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His eyes darkened. “No. Once I knew he had the amulet, I complied. If I can avoid having the enthrallment incantation activated, I do so at all costs.”
She remembered the night at the lab when he was in so much pain nothing seemed to take the edge off. Not even who knows how many drinks and narcotic potions.
“Is it painful? When it’s activated?”
He let out a breath. “Excruciating.”
Her heart sank. “I’m so sorry.” The words were useless, but she wanted to say something.
“What the fuck are you sorry for, Winters?”
But she felt somewhat responsible because she had believed in the council, at least the Caster section. She suddenly felt so naive. So stupid.
“Looks like they love the idea of controlling one Wielder so much, they’re trying to add a few more,” he said.
The council was experimenting on Wielders, trying to install permanent enthrallment incantations. When it didn’t work, they simply made it look like the Wielders had died of natural causes.
“Why would they do that?” she asked, horrified.
“It takes care of their Wielder problem,” he said matter-of-factly. “The council gets to control them. An army of Wielders at the ready.”
“But for what? The war is over.”
Something flashed across his eyes but vanished before Mira could interpret it.
“The war might be over, but their suspicion of Wielders is not. Casters know they’re utterly defenseless against Wielders.”
“That’s what council defenders are for.”
A group of Wielders hired to protect the spheres and enforce laws.
“They could easily turn against Casters again…unless they were under permanent enthrallment.”
Could it be true? Was Primemage Corvin capable of such a thing?
“Does Corvin still have you kill Mercer’s former soldiers?”
“Not as much these days. I was wondering why. Guess I have my answer. Instead of killing them, they’re trying to control them. Right after the war, the list I was given was rather extensive. They had me kill the ones closest to Mercer who had not officially committed any crimes but had subscribed to his ideology. Anyone they couldn’t get to with the law.”
“Is there no way to stop Corvin?”
“He never parts with the amulet. I can’t get close to him.”
They sat in silence for a moment. He kept drinking, and her mind played through all the ways she could help him end the enthrallment.
“Maybe I could figure out—”
His eyes whipped to her. “I don’t want your fucking help.” His voice was stern. “Don’t mistake me for a victim. I’m not someone for you to save.” He stood, and she noticed the bottle was now empty. She had been dismissed.
When he reached the hallway he paused, not turning to face her.
“You got what you wanted, didn’t you?” He sounded defeated and disdainful. “Take the win, Winters.”
The win. As if him opening up to her was a loss for him. Dawson always kept secrets. If she had known the enthrallment was so deeply, so painfully connected to him, she wouldn’t have pushed.
Without another word, he walked away, taking all the light in the room with him.
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