Page 130 of Magic of the Damned

“The alliance with the Dark Caster will be temporary. Betraying him is imminent, so I’m not sure of the problem.”

“I would have agreed, but this Dark Caster is strong, cunning. He has access to more magic, which makes him a force like I haven’t seen before. And if he gets to Luna, I’m not sure how to counter him.” The unspoken part of his sentence held a complex tapestry of emotions. How did he counter Peter when Helena and Areleus were Peter’s allies?

His voice lowered, uneasiness in his admission of someone being stronger than him.

Ileana’s brows furrowed as stony eyes gave me a once-over. She clasped her fingers together. The silence stretched and became heavier with each passing moment.

“You want to maintain the status quo,” she surmised, showing the same disdain that the royals and the magically inclined held for humans. “They want exposure. Change life. Reveal the existence of magic and its magical creatures. It would allow more procreation and change the power balance of the world. I’m not sure I see the problem.”

“At the loss of human autonomy and freedom,” I provided.

She frowned at my response, or just the mere fact I spoke. Cool eyes trailed from my feet up to my head. She was clearly annoyed.

“The humans will still have the illusion of autonomy and freedom. Just a change in the hierarchical system. Instead of living alongside each other in separate systems, it will be as one. Survival of the fittest.”

“Humans are capable of surviving against supernaturals who possess magic, preternatural speed, strength, and limited weaknesses that can be used to keep them in check?”

She shrugged. “Then they don’t survive.”

I slumped back in the chair, disillusioned. Trying to appeal to the humanity of people who didn’t seem to possess a drop of it was draining.

“No system is perfect but this one is the fairest,” Dominic pointed out.

“Fairest.” She rolled her eyes.

“Yes. Supernaturals must adhere to established rules and maintain their anonymity. They can’t do so at the expense of humans.” He glanced at me because that had been insisted upon as a priority when the terms of Dominic’s intervention were renegotiated. “When the rules are broken, I handle it.”

After a moment of consideration, she said, “Release the prisoners from the Perils. Vadim will cause his typical disruption. He will be an efficient agitator to the shifters and the witches.” A shifter immune to silver and with magic was more than just an agitation, he was a menace. “The vampire is the most mercurial of them all. Tell Roman he’ll be allowed free rein, but only his line can exist. His ego will convince him that his line is the only one worthy of existing. He’ll kill all the other vampires. He’s quite good at that. Roman would be the one to cause the most problems.”

“His claws are poisonous and mute the magic of anyone they touch,” Dominic pointed out.

She dismissed the information with a wave of her hand. “You’ve encountered him on many occasions, how often have you fallen prey to them? You are a superior fighter. Roman will be of no concern to you.”

Dominic appeared agitated by having to remember the times Roman had successfully disabled his magic with his poison. “I felt them enough times to be wary.”

“He’s dangerous and a threat to all. His release will be an adequate distraction for Peter.” She scowled at the name he was going by. “A touch from Roman’s claws affects Peter as it does all of us. After he’s caused the necessary damage, declaw him. I’m confident you can find a spell that will adequately prevent them healing back. None of his sired have shown to have those abilities. He would be a non-issue. If he remains a concern, once he’s served his purpose…” She flicked her wrist. A flippant response to the suggestion of murder. “Celeste is a different story. She’s too powerful. I predict the witch will be a problem for you. There will always be someone who wants her free—to curry favor with her. Her extermination will be far more beneficial than preservation of her life.”

Dominic seemed to be giving the suggestion consideration. “She spelled herself so that her life is linked to the most powerful witch bloodline. If she dies, they do, too.”

I had been reduced to advocating for people who hated me.

“I made an oath to Madeline and her coven that Celeste would be spared until they found a way to break the spell.”

She shrugged. “Celeste is the reason Roman is the threat he is,” she provided in an effort to coax Dominic into her solution.

Fuck. Helena didn’t have a fighting chance of being decent with these people as parents.

“So, your suggestion is to let my world descend into chaos, murder, and dominating the weakest and maybe…just maybe a few humans survive? A magical carpet bomb and then what?” I asked.

Dominic’s head rested back on the chair, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. “Then I go in after the wreckage and clean up,” he said. “My rules, alliances with those standing, and everything different. New.”

“Yes, or you can do nothing. I’ve always wondered why you all got involved with the humans and supernaturals. Boredom?”

“Someone had to do it.” The underworld in all its scariness actually played a vital role in reining in magic wielders.

“So,” I drawled in sheer incredulity, “anarchy is the solution we’re going with?” My sarcasm irritated Ileana, but at that moment, I didn’t give a damn.

Dominic shifted position, studying me for a long time, which prompted his mother to do the same before studying the way he looked at me, her eyes narrowing in scrutiny, her lips twisting into a moue.

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