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"what is he doing here?" says Erik. "Spying. the little rat can somehow get anywhere at any time. I don't know how he does it, but he has had a few thousand years of practice. "Stella, please, " say I, "with all due respect. This kid couldn't be twenty years old, yet you say he is your brother's step-father, whom you claim to be, like you, over a hundred years old. Could you please give us an explanation. Please." "Caspar is rather of a kind similar to Carl and me. But we are hybrids. He is purebred. And for as long as we can number the centuries, he has been in the service of the dark side. Don't let his prettiness or his innocent face delude you." Carl has just brought Caspar a glass of water, which he accepts silently. And now I am beginning to notice this young woman, two tables down, who has not taken her eyes off us since we arrived here half an hour ago.