Eilee gazed between them, a sincere look in her eyes, as if she wasn’t capable of any sort of mischief, but Kinzer knew this had more to do with her creation, her aesthetically pleasing features, and the way she held her face. But not only could she be mischievous, she could be insane, which was the initial reason for being forced into hiding.
“Treycore will be very surprised to see me,” Eilee said, “and I think relieved, considering I helped him not so long ago…maybe a few seconds for an immortal, compared to the lifespan of mortals. I know you might think we still have the troubles of our past together, but I assure you that we have moved beyond those, or at least, have talked through them. I am quite fine in knowing Treycore has fallen in love with one other than Vera. I would venture to say this is what you were worried about? Or are you more concerned about the accusations laid against me for my crime—the reason I no longer hold a seat next to the Almighty? Madness. Insanity. Yes, I can’t claim I’m quite recovered from any of that, or that I believe there is such a recovery in my future. I think I’m about as crazy as is possible for an immortal to be. I wouldn’t claim to be harmless, but I can tell you that I have no desire to hurt either of you.”
“And Treycore?” Kinzer asked.
“I desire to hurt Trey every day for the way he hurt me, and I won’t lie about that, but I love him, deeply so. He is the only one who understands me, who understand us…even if he is slightly lesser than myself. So, I’m asking that you let me accompany you.”
Quintz interrupted with, “This is no place for a creature as magnificent as yourself. We’re going to Earth, which is going to be the site of a great war.”
“All the realms are a site of a great war,” she said. “At this point, we are all as safe anywhere. If I am going to be somewhere, I want to be in battle, fighting for what is right. Fighting alongside my Trey. We have been working to fortify this place from the Morarkes, but I am not naive about our chances of surviving. And I would rather fight on the frontlines, especially if you know where those are. After everything I have been through, I am happy to set my vanity aside and join you as the warrior I am. And I am a great warrior.”
Neither could deny that. Kinzer was familiar with the great legends of how she fought during the War between Heaven and Hell. It was so interesting because at that time, she did side with the Almighty. She was on the opposite side as Kinzer, killing off his fellow soldiers. Now she was willing to stand alongside him. Oh, how things had changed. How all these great realms had evolved and transformed over such a very long time muddled the sides.
“Eilee, do you mind if I discuss your offer with my companion?” Kinzer asked.
“Of course,” she said. “Take your time, but remember that every moment that passes while you debate is another moment we could be heading on the way to take down Janka. You must remember that my looks may be deceiving, but naive as I work to appear—since I have discovered naïveté is viewed far more favorably than intellect—it does not mean I am not well studied. In fact, you well know, Kinzer, that the most beautiful of us were the most educated, and I also remain the most informed, so I am truly a great asset to your cause.”
“Thank you,” Kinzer added before he and the still-blindfolded Quintz went into the corner of the room.
When they were out of earshot, Kinzer said, “Thoughts?”
“She sounds like she’s really thought this through.”
“I think she’s crazy.”
“Yes. There is that.”
“The room echoes quite a bit!” she called out. “If you want to keep me from hearing you, I suggest you head into the adjoining room behind me. If you really want some privacy, that would be my strong recommendation. I might also be more pleasant to you if I am not privy to some of these words about my own madness, which I will have you know, I certainly do not enjoy.”
Kinzer slung his arm over Quintz’s shoulders and guided him to the room she’d directed them to, closing the door behind them to keep the sound from traveling.
“She could kill any one of us in our sleep,” he said. “Slit our throats. We don’t know what she’s capable of. We don’t know if she even believes in sides anymore. She killed her own when she was working for the Almighty, trying to resolve things for the Council.”
“Yes,” Quintz said.
“Everything she said is true about how she is, about what she’s capable of. She’s a warrior. She’s an intellect. For all we know, she could be working with the Almighty right now, under the guise of this Hunter figure in Hell.”
“If she is working for the Almighty, just like with most of us, she would be against Janka and on our side.”
“Who’s to say she isn’t with Janka?” Kinzer asked. “That could equally be part of her strategy. There are so many we didn’t know about who have sided with Janka.”
“We have no other way to Earth. We get her to Earth, and to Treycore even, and let him decide.”
“What if she can’t even get us there, and this is all some ploy to lead us to our death?”
“Your skepticism is charming, Kinzer. It is. But it leaves little room for allegiances, and those are necessary. We have to make the best of whoever we can find.”
“Like you did with your team? Look how well that worked out.”
Quintz reached out like he was trying to reassure Kinzer, but set his hand down beside him, apparently not realizing where Kinzer was. He felt around before setting his hand on Kinzer’s shoulder. “Kinzer, we all fail sometimes. I’ve done the best I can, and I know you’ve done the best you can. No matter how many times we are betrayed, we do have to find a way to build some semblance of trust again, if only to be able to align and take down something as horrible as Janka. What is the worst that could happen? She kills us? If Janka takes over, we’re dead anyway.”
As much as Kinzer wasn’t eager to get into bed with Eilee, he knew their options were limited. “At the same time, I think we can both agree that if she loses her mind, this is not Hayde, where we can kill her.”
“I agree. We would have to find some other solution. But to kill or taint her in any way is out of the question, and if anything, for that very reason, she’s an asset. I would be surprised if even Janka himself would be willing to harm Eilee. Take her prisoner, certainly. Have his way with her, even more. But there are very few who would be willing to injure such a fair creature.”
“I can think of a few,” Kinzer said as he thought about how excited Vera would have been to have a moment alone with Treycore’s ex. “But I can agree we should unite. Just know, now we have two threats to keep an eye on.”
“Three for you,” Quintz said, something Kinzer didn’t need to be reminded of.
