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.Is she that strategically important? Or can you just not bear the thought of me having her?""I love her," Michel says and it sends a wave of emotion through me."Oh, you love her, do you?" Soren says, his voice mocking."She's not quite given in to you yet, has she? You haven't yet won her over, have you? She's still too fixated on finding her mother's killer.But give her time.She will be yours.You just can't wait to claim her, can you Michel? To claim her completely."Soren smiles such an evil smile that I hate him even more if possible."I love it," he says and chuckles."I love a good romance.Maybe one day, she'll have you both.Just like old times? She's attracted to him, too, you know.Even thought about it already, fucking him? But you already know that, don't you, Michel.It must just tear at your heart.""You're a bastard," I say, and I don't know what's gotten into me.I should be afraid of him but I hate him right now so much I can't hold back.Michel squeezes my shoulders."She didn't mean that," he says quietly."I did mean it.""Shh," Michel says.Soren seems amused more than angry, his arms crossed, a smile on his face."To answer you, Eve, technically, yes," he says, "since my father and mother never married, I am a bastard but then, that kind of convention doesn't really apply to the gods.""Gods?" I say, unable to stop myself.Michel squeezes me again and then he touches the skin on my neck with his hand and he must do something to my brain hormones because I feel a rush go through me.I can't speak, my eyes closing briefly from the intensity."Can we go now that you've seen her?" Michel says, his voice soft.I open my eyes and watch as Soren purses his lips and finally nods."Yes, by all means.Go back to Boston.Train her in the secret arts of the Adept.But I suspect you're going to have a lot of fun with her.She's not likely to obey very easily.But you should get her ready for war."Ed's been silent through all this."If there's nothing else?" he says, rising up."We have work to do before Eve and I fly to Boston."Soren nods."I'm on my way East as well," he says."Are you taking the flight in the morning? I heard the Council jet had some mechanical problems.""Yes," Ed ads."Michel has to stay until the plane's been serviced because he can't leave during the daylight.Eve and I will take the 5:30 a.m.flight.""Tell you what," Soren says, and his voice has this conspiratorial tone to it."I've got a spare couple of seats on my plane, and you're all welcome to come with me tomorrow at a more reasonable time.I'm leaving around noon.We'll take you all to Boston.""We're fine with the arrangements we've made," Michel says, butting in."It'll save the Council some money.Come on," Soren says, smiling."I'd enjoy the company."Ed purses his lips and seems to seriously consider the offer.Is he crazy?"What do you think, Eve?" he says and turns to me.I still can't speak, and just sit there."It's my call, not Eve's," Michel says."No," Soren says, his voice firm."It's my call.Isn't that right Michel?""You've seen her.That's what you wanted.Just let us go on our way."Soren comes around from his desk and stands in front of Michel.He reaches out and cups Michel's cheek and Michel's eyes close briefly before opening again."I said, it's my call.There's nothing to worry about.I won't take her.She's still yours.You'll join me.""We'll join you," Michel says, and his voice sounds flat, like Soren has compelled him."All right then," Ed says and extends his hand to Soren as if he's just another professional."What time do you want us here?"Soren shrugs."An hour before would be fine.One of my drivers will pick you up in Helena in a UV-protected car."He turns to me."Nice to meet you again, Eve," he says and bends down to me, taking my hand, kissing my knuckles.I can't respond, sitting there like a lump."Until tomorrow."I've never been so glad to be away from someone.On the drive back to Helena, I slowly recover from the effect of whatever endorphin Michel's released in my brain."Do you really think it's a good idea to fly back with him?" I say.Michel says nothing.He's staring out the car window, chewing on his bottom lip as if lost in thought."He forced you to agree, didn't he?" I say, taking Michel's hand."He can compel you to obey him."Finally Michel turns to me."There's nothing to worry about," he says."He's not going to take you." He leans over to me, his hand tangling in my hair, and he kisses me.He strokes my cheek with his thumb."You're still mine.""Do you even know that he's compelled you?""Don't worry, Eve." He kisses me once more and turns back to the window, but he takes my hand in his, threading his fingers through mine as if his mind is afraid he'll lose me, even if part of it assures him he won't.Ed looks at me in the rear view mirror."What did you think of him?"I shake my head and gaze out the window at the stars above the hills."I think he's very dangerous.""He's powerful, that's for sure.All this firepower and money."Ed's thinking of weapons and soldiers.I'm thinking of his power to manipulate people's minds and of the shadows that looked like huge wings sprouting from his back.It was probably the play of shadows in a dark room.If I repeat that enough times, I might start to believe it.CHAPTER THIRTEEN"Within yourself deliverance must be searched for, because each man makes his own prison."Edwin ArnoldWe arrive back at the hotel before 10:00 P.M [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]