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"Nothing would happen," he said. "You would use your power as a safety net. Unless there's something at stake, you won't shift. "
"Good," I replied. "Just remember that if you get any ideas."
He laughed humourlessly. "Noted."
I barely registered that he was drawing again before I was lifted off my feet and thrown against the wall. I had no time to even try to cushion my impact before I hit hard. The bones in my arm snapped at the force and pain coursed through my limb.
"Motherfucker," I grunted when I hit the floor.
"Take you by surprise and you're vulnerable," he said, as though making a mental note of the fact.
"You could say the same about all of us." I struggled to my feet and let him heal my arm before stepping away from him.
I made a mental note of my own—stay off balconies when he was around. I couldn't trust him as far as I could spit on him. Not that I would have him near, much less in my mouth.
"You need to be on your guard," he said.
"Even against you?" I asked, only half joking.
"Especially against me," he said. "I’m the nefarious leader of a coup. I'm holding the previous administration in a cell."
"You can't be that nefarious," I said. "They're still alive."
"Would you prefer they not be?" He arched an eyebrow at him.
"I like them alive," I said firmly. "I don't like killing." Particularly if I'm the one they're trying to kill. Me or someone I cared about. Okay, I didn't want to see Seth dead either. Or even Helene. Her death gave me no satisfaction.
"Except witches," Seth suggested.
"I don't want to kill them either," I said. "I just want to hurt them a little bit." I held my fingers slightly apart.
"That's very nice of you," Seth said.
I couldn't tell if he approved or not. Frankly, I didn't give a shit. I didn't need to cause havoc by killing. A brick to the Covener's groin would do the trick just as well. Or better yet, removing him from his position of power. I wasn't sure how I might achieve that, but it was high on my bucket list.
I wanted him to look me in the eyes and admit he knew what I was; had known all along. That he was wrong to send me away, or treat me like shit at all. I wanted a guarantee from the Witches’ Council that they'd never treat any hemitheos the same way again.
They could have asked one of Seth's people to train me if they wanted to. At worst, I could have come to the Vault sooner, with full knowledge of what I was and that I would be taught. I could have been one Hades of an ally, if he hadn't let fear blind his judgement.
When I was done, I would make sure no one grew up in fear again. The irony that I would use fear to do that wasn't lost on me. If I thought a nice chat over coffee and a couple of cupcakes would be enough, I would do that.
"Sometimes killing is necessary," Seth said wearily. "But it's not the place I prefer to start from. I didn't want my new Alphahood to start drenched in blood, if I could help it. Fortunately, most people were cooperative. It's gratifying to see some common sense still exists."
"Yeah, it's rare," I said. "I think it's more to do with self preservation than common sense."
"You might be right," he agreed. "Your self preservation might hinge on how you respond to Gwendolyn."
"I've tried to be nice," I said, more than a little defensive. What was I supposed to do with someone who hated my guts?
"Perhaps you shouldn't," Seth said.
"Be nice?" I frowned. "I thought you and she…"
He shrugged. "She oversteps her place. There are others I would prefer to have standing by my side."
"Me, you mean?" I asked.
"Yes, you." He cocked his head at me. “Why not you? You're powerful, beautiful, smart."
