I’d spent moretime in Hunter’s home than I would have liked over the past few days. We didn’t maintain a relationship that saw us visit each other often the way me and Erik did. I only stepped over Hunter and Larkin’s threshold if it was a necessity.
When I walked into his living room, I saw him lounging, arms spread across the back of the sofa and ankle crossed over his knee. He truly was the king of his castle.
“What do you want?” I asked, pulling him from his thoughts.
His movements were predatory. The slow turn of his head as he fixed his gaze on me, rolling his shoulders back, would have unnerved most people. It only served to aggravate me. I’d wasted enough time away from Quen and wanted to return home.
“Has she ruffled your feathers already?” he asked, picking a piece of lint from his trousers and letting it flutter to the floor.
“Not as badly as Archer did yours. Did you offer to repair his wall?”
“He’s lucky it was just the wall.” There was a ripple in his calm demeanour. “How is she without them?”
“What do you mean?”
Hunter gestured to the chair opposite him. I didn’t want to take the seat but needed to continue to show my willingness.
“You were never one to follow the rules, Grayson. And I’m not stupid. You’d have taken her out of the binds the first moment you could just to see what she could do. So, share with the class.”
I rolled my neck, the cracking sound filling the room. I had two choices: lie and irritate Hunter, falling out of his favour, or tell him the truth and try to paint it in a light that might win us some points.
“She displays a surprising amount of control for someone who’s just been gifted,” I explained casually. “There’s been the odd hiccup, but nothing too damaging.”
No need to tell him about the mirror incident. It was a quick fix, and I had no lasting injuries from it.
“We can’t afford the odd hiccup,” Hunter replied.
Despite his calm facade, a muscle jumped near his jaw and there was a ripple in the air that belonged to me. Quentin made him angry. Her existence went against everything he stood for. The fact she hid in plain sight for so long must have driven him mad. Confirmed what I had known all along—he was unfit for the position he held.
Hunter uncrossed his legs and leaned forwards. He rested his elbows on his knees and looked at me. For a moment, I was transported back to centuries ago when I looked at my brother, longing for his approval. There was nothing more I wanted than for Hunter to see me as worthy of being his second-in-command.
But I had grown up since then. Why settle for second when you could be first? Approval was highly overrated. Especially coming from this clown.
“There are questions about the study and why it's been paused.” Hunter ran a hand down his face. “The problem with turning to someone devout and using them as a vessel means they will not leave you alone when something goes slightly off course.”
“This could have been entirely avoided if you’d listened to me and abandoned this ridiculous plan in the first place,” I said, checking my nails.
There was a flash of blue that forced me to look up. Hunter’s face contorted with rage, tired of being questioned by me once again on the need for E.L.I.
“This project needs to be a success—"
“If you say so.” I leaned back in my chair and sniffed.
“And you will help make it a success.”
“And how am I meant to do that? I’ve played along and offered myself as the perfect test subject, but everything is on hold.”
“You’re going to teach her to control herself so we can descend and finish the business I started.”
It felt too perfect, the hand I’d drawn against my brother. He was giving us exactly what we wanted, but I needed to keep calm.
“You’re prepared to release her back to Earth?” I asked smoothly.
“Temporarily. Once the project is done, we can convene for a council meeting and make a decision about what to do with her.”
“We don’t know how long that might take.”
“Uncertainty breeds fear and fear breeds compliance. I want her to be compliant, Grayson. If you don’t think you’re up to handling a half-breed, I’ll ask Aria.”
