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My voice had broken

"Because why?" she asked

"Because Christ gave it to me!" I whispered "He said, 'Take it,' and I did "

I wept And she waited Patient, solemn Louis waited David waited

Finally I stopped

"Write down every word, David, if you write it, every auous word, you hear me? I won't write it etting it exactly right, I'll write it, I'll write it one tih What do you want? Why have you come? No, I won't write it Why are you here, Maharet, why have you shown yourself to me? Why have you come to the Beast's new castle, for what? Answer me "

She said nothing Her long, pale-red hair went down to her waistShe wore some si, loose coat, belted around her tiny waist, a skirt that covered the tops of her small boots The blood scent of the hu in her head, these dead eyes looked ghastly to me, unsupportable

"I won't take a hu arrogant or insolent? She was so powerful "I won't take a human life," I said That had been what Ias I live and endure and starve and suffer, take a huainst a fellow creature, be he human or one of us, I do not care, I won'tI ath, I won't"

"I' to keep you here," she said "As a prisoner For a while Until you're quieter "

"You'reme anywhere "

"I have chains waiting for you David, Louis¡ªyou will help me "

"What is this? You two, you dare? Chains, we are talking about chains? What ah at this, if he hadn't turned his back on me forever!"

But none of them had moved They stood uised by her slender white form

And they were suffering Oh, I could s

"I have this for you," she said She extended her hand "And when you read it you will scream and you eep, and we'll keep you here, safe and quiet, until such time as you stop That's all Under my protection In this place You will be my prisoner "