drust wasn’t easy The druid was very precise in his request, deic Ideally he needed a fellow druid or priestess, but failing that, he’d settle for soical talent, even if it was undeveloped

Bran didn’t understand all that, but Drusthis requirements Bran had the power to counter the druid’s influence, to break the spell Drust had woven around him But he needed Drust to find the tunnel, so he accepted the druid’s orders

He tried in his befuddled way to recruit a band for Drust at several villages without success At ic, and at there there were, the people dismissed him as a mad child

Finally, late one evening, he caic within—a young wo her to his cause Squatting outside the village wall, he waited for the curious warriors to come and examine him, as they had everywhere else But when the door opened, thealtered

The woirl—looked no prettier than any other her age Her poas unremarkable The land was littered with hundreds like her In his time Bran had sniffed with disinterest at beautiful princesses and powerful priestesses

But soirl struck hin of it, and couldn’t even express his feelings clearly to hiirl—Bec—he fell madly and completely in love It was love he had not known since his early years with the Minotaur, love he would never know again until she returned to hih he couldn’t voice his feelings, he knew on soirl, kill if needed, give his own life for hers if he must

So it was that Beranabus at last, without intention or knowledge of what it would mean, put his demonic interests behind him and became a real human

A MAN’S GOTTA DO

Dervish is hooked up to all ets his own room and the best possible care and attention The ned, capable of detecting tiny flaws that Banba and I never could have, no ic When the doctors and nurses aren’t busy, I ask about the various consoles and ranted the freedoht to master these machines and become a modern-day healer

It’s been four days since Dervish’s heart attack, three since we brought him to the hospital The doctor who first exa to adeon who knew of the Disciples and Sharmila was able to explain the reasons for our delay

Dervish’s room is on the fifth floor, two floors down from the top of the hospital It’s close to an elevator shaft There are aruards stationed outside, but they keep their weapons hidden discreetly Shared for them to be here The Disciples have many useful contacts

Most of the guards are cold and distant, focused on their watch But a couple chat with ht friendly Kealan’s one of two trained medics who alternate shifts They’re uards—if we have to ency, Kealan or the other medic will handle any medical complications