``How did you do, Brenden?''
He answered Alain. ``I got through. I talked to somebody in the appropriate records office, and asked about immigration records for Dalming's family. Since it was sometime between Baruk Kaah's invasion and Uthorion's, it should be pretty easy to track the stuff down. They should be back in touch in a few hours.
``Are you hungry?''
Alain nodded. ``Indeed.''
Arthur's horse rode alongside Anna's in the middle of the group's marching order. ``Anna, where are Brenden and the elven girl?''
Anna wasn't sure if her voice faltered or not. It very well might have. ``Oh, they just had some last minute things to take care of in London.''
``Such as?'
Anna shifted uncomfortably in the saddle. ``Just some more equipment to get, I think. I'm not really sure. But they just wanted us to get as early a start as possible.''
Anna decided for a quick subject change. ``You ride very well, Arthur. Did you learn as a boy?''
``Yes, I did.''
``Tell me about it.''
``Damn!''
Alain looked up from her grimoire. ``Brenden?''
Llewelyn scowled. ``They don't know. There were so many immigrations in that period that they don't have paperwork on half of them. Damn, damn, damn!''
Alain sympathised, ``And now we know nothing more than before. Uncertainty is surely the worst ailment.''
Brenden started to head for the door. He stopped short. ``Wait a minute!''
Alain's mind came to the same conclusion. ``He had to have-''
``Emigrated!'' they said together.
Brenden ran back towards the communications room. ``Get me Germany again!''
Brenden concentrated very hard on understanding the static filled voice coming over the speaker.
``So, you say you have no emigration record for Arthur Dalming for the time period May first to May twentieth?''
``Correct. No record.''
``And you would have it if such a travel took place?''
``Herr Llewelyn, unless he swam the North Sea, we would have the record.''
``Thank you! Thank you very much!''
The line went dead, and Brenden turned to Alain. ``I think we're in real deep now, Alain. Let's get flying.''
Strong, magickal winds carried two forms over the patchwork landscape. Brenden spoke loudly over the rushing currents.
``But all we know now is that he lied! That doesn't mean he's a vampyre!''
Alain considered, and said, ``True. If there were only some way to determine what this Lord Dalming is-
``Wait! I have made such an oversight!''
Brenden said, ``What, Alain?''
``A spell, which gives magickal vision, to let me see the living through a magickal eye.''
``And a vampyre wouldn't show up? But he's not dead either.''
Alain responded, ``Ah, but in the magickal hierarchy of kindred beings, they are not the same. Human beings are like elves--they are folk. But unnatural creatures, like demons and undead are entity. The spell can tell the difference!''
``So, if he is Manwaring, your spell will tell you 'entity'?''
Alain agreed. ``Indeed, that is exactly what it should tell me.''
Brenden laughed aloud. ``Outstanding! That's just what we need.
``That looks like them down there! I think it's time to land.''
Alain walked towards Brenden, and sit on the forest floor near him.
``Well?''
Alain looked displeased. ``The form known as Arthur Dalming is folk kindred.''
``Damn!'' said Brenden. ``Oh, that sounds terrible. It's not that I want Anna to be falling in love with a vampyre--I just want to see something resolved.''
``I understand,'' said Alain. ``There are ways in which an entity could make himself appear as folk. Therefore, nothing is yet certain.
``But hush. He is coming this way.''
Arthur hailed the two talking figures, and moved closer. ``Alain,'' he said, ``what was that you were doing before? I thought I saw you staring at me.''
Brenden said, ``Alain was just meditating, and I think she was facing out that way. Arthur, how was your day's ride?''
``It went very well, thank you. That was a most interesting entrance the two of you made.''
``Thank you,'' said Alain.
``Anyway,'' said Arthur, ``I have volunteered to take a watch with you this evening, Brenden.''
Brenden tried to sound polite. ``Why, Lord Dalming, are you sure you're up to that? Are you feeling that much better already?''
He answered, ``Whether or not, it is certain that I am feeling restless, and I wanted to put that to use, at least.''
Brenden sighed inwardly. ``Well, I guess everyone will be retiring soon then. Arthur, do you have a weapon?''
``No, I do not.''
Brenden pulled the Glock from the small of his back and handed it over. After all, if Arthur were the vampyre, a vampyre with a nine millimeter wasn't too much more dangerous than a vampyre without one.
``Let's go do some watching.''