Armand’s coven takes Lestat and Gabrielle prisoner. They are carried to the Les Innocents cemetery. The stench causes Lestat to vomit blood; he tells them not to be fools for the devil. Lestat can sense that Nicolas is in the catacombs, but cannot see him at first. As drums pound, Lestat takes a torch from one of the coven members and beats his captors back with it. With a little extra room, he straightens his clothes and demands to know why they live like this. They explain that they serve Satan and live by specific rules that Lestat has broken. Lestat says neither God nor Satan has interfered when he broke the rules he never learned about from Magnus. The coven builds up a pyre and reveals Nicolas in a cage. Lestat gauges when he should attack and feels Armand approaching.

Armand enters with a “queen creature” (216). She laughs and says her predictions have come true. Lestat demands to speak to Satan before being judged by him. Armand lists off the rules Lestat broke, and the queen tells Lestat that he is on “the Devil’s Road” (218). She says she’s as old as Magnus and a young vampire says she is as “insane” as Magnus.