"I'm dying."

"What?" I asked in shock.

"I'm slowly dying, my dear. My immortality is waning. I do not want to leave you but..."

"But what, Taneleer?" I pressed.

"Promise me..."

"Promise you?" I cried.

"Promise you'll take care of it when I die."

I burst into tears. "No!"

"The Collection..." He rasped. "You must keep it safe."

"But maybe you could stop it."

"The cells are dying. The cells that make me immortal."