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Joan didn’t believe it—not with the way everyone was looking at Nick. In her own ears, her breathing sounded loud and ragged. ‘Jamie?’
‘I didn’t know anything about this.’ Jamie looked grim. To Liam, he said, ‘You had a meeting without Tom and me? That’s not right, Liam.’
‘You and Tom are free to vote too,’ Liam said. He raised his chin defiantly. ‘I have to tell you, though, the vast majority has spoken. We’ve already come to a decision about what to do.’
‘A decision?’ Joan said. What was he talking about? ‘You don’t need to make a decision about anything!’
‘You have sanctuary,’ Liam said, ‘but we can’t tolerate his presence unchecked. We won’t.’
Joan’s stomach churned. ‘Look,’ she said to Liam—to the rest of the room. She could ease this situation, she told herself. She had to. ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought him here. We’ll just leave, okay? You won’t need to worry about us. You never have to see us again.’
‘He can’t just leave,’ Liam said. ‘He’s seen this place. He’s been to an inn.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Joan stared at him. ‘You just said you couldn’t tolerate him here! What do you mean he can’t leave either?’
‘Do you need me to make a promise?’ Nick asked. He still sounded calm. Joan had a strange flash of him standing in front of the Olivers, sword in hand. He’d sounded calm then too. He addressed the whole room now. ‘You’re afraid that I’ll tell people about this world,’ he said to them. He didn’t raise his voice, but his words rang out. ‘I swear I won’t. You have nothing to fear from me.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Liam said. His own voice shook. ‘But that’s not enough. We have to guarantee everyone’s safety.’
‘Why do you keep saying that?’ Joan said. ‘What do you mean?’ Were they going to chain Nick up in a room somewhere?
Liam beckoned to a boy standing near the hearth. ‘Owen,’ he said. It was the boy with ash-blond hair who’d been rude to Joan on the stairs. The Argent boy who’d tried to use his power on her—just to see if he could.
‘Wait, what?’ Joan said. She felt for a second like she was going to be sick. ‘What are you doing? What are you going to do?’
‘We won’t harm him,’ Liam said. ‘We’ll only compel him to make sure he won’t harm us.’
To Joan’s dismay, Nick stepped toward the Argent boy. As he moved, there was a shuffle as Liam backed up. Joan caught frightened and hostile eyes in the crowd.
‘What on earth?’ Ruth muttered. She looked confused.
So did Nick. He tried again. ‘I won’t harm any of you. I wouldn’t.’
‘Then you won’t even notice the compulsion,’ Liam said to him. Could Nick hear the fearful shake in his voice? ‘You won’t even feel it.’
Joan turned to Jamie, to Tom. ‘We can’t control his mind!’
‘I’m sorry,’ Jamie said. ‘I don’t agree with this either.’
This shouldn’t have been an argument to agree or disagree with. They shouldn’t have taken a vote. ‘It’s wrong!’ Joan said. ‘It’s just wrong!’
‘It’s okay,’ Nick murmured to Joan. ‘If they’re really this scared that I’ll tell, I don’t mind giving them a guarantee. If that’s what they need.’
‘No,’ Joan said to him. All she could think about was Nick’s horrible blank expression when Corvin Argent had compelled him. ‘They don’t need this!’ She turned to Ruth. ‘We can’t let them do this!’
‘We’re not on Hunt territory,’ Ruth said apologetically. ‘I can’t do anything about it.’
‘Why is this a problem?’ Liam asked Joan, his voice still shaking. ‘This is a fair solution for all of us. He’ll be able to walk among us, unharmed. And we’ll have peace of mind.’
‘Why is this a problem?’ Joan repeated incredulously. ‘Because you can’t just make people do things! You can’t insert yourself into people’s minds! It’s a violation!’
‘Joan,’ Nick said. ‘It’s okay.’ To Liam, he said, ‘I have no intention of harming any of you. If you need more than my word, then you can have it.’
The boy by the hearth—Owen—began to walk over. Joan tried to get in front of Nick again, but strong hands tugged her away. One of the Hathaways. ‘Get off me!’ she said.
‘Hey!’ Nick said. The first flare of anger he’d shown since he’d come back downstairs. He started toward the Hathaway.
Owen’s voice rang out: ‘Be still.’ And just like in the courtyard, Nick froze. He was mid-step, his knee crooked uncomfortably. His eyes widened, and Owen said: ‘You’re not afraid. You’re calm.’
