Chosen One (Forever Evermore #6)(81)
“But,” she flicked a finger at me, “they are not one of our Rulers.”
“So they’re angry, not just frightened.”
She nodded once, sitting back on her chair. “A dangerous combination.”
Leric’s free hand’s fingers tapped. “Do we know who took their fear and flamed it into violence?”
Mr. Damon shook his head. “We believe the elite Guardian overseeing Jeria was close to the truth, but she was killed before she was able to communicate with us.”
“Her friends. Her family. Anyone left alive in that area I want questioned immediately,” Leric stated simply, and instantly notes were being taken by his elite Guardian. “Dad, you’ll lead this investigation and report back to me directly.” His thumb tapped on the table. “I want two other elite Guardians named from the ranks. Send one to Eski, the other to Nosa, to assist the other two, their destinations eventually Cullo and Jeria.” More thumb tapping, and he growled quietly in his throat, a tiger sound, everyone freezing at the table, since this was proof positive I was exactly who I said I was. “And send in two damn troops of Guardians into Cullo and Jeria. I’m officially naming those two cities Dead Zones.” I was pretty sure no one at the table breathed. “The Guardians have my permission to use lethal force without charging. Anyone who is deemed a threat, are to be taken out.”
I swallowed, and asked through our connection, “Isn’t that a little…extreme?”
An instant growling push back. “Not if they are killing innocents on the fucking streets.”
Oh. My mind had been a bit pre-occupied still about their unbelievable issue with me. “How will you handle the press of this?”
“Shit…” He ran a hand over his face, and started speaking aloud, “And ideas for the press on this?” No one spoke, still appearing a bit shell-shocked about him calling a “Dead Zone”, and I made a mental note to look that up and see what it really meant. “Come on, people. Snap the hell out of it and give me your thoughts.”
The man to my left’s hands flexed then fisted, and he peered around me, stating, “Broadcast it through the papers.” Yeah, no television here, exactly why I had been surprised about the remote control. “Let them see what happens when they turn against their own kind like rapid animals.”
“I don’t agree,” another man on my right stated quickly, clearing his throat and running a hand through his hair. “For those who don’t know about it, it could only create an issue where none exists. And, for those who do know, they may believe the Chosen has…inflicted…the One with her,” he glanced at me nervously, his gaze apologetic before turning his eyes back to the man he was speaking with, “less than ideal views, since she does live in a harsh world she shouldn’t.”
I…let that one pass, because I agreed with his other points.
Leric didn’t, stating instantly, “It is her choice, just as we all have that choice.”
“And almost everyone thinks it’s crazy to choose as she did,” the man with the point I liked stated, gaining his confidence back. “She will have a lot of ground to gain, even in the cities not fighting.” He shook his head. “Word is spreading fast, so we do need to stop it some way.” His gaze raked over me. “Possibly change her appearance, then start making regular stops in the cities together, but in those cities where word has already spread, it’s like a poison that will simmer until it’s boiled again in their veins, and I don’t believe broadcasting it to the other cities,” a flicked narrowed gaze to the man next to me, then back to Leric, “is the wisest choice currently.”
Leric stated, “I agree.”
This produced a quiet smug expression from the man with a semi-valid argument.
“Is there anything else we need to know about right now?” Leric asked.
When shakes of heads were given, the lean woman at the end of the table flicked her hand, stating, “I don’t have any news to give you, but I do have a question that I’m sure we’re all wondering.” When Leric dipped his head for her to continue, she leaned forward, spoke calmly, and bluntly, “I don’t believe the rioters’ views to be completely unwarranted. Somehow, the Chosen slipped under your radar for protection against becoming a ruler. Her views are unconventional, even if she does appear sane, but if she should go insane, and she does become pregnant with a Commoner by rape, or lust, then how will you know this, if she’s escaped you once already?”
I had to hand it my Lajaks. Not one of them even flinched at that bomb. And it was the biggest, the one I couldn’t even speak on, magic tying a Mystical outside the Temple for that information. Instead, they stood utterly still, and stayed silent, even as I knew their minds were flying, trying to reason that out.
“I’ll answer that one.” I squeezed Leric’s hand, and he sat back on his chair, appearing damn lazy while I sat forward, and repeated what he had once said, “While it may be true his protection wasn’t given to me, which was of no fault to his own,” I shrugged a shoulder, “the magic of the Chosen would not have been gifted to me if I couldn’t handle it. I won’t crack under the pressure of the Barren or the Shadows. I’ve dealt with both, and although I am new to fighting in the Barren with the mass amounts of evil I did recently, my first time, I handled it far better than I believe anyone else would have. I never quit. I didn’t stop. Four hours on end. Even when I was killing a pedophile, his memories racing through my mind, I turned and sliced into a child molester, his memories condensing on top of the others, only to turn and place my back to my One’s and guard it against the serial killer about to bite into him, his memories rushing when I ended him as we faced hundreds more, all just as dark.” I raised my brows, staring steadily at the strong woman, even as the individual next to her’s face turned ashen. “That night, I actually went to sleep. It may have taken a while, but I actually slept. Peacefully.” I shrugged a shoulder, sitting back on my chair. “Like I said, the power wouldn’t have been gifted to me if I couldn’t handle it.”