Interlude Four

"Your sure? Yes, thank you." Xander hung up the phone. "No word."

"Oh God. It's been a weeks Xander. She's dead, isn't she? Or she's left and
she's never going to come back."

"Now, don't dispare. I'm sure she'll come back when she's good and ready. I 
just don't feel she's dead. No more crying or you're eyes will be all puffy 
for your opening night. Can't have that, can we?"

"No, you're right. I don't feel she's gone either. It just doesn't seem 
right. Help me get ready?"

"Why of course."


Xander squirmed in his seat. Silviet was doing a marvelous job as Juliet, 
but he couldn't keep his mind on the performance. He kept turning the small 
black velvet box over in his hands. He hoped she liked it. She was so upset 
about Ann, and it was the one thing he could think of that might cheer her 
up.

End Interlude Four
----
Chapter 13 continued

"My great-uncle? What are you talking about?" She searched his face for 
signs that he was joking, but found none.

"Your father's uncle. Your grandfather's brother."

"Your serious, aren't you?"

"Yes. Completely. I didn't realize it before now, though I don't know how I 
could have been so blind all these years. It was your eyes that finally 
jogged my memory. It's the one tie all of the descendants from that 
forgotten realm share."

"You too?"

"Yes, myself included, though it's complicated by my own royal heritage. 
My grandmother on my mother's side was one of them. Which brings me to the 
reason I couldn't help you earlier." He took her hands in his. "You have 
strong magic, Amalthya. But it's raw, unrefined. It reacts with the natural 
magic of my Labyrinth. That's why I could see you while you  were on Earth, 
but not here. It acts as a dampening field. I want to train you, to help 
you harness this power you posses. Let me help you." He was so sincere. He 
seemed almost to be pleading with her. 

"All right. I'll let you teach me, but you have to answer one question."

"Anything."

"You're terribly lonely here, aren't you?"

He said nothing for a moment, then heaved a great sigh. "Yes. You couldn't 
imagine."

"No, I don't think I could. How can one even begin to imagine what it's 
like to be alone for so long. It's no wonder you became so uncaring, so 
inhuman. The isolation must have made you dead inside." She touched her 
hand to his pale cheek, and looked into his clear blue, beautifully 
mis-matched, eyes. "Very well. You teach me how to use my magic, and I'll 
try to teach you to live again."

End Chapter Thirteen