We left shortly afterwards to return to the relative safety of the Hotel. Copies of a photograph showing Diana with the Queen were circulated to all our security personnel.
Over the next few nights we attended various events organised by the Illinois Court but there was no sign of Diana. William and Alex were introduced to various influential members of the courts of both Illinois and Indiana, the territory that Queen Francesca de Luca technically ruled jointly with her husband. At first everyone was on high alert but gradually we began to think that, since Diana had been discovered at the mansion on that first night, she must realise that she would be stopped by the Queen's security and might not be able to talk her way out of it.
On our final night in Chicago the Queen had arranged a special visit for William and his entourage together with numerous members of her court and the Authority.
"Explain it to me this concept of a 'museum'" I asked.
William thought for a moment. "It's a place where scientific specimens, works of art or other items of value are displayed. The word derives from Latin, a place sacred to the Muses, a place devoted to learning or the arts. We visited one in New York, you remember, the Metropolitan Museum of Art."
"That was the place on the far side of the Park?"
"That's right..." he fell silent, reflecting.
"It means something to you this museum?"
"It was in the Metropolitan Museum that I met Theodore Davies, the man who invited me to come to Egypt with him in 1903" he explained quietly.
It was my turn to fall silent. It had never occurred to me to wonder why he had come to Egypt over a century ago. I realised know that, had it not been for this chance meeting, he might never have visited Egypt at all...I might never have seen him. I wondered what would have happened then. I would almost certainly have taken Berenice as my host. I shuddered to think how my plans would have turned out without him to hold me back, to temper my demands for the good of us all.
The fleet of cars dropped us on Lake Shore Drive, opposite Soldiers Field and we walked across and looked out over the dark expanse of Lake Michigan.
William put an arm around Alex's shoulders. "Have you enjoyed the trip?" he asked.
"So far yes" I answered. "Though I admit, I'll be happier when we're safe at home."
I could tell that William didn't think they would be safe, not anywhere. But he changed the subject. "So what do you want to see in the museum?"
She leaned her head on his chest and thought for a moment. "Well" she said "they have the biggest and most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton in the world!" William struggled not to laugh out loud.
"How on earth do you know that?" He asked with a chuckle.
"Oh, I don't know. I read it somewhere! She's called Sue!" they both laughed.
"You never cease to amaze me! You seem to absorb information like a sponge!" he said, leaning down to plant a kiss on her forehead. "Well! Let's go then, we don't want to miss this!"
"What is a Tyrannosaurus Rex?"
"It's a giant, extinct lizard...wait, you don't know? I thought it was only the modern world you needed information about?"
"This may come as a shock to you William but I don't actually know everything!"
"Not omniscient huh? I'll bear that in mind!"
They strolled, hand in hand, up the broad flight of steps to the entrance. Information on our visit must have leaked out somehow as I noticed a small group of protesters with placards and "Fellowship of the Sun" baseball caps by the doors but there were a couple of men who I had learned to recognise as police officers keeping them back as well as our own security staff. The main hall of the museum was a long two storied room with balconies on three sides. There was a plinth on which stood two enormous stuffed African Elephants on the right hand side and further back another one holding Sue the T Rex.
William and Alex strolled over to Sue and gazed up at her. "Those are the genuine fossilized bones too." She told him. "None of that plastic reproduction nonsense! Except for the head, that would have been too heavy."
"That's one nasty looking set of teeth!" said William.
She chuckled. "You're a fine one to talk!"
He laughed and slipped an arm around her waist. "Let's go and take a look around shall we?"
We wandered around some of the side galleries for a while until William looked up suddenly from a case full of American Indian artefacts and asked "Did you hear that?"
"What?" she asked, instantly alert. "You heard something?"
"Something is happening in the main hall William!"
We had wandered away from the others and were alone in the gallery. William gestured to Alex to stay where she was and as he did so there was a loud crash from the direction I had indicated.
"Okay! I heard that!" she whispered.
"Stay back" he said and began edging silently to the door. He peered carefully round the doorpost and then gestured to her to join him. "It's coming from the main Hall" he whispered.
"I just told you that!"
"Shhh!"
"Stay behind me!" He slipped across the room and peeped out into the Hall. "It's those damned protesters!" he muttered. "They've started a fight!"
"We should just wait here." she whispered urgently to him. "Harry and his men will sort them out."
"They're outnumbered" he whispered back. "It'll take them a while to regroup. You wait here, I'll just go and get Dan and Azaria out of the way."
"Bill! You should stay here!" she hissed.
Bill looked down at her impatiently. "Come on Alex! I can deal with a few humans! I won't be a moment." He slipped silently around the door and headed for the main hall.
"She's right you know. We don't know what's happening!"
"And we never will if we don't go and find out!
William crept silently though the galleries towards the main hall. We could now hear the sounds of fighting coming from this direction.
"Do you really think this is a good idea? What do we have security for?"
"I have to find Azaria! She's been snatched by these fanatics once before, she'll be terrified!"
"She seems a capable young woman, I'm sure she can take care of herself."
"That depends on what weapons they have..."
He stopped and looked out into the main hall onto a scene of absolute chaos. Protesters, security men and police were fighting everywhere but William's attention locked onto a couple struggling on the floor by the entrance. They were both women and the one underneath was Azaria. Bill gave a vicious snarl and laughed himself out of the side gallery towards them. I had just a moment to wonder why Azaria did not simply shrug off her assailant before I realised that she was not human but vampire.
"William! It's her! It's Diana!"
I felt him pause for a fraction of a second and then he flung himself on her. His love for Azaria was stronger than his fear of the corpsetaker. I heard Alex call to him as well but he ignored us both and, as the woman released Azaria he snatched up a broken piece of wood from a smashed display case and raised it as an improvised stake. Before he could strike, she raised her hand and placed it on his chest as I stared down into her eyes. They were old eyes, far older than the body she wore, the one she had stolen from Diana. I had just a second to wonder how I looked, staring out of William's eyes when I felt William's heart give a jolt. He reared back in shock and suddenly she was there beside me. I could sense her shock at find that she was not alone but she recovered quickly and pushed forward, trying to take over William's mind. She was skilled, evidently she had done this many times before but still she was only human and I was far stronger. I grasped her consciousness and threw her back, following her into the body of the vampire Diana. I felt for her again meaning only to hold her off and discovered that my strike had been more powerful than I had thought and the witch Lucilla was dead. Her body was mine.
At that moment I hesitated, did I really want to do this? Did I want to leave him? It would surely be the best solution for both of us. He would be free of me and I would have control of a body of my own. We would both be free. I knew that he wanted this although his dreams that this separation might be possible had ceased some time ago, and yet I still hesitated. I needed him. I hated to admit this even to myself but it was true. But even as this thought came to me I knew that he would not abandon me.
And so I left him.
At first he was dazed and weak with barely the strength to protect me from those who assumed that one, or other of us was the witch Lucilla. But he was able to convince them, with Alex's help, that she was gone for good and we were both helped away by members of the Authority.
I went to his room later that night but Alex would not let me see him.
There, that one single sentence should tell you all you need to know.
There was a time when I would simply have crushed her like an insect and with no more thought. Brushed away anything and anyone who stood in my way...but no more. This is what he has taught me. I know that he loves her and I also know that if I harmed her, he would never forgive me, never approve of me, and I find that I crave his approval.
I hate myself for this weakness but at the same time I know that he is right and that I still need his help. He once told Alex that I had great power, but no compassion. She replied that he had compassion enough for both of us and she was right, together we made one whole ruler for our people, one with my strength and his tolerance.
The next night one of Ulrich's men came to request my presence in a conference room where we would discuss our next move. I walked in and saw William standing at the conference table with his back to me. He turned to me and something happened that I had longed for ever since Berenice first brought him to my shrine all those years ago.
He smiled at me...