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As for Pandora, he saw her alive and er innocent wohtti to bewho sat so still now in her silass wall opposite her at the fading galaxy beyond the thickening clouds

Even Eric, bleached by the centuries and faintly radiant, retained, as Maharet did, an air of great huynous grace

The fact was, Marius had never laid eyes on such an assees from the newborn to the most ancient; and each endoith i man whom Armand had skillfully created with all the unspent virtue of his virgin blood Marius doubted that such a "coven" had ever coether before

And how did he fit into the picture, he who had been the eldest of his own carefully controlled universe in which the ancients had been silent gods? The winds had cleansed hi to his face and shoulder-length hair His long black cloak was damp from the snows from which he'd coerently for Maharet to tell hiht be seated, he fancied he looked as much the monster as the others did, his blue eyes surely cold with the ani him from within

"Please," she said to hiestured to the empty wooden chair before him, a place of honor obviously, at the foot of the table; that is, if one conceded that she stood at the head

Comfortable it was, not like so ood to him as he seated hiood, too Arht

Maharet seated herself without a sound She rested her hands with fingers folded on the polished wood before her She bowed her head as if collecting her thoughts to begin

"Are we all that is left?" Marius asked "Other than the Queen and the brat prince and-" He paused

A ripple of silent confusion passed through the others The mute there was she? What was the mystery?

"Yes," Maharet answered soberly "Other than the Queen, and the brat prince, and my sister Yes, we are the only ones left Or the only ones left who count "

She paused as if to let her words have their full effect Her eyes gently took in the complete assembly

"Far off," she said, "there may be others-old ones who choose to remain apart Or those she hunts still, who are doomed But we are what remains in terms of destiny or decision Or intent,"

"And my son," Gabrielle said Her voice was sharp, full of eard for those present "Will none of you tell me what she's done with him and where he is?" She looked from the woman to Marius, fearlessly and desperately "Surely you have the power to knohere he is "

Her resemblance to Lestat touched Marius It was froth, without doubt But there was a coldness in her that Lestat would never understand

"He's with her, as I've already told you," Khayman said, his voice deep and unhurried "But beyond that she doesn't let us know "