Page 32 of Peacemaker

Chapter Ten

Peacemaker

“If she’s going to be tested,” Shane said, folding his arms, “you two had better be prepared to help her ace that test. If something happens to her while you sit on your fucking throne—”

“How dare you,” Nadine roared. She started toward Shane and before I knew I was going to move, I found myself standing between her and my hunter.

“You won’t touch him,” I said.

Her power was as great as her anger. It rushed over me in a wave of terrorizing blackness, just as it had the last time I’d pissed her off.

Amias caught me when I stumbled back, his body solid and familiar behind me, and he wrapped his arms around me. “Trinity,” he murmured, his voice sliding into my ear.

That was all he said, but I latched onto his voice, onto that word, and it gave my mind something to focus on besides the terror of Nadine’s power.

And I found my own anger. I didn’t step away from Amias. I needed his steadying influence. But I straightened, and I traded my fear for anger. I curled my lip at Nadine. “What’s the difference between the humans’ oppression and yours? We have our thoughts and our wishes and our worries, and we will ask our questions and make our demands. We won’t be slaves to the humans and we won’t be slaves to you.”

“Youare not we,” she screamed, shaking with the force of her outrage. She pointed at Shane. “He is not we!”

I thought I would die, then, as her eyes bulged and she lifted her hands, her fingers curled into claws, an almost visible power swirling around her. I thought I would die.

My men rushed toward me and the crowd fell back, gasping. Amias lifted me against his body and half turned, as though to shield me from Nadine’s raging power.

I threw myself away from him because Silverlight was coming, and my mind was too scattered to stop her. She burned a furious path through me and shot into my hand, and her killing light lit up the night.

Seconds, that was all it took. Seconds, and the peace of Willow-Wisp changed to confusion and disorder. Pandemonium.

But then, in the middle of it, Himself stood from his throne, thumped his stick on the ground, and spoke. “Stop.”

Everyone froze, including Nadine. Not even she would—or could—disobey him. I didn’t think it was possible.

I was shaking so hard my teeth clattered, and I clenched my jaw to stop them. And because I had absolutely no wish to kill anyone there, I forced Silverlight back inside. Then I stared at the ground, unable to look Himself in the eye.

“Trinity,” he said, calmly. “Look at me.”

I put my wavering stare on him and waited. That was all I could do.

Angus and the others stood close, tense and watchful. I wasn’t sure what they would do if Himself decided to give me to Nadine.

Or what they could do.

“We will not fight amongst ourselves,” Himself said. “You will all be calm.”

Nadine stepped back to her place beside his throne and the crowd relaxed. I could feel it happening, where a moment ago there’d been only alarm and tension.

The vampires weren’t the only ones skilled in the fine art of mindfucking.

“Ask your questions,” Himself said quietly. Kindly.

Questions? What questions? I couldn’t remember.

Later, I’d remember. But right then, the King of Everything was pressing against the thin walls of my mind like a forceful man trying to take a frightened virgin, and I was not willing to give myself to him.

I wanted no ruler. I wanted no dictator.

“It only hurts if you resist,” someone said. Maybe it was the king’s voice. Maybe it was mine.

Nadine was right. I wasn’t one of the supernaturals. Not really.