But that wasn't the end of it.

With a sickening clicking noise, Marco's arm spasmed and broke horribly. A gust of golden blood spurted from his stomach as the stab wound opened up again. He seemed to shrink once more from the effects starvation and thirst.

Star screamed in horror and Tom yelled in anguish, furious and devastated.

Tina before professional again, shouting at the two of them to get out. She summoned more doctors and they swarmed around the bed as Star and Tom were frog marched from the room.

They met Mr and Mrs Diaz and the king and queen outside.

"What's going on?" Mrs Diaz asked nervously, her eyes wide.

"Ahhh-" Star stammered. "He sort of... changed..."

"What do you mean, Star?" Demanded River.

"It's my fault," Tom said abruptly. They all turned to look at him.

"Marco accidently ingested some of my tears," he explained.

The king and queen gasped in horror, but the Diaz's looked lost.

"So what?" Mr Diaz asked.

"Oh, Tom, how could you be so careless?" River threw up his hands.

"You know the effects demon tears can have on humans. What happened to the boy?" Moon asked.

"What do you mean, 'happened' to him?" Mrs Diaz asked urgently. "What's going on?"

"I think you'd better explain this, Tom," Star said quietly. "If you'll excuse me-"

And she turned and talked away from them, down the corridor. She could hear them calling her name, but she ignored them. Her heart beat sped up and her breathing became erratic. Before she knew it she was running, her heart like a bird trying to escape her cage like chest. She ran and ran, breathing heavily, until her hands went numb and her cheeks were hot. She ran out of the Palace and out into the large, grand gardens.

It wasn't until she had flung herself down behind a bush, secluded and surrounded by bracken and foliage, had caught her breath and settled her raging heart beat, that she started to cry.