“His idea is a good one,” I said carefully.
Yilan glanced at me, her lips twisting. She nodded reluctantly. “Who are the mediums? Are they human or Neph? Are they simple con-artists, or—”
“Human. And no. They’re human slaves, servants, merchants—or they once were. They all belong tosomeonenow. Most of them aren’t fakes. They clearly have some kind of connection to something beyond this realm. They’re unreliable, though. I think they’re often paid off—like Hever said. Bribery has its downsides.”
Yilan sniffed. “I wouldn’t know.”
I rolled my eyes. “In any case… if we can find the right ones to target, we could feed them any kind of rumor or dissension we choose.”
“It can't be random,” she said, shaking her head, her eyes growing distant, in an expression I recognized from when she’d advised me on the strategies to get the Nephilim through theravine against the Zaryndar and Tuskarrians. “You need to target the weakest and most easily exploited insecurities of the Neph. What are your leaders likely to listen to? What will make them fear?”
“The Neph aren’t given toinsecurity,”I drawled.
Yilan shot me a look. “Choose a different word then—what makes them doubt?”
“That’s the problem, as long as the leader shows strength, they’ll follow almost blindly—and no one appears stronger than Lucifer. He appeals to everything the Neph want,” I muttered darkly. “The only question is, why he hasn’t just stepped into the throne himself. Why is he bothering with Gall? As I think about it, why did he bother with Gault? Why bother with any of us? If he can breed with a woman himself. He doesn’tneedus. He’s always remained distant until now. So, what’s changed?”
“You?” Yilan asked quietly. When I gave her a look she plowed on. “The only thing that’s changed since Gault died isyou.Your leadership, calling toresist. The Neph’s willingness to follow… That question ofwhyis the right one, and we could plant it in the minds of the Nephilim. Lucifer used that shitshow the other night to show everyonethat he’s the true power and leadership behind the crown. You’re right though. Since he obviously is, why doesn’t he simply take the crown for himself?”
“The Neph would never question him,” I said.
“Which only begs the question further. And that means the place of doubt is Gall.” Her brow furrowed, and she sat down heavily on the rock where she’d been earlier. “That means… Melek… you told me that a Neph leader has to be fierce and strong. Ruthless. Someone they’re afraid to cross. Yet, here they’re followingGall.”
I frowned, uneasy about where this was going. “Gall isn’t presenting as he used to. At least, not always,” I said carefully.
Yilan nodded, her eyes pleading with me. “That’s precisely my point. They’ve so quickly forgotten who heusedto be… We should remind them.”
My head jerked back, away from the slap of those words. “You want to humiliate him?”
“No,” she breathed, her face sad. “It’s the last thing I want to do, but it seems like theonlyrecourse here. They need to be reminded who they’re following, and question that. Then those questions naturally lead to more questions aboutwhy.If Lucifer is so strong, and so powerful, why is he bothering with a simple-minded bastard?”
I growled.
Yilan glared. “I’m using the wordsthey’dthink of, not the ones I use. When we’re working with minds, we have to communicate as they’d think themselves, or else they’ll figure out something’s wrong.”
“Still, you’re asking me to let you tell the Neph that my son has no value, and shouldn’t be followed.”
“No, Melek… You know I don’t see him that way,” she said softly. “Gall’s value is in hissoftheart, and hiscompassion. He leads others to the defense of the weak and… we both know the Neph don’t followthat.I’m asking you to let me—and Diadre, and other suitably skilled Fetch as they arrive—tell the Neph whotheyremember Gall to be. What they take from that… that’s on them.”
“You and I both know what they’llremember.”
Her face was pained. “I don’t see him that way. Idon’t.I never have.”
“You were ready to abandon him when you thought he’d given over completely,” I muttered.
“I was ready to abandonanyonewho hurt my sister,” she whispered, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “I still have to fight every day not to snatch her away. But that’s not the point.The point is… what Nephilim want from a leader. And Gall isn’t those things. He’s what you and I want. And if we remind them of that—and point out that Lucifer chose that for them, then it’s Luciferthey start to question… and perhaps,resist?”
I hated it, but she was right. I nodded.
“Then, when the questions have taken root, we remind them of the kind of leaderyouare, and how closely that aligns with what they want. That Lucifer is drawing them awayfrom that.” She stared, and it felt like she looked into my soul. “You’re the One, Melek. I told you from the beginning. Even the ones who likeLucifer, even the ones who don’t give two shits about honor. They followed you willingly. We need to remind them of that.”
I winced, but nodded, clawing a hand through my hair. “You’re right.” I hated it, but she was. “It’s perfect.”
“Damn right it is. We should have been doing this the whole time!” Yilan sighed, shaking her head.
“I agree. It never occurred to me. But now it has. So… make it happen, Love.”
She nodded, but her eyes drifted off to the side of the cave as she thought about her plan. Then, “Is there any chance Hever is setting us up?”
