Tallis knew at that moment that he was looking at the face of Death. And he also knew that there was nothing whatever he could do about it. Except talk. And listen.
"Very well, Sepastian," he said levelly. "Go ahead. Treason, you say? How? Against whom?"
"I'm not quite sure," said Sebastian MacMaine. "I thought maybe you could tell me."
The Reason
"Let me ask you one thing, Tallis," MacMaine said. "Would you do anything in your power to save Keroth from destruction? Anything, no matter how drastic, if you knew that it would save Keroth in the long run?"
"A foolish question. Of course I would. I would give my life."
"Your life? A mere nothing. A pittance. Any man could give his life. Would you consent to live forever for Keroth?"
Tallis shook his head as though he were puzzled. "Live forever? That's twice or three times you've said something about that. I don't understand you."
"Would you consent to live forever as a filthy curse on the lips of every Kerothi old enough to speak? Would you consent to be a vile, inhuman monster whose undead spirit would hang over your homeland like an evil miasma for centuries to come, whose very name would touch a flame of hatred in the minds of all who heard it?"
"That's a very melodramatic way of putting it," the Kerothi said, "but I believe I understand what you mean. Yes, I would consent to that if it would be the only salvation of Keroth."