Oh well, it's the final chapter and we have to say 'bye bye' to Kurda again.

The Hall of Princes was packed with angry vampires. Nobody looked at or spoke to Seeth; they didn't notice her. All eyes were pinned on the middle of the hall.

Kurda was bruised and bleeding, his hair torn from his scalp. Still, he stood before the princes with his head raised, his chained wrists together respectfully. Seeth dug her fingernails into her palms, biting her lip until it bled just a little. She wasn't sure what to think. Kurda had kept this secret from her. She was mad at him for that, she was irritated he hadn't asked her what she thought before he went ahead with such a stupid plan, she was anxious about how the other vampaneze would react to such a massacre of their kin.

She was scared because she knew Kurda would be put to death.

The princes took a long time in questioning Kurda. When he spoke, some of the vampires watching screamed the fires of hell and had to be removed. Seeth looked around and saw Darren and Larten. Larten was bone-white with hatred, but Darren looked sad. Seeth stared at the boy who'd sentenced Kurda to execution. Kurda loved that boy. She took a deep breath, quelling the anger that welled in her chest. It wasn't Darren's fault; he'd only done what any vampire would do. This is the price of honesty.

What stung the most was that Seeth knew Kurda had acted out of desperation to save the clan. She could sense his fear, shivering behind the sad bravado he portrayed to his fellows in the hall. Darren knew it too, Seeth could tell. Gradually, some of the other vampires began to shift uncomfortably. Kurda's words had struck their hearts, and they began to understand. Even Mika seemed to consider Kurda with open eyes.

The princes were regretful, but rules were rules. Kurda was stripped, shamed and spat on. They took him from the hall marked as a traitor and Seeth wanted to scream curses at them for the injustice. She could feel the power-she pushed it back. Nothing good ever came from casting when you were angry.

She moved between the rows and out of the hall. She didn't want to be confronted. She just wanted to see Kurda before they put him to death.

Silently, she followed the guards up through the hallways to the holding cells. Either they weren't aware of her (which she doubted) or they understood why she was there. They didn't hit Kurda, but they spat contemptuously at his feet when they pushed him in the small, cave-like cell. When they turned and saw Seeth behind them, they lowered their eyes in shame.

"I want to talk to Kurda," she said sternly. They looked her up and down, standing stiffly.

"No one sees him; he has been sentenced to death," one of them replied.

"I am aware of that," she snapped. "But I have something I want to say to him myself. Are you questioning my integrity?" She glowered at them, drawing the air around her. They felt the corridor go cold and looked at her fearfully. One hurried to unlock the door whilst the other gingerly stepped aside.

He looked pathetic. He was sitting on the floor, knees pulled up to his chest. He looked at her with dripping eyes, unsure of her intention.

"Kurda..." she began morosely.

"I'm sorry," he gasped. "I'm so...so sorry." She shut her eyes against the stinging waving of despair that emanated from Kurda at those words.

Seeth knelt next to him and hugged his shoulders. He turned to her, surprised.

"You're not angry?" he asked groggily.

"Yes, I am," she admitted. "But that doesn't matter as much as losing a friend. I wish none of this had happened!"

"Seeth, would you let me beg your forgiveness? I couldn't tell you...I don't know why. I suppose I couldn't face admitting to you that I was a traitor. A common sewer rat."

She gripped the side of his face tightly, forcing him to look at her. He didn't flinch from her burning gaze.

"What you did was wrong," she said sternly. "But that doesn't mean it wasn't brave. You're not a sewer rat Kurda; you were trying to help everyone else, except yourself. A fool can see what a great vampire that makes you."

"You say that because you aren't a vampire, Seeth," he whispered. "From this night on, all they will remember me as is Kurda Smahlt, the vampire traitor."

There was no denying that. Seeth suddenly sensed many vampires moving in their direction. They were coming to take him.

One last time, Seeth hugged Kurda, kissing him briefly on the forehead. "I won't forget you," she breathed, making the sign of the pentacle between his eyebrows. When he hugged her back, she couldn't help but cry.

"Goodbye, Seeth," he said. "I wish you luck."

Through her tears she looked into his blue eyes for the final time, turned and walked away. "Goodbye, Kurda," she mouthed.

Whilst all the vampires in the mountain watched Kurda be dropped onto the stacks, Seeth sat curled up in Kurda's coffin with her fingers in her ears, rocking backwards and forwards. She howled to herself to block out the sound of Kurda's screams in her head, the pain he felt, the leaking of his life.

Then it stopped. It was finished, he was gone.

Seeth lay back in the coffin and closed the lid. That was it. That was the end it all. The end of her friend, Kurda Smahlt.

Well, I hope you guys enjoyed it. The ending's short, I know. Anyway, thanks for the reviews everyone. Hopefully we'll see more of Seeth soon.