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“This is my doing,” GoGo thought. “My command in the heat of the moment was selfish

and overreaching.” She walked over to him.

“My queen,” he said and bowed. “The vampire is within, recuperating from her ordeal.”

“I thank you, Daka, for enduring your ordeal. By commanding you to carry Sygnosis in

your arms, I placed your life in danger and for this I apologize.”

“It is I who must apologize to you, Queen GoGo. I hesitated . . . because I was afraid,”

Daka said. “I am yours to command, and I am duty-bound to carry out those commands without

question. I placed my fear above my duty. I am ashamed.”

Now she understood.

“I respect that,” she said. “Every man must be true to his creed. But I think you are wrong

to be ashamed, Daka. The creature within is lethal. She has seen more blood and fire, war and

death than all our lives combined. She has seen kingdoms rise and fall. She is not human. Not to

fear her would make you not human. Stand tall with pride, for I am not ashamed of you.” GoGo

said, and then spoke to herself. “Show don’t tell.” She stood tall. So too did Daka. “The power of

command,” she thought. “My very movements matter. This is what Kanja didn’t understand.”

“All I see before me is a great warrior and bold captain of the royal guard. Go and rest

now. I will need your strength and courage in the days to come.”

“Thank you, my queen,” Daka said, bowed and departed. GoGo watched him walk away

filled with pride, the pride he had lost; the pride she knew she had returned to him.

GoGo pulled back the heavy velvet curtain and entered her royal cave chamber. She

looked over at the wooden posts and chains that once shackled her vampire lover. The room was

quiet and illuminated by wall torches. Sygnosis lay in the large bed facing away from GoGo. Her

long black hair flowed down her bare back. GoGo walked quietly over to the bed and stopped. She

felt strange—dizzy. She held her head and closed her eyes, but when she opened them she was