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keep them,” Vlad said. “You are more deserving than he ever was. Nobility is not something that is in the blood. It is in the soul.”
    The two Wallachians whom Alexei had seen earlier pushed their cart up to the body. One of them picked it up while the other knelt before Vlad and said, “A message has arrived from the Carpathians, my Lord.”
    “What is the message?” Vlad asked.
    The Wallachian took a nervous breath, “Your wife has killed herself.”
    Alexei shuddered, and a silence seemed to fall instantly upon the whole camp as they watched.
    All of Vlad’s men, all of Vlad’s enemies watched in disbelief as the warrior―the Devil―swayed. His legs gave way beneath him. His hands clutched at his face, and he fell to the ground in anguish.

DENN DIE TODTEN REITEN SCHNELL
FOR THE DEAD TRAVEL FAST 
     
    CHAPTER ONE
    The door burst open. Anna did not flinch. She sat still, gazing into the fire. She remained unperturbed by her abrupt intruder.
    She had been expecting a visitor in some shape or form. The intruder paused for a moment and stared at her. She could feel his eyes searing into the back of her head. Anna was not a stranger to this man. He had always admired her. She had always been a voice of reason in the village and even amid the chaos that was going on around her, she was calm and completely rational. The intruder began to speak.
    “Vlad’s dead.”
    Anna turned her head and glanced up at him, a look of contempt on her face. Yet when their eyes met, her look softened to one of compassion. She started to feel pity for the stranger. He was a young man, but today’s events had stolen part of his youth—a part that he would never get back. His clothes and hair were soaked in perspiration, and yet it was cold outside. His hands were trembling. He was frightened and Anna knew why.
    Everyone in the village was terrified. Homes were being deserted, possessions abandoned. No one seemed to care about their valuables anymore. Everyone was running away, everyone except Anna. She was the only one who was calm, the only person who was not in a state of panic.
    Suddenly a loud, shrill scream came from outside. Anna’s visitor turned around quickly to see who had screamed and why. Fortunately, his worst fears had not yet been confirmed. It was just a young girl who had been told that her husband was among the dead.
    Anna stood and walked towards the window. As she did so, the floor creaked beneath her feet. The young interloper turned back to look at Anna for a second time.
    “That will be the first of many screams you will hear this night,” said Anna. “My son?” she inquired.
    “Murdered.”
    “Who killed him?”
    “Isabella.”
    Anna shook her head, “You lie.”
    “It’s the truth!” the soldier said vehemently.
    “It is not the truth,” Anna replied, firmly but softly. “I’ll ask you again. Who killed my son?”
    The young man sighed and told Anna the truth: “The English.”
    Anna nodded in recognition.
    “You must leave,” he said pleadingly.
    “I’ll stay. She won’t harm me.”
    “How do you know for certain?”
    “I know.”
    “But how do you know…”
    “I know!” Anna retorted. “I know,” she said again, calmly. “I know because my father told me…many of my childhood memories have faded now, but this one still remains clear and vivid to me. I was playing on the road to Bistrita. It was a bright day, and the sky overhead was filled with sunshine. As I looked further down the road I could see nothing but dark skies in front of me. It seemed like a warning, as if the heavens were telling me to stay where I was. Of course, I did not heed their warning. I wandered a little too far and I was about to return home, when I noticed a man lying on the edge of the road just in front of me. As I approached him I could see he was obviously sick or injured. I kneeled down beside him. His eyes suddenly opened and he grabbed my dress and pulled me closer to him. He just held me