"Bernard," Marsilia said, "we believe it would be good if you return to your maker until you learn the habit of loyalty." Bernard stood up.
"It was all a trick," he said, his voice incredulous.
"All a trick.
You killed Stefan's people--knowing he loved them.
You tortured him.
All to catch Estelle and me in our little rebellion ...
a rebellion born from the heart of your own Andre." Marsilia said, "Yes.
Don't forget that I set up his little favorite, Mercedes, to be the lever I needed to move the world.
If she hadn't killed Andre, if he hadn't helped her cover it up, then I could not have sent him out from the seethe.
Then I could not have used him to witness against you and Estelle.
Had you been of my making, disposing of you would have been much easier and cost me less." Bernard looked at Stefan, who was sitting as if it would hurt to move, his head slightly bent.
"Stefan, of all of us, was loyal to the death.
So you tortured him, killed his people, threw him out--because you knew that he'd refuse us.
That his loyalty was such that despite what you had done to him, he'd still remain yours." "I counted on it," she said.
"By his refusal, your rebellion is robbed of its legitimacy." She looked at the man who'd killed Estelle.
"You, of course, had no idea that your children would behave so." He gave her a small smile, one predator to another, "I'm not on the chair." He pulled off the gauntlets and tossed them into Wulfe's lap.
"Not even by such a slim connection." His hands were bloodied, but I couldn't tell if it was from one wound or many.
"I've heard your truths, and can only hope you'll find them as galling as I." "Come, Bernard," he said.
"It is time for us to leave." Bernard rose without protest, shock and dismay in every line of his body.
He followed his maker to the doorway, but turned back before leaving the room entirely.
"God save me," he said looking at Marsilia, "from such loyalty.
You have ruined him for your whim.
You are not worthy of his gift--as I told him." "God won't save any of us," said Stefan in a low voice.
"We are all of us damned." He and Bernard stared at each other across the room.
Then the younger vampire bowed and followed his maker out the door.
Stefan pulled his hands free and stood up.
"Stefan--" said Marsilia, sweet-voiced.
But before she finished the last syllable, he was gone.
10
MARSILIA FROZE FOR A MOMENT, STARING AT THE PLACE Stefan had been.