Retribution(42)
“So it would seem. But what do you think will happen when he does?”
“He’ll have even more power than he has now.”
“No,” Lynette disagreed. “That witch will ruin him. She’ll fight him at every turn, and he’ll eventually lose his patience and kill her.”
Lynette had gotten lazy with her hand, but Guthrie barely noticed. “So?”
“So,” she huffed, “how do you think he’ll handle that? He's risking everything he's built for her; turned his life upside down for her. Nothing else matters to him now, so how do you think he’ll react when his finest treasure is lifeless in his arms? And how will he deal with the regret of being the one who destroyed her? He’s either going to die getting his witch, or he’s going to let her ruin him. Either way, we’re going to make sure no one’s there to save him. Then we’re going to assume power.”
“And the witch? What would we do with her? If she manages to kill him, we’re next on her list.”
Lynette’s grin stretched as her fingernails drifted over his inner thigh. “But we’ll be expecting it; we’ll have the upper hand. And what better way to assume power than to control the fate of the most powerful witch in the world? Agro can’t possess her without losing himself, but we can. What you do with her will determine the direction of your rule and cement you as the undisputed leader of hundreds of magicians.”
Guthrie took Lynette by the wrist and pulled her palm from his manhood. “And if we don’t get the witch? What will cement me as a ruler then? Should I kill you? The woman who’s been plotting against our boss for weeks. Perhaps I should place your severed head on a pedestal as an example of what happens to traitors.”
Lynette’s devious determination wavered, exposing remnants of the fragile witch she left behind years ago. In her shiny eyes, Guthrie found fear, weakness and need, a plea for mercy, acceptance and protection. Tears swelled as she wiggled her wrist, but Guthrie held firm, his expression stern.
“Is that the kind of man you want me to be?” he whispered. “A man who will fuck you and kill you in the same day?”
She blinked, sending tears down her cheeks, but her trembling lips stayed sealed.
“Remember,” he added, watching moisture pool at the corners of her mouth, “if I want to live like Agro, I must act like him. I must become a cruel man who will stop at nothing to get what I want. Now tell me – is that the man you want me to be? And would you sacrifice yourself to make it so?”
“I thought we were in this together.”
“No.” He rolled her onto her back and pinned her arms to the ground, leaning close enough for her to feel the quiet growl rumbling in his chest. “When you take a position like Agro’s, a position of complete power, you have no partners. You trust no one. You value yourself above all others and will sacrifice the most beautiful woman in camp to prove it. That’s what being a dictator is about. That’s how Agro has maintained power for more than sixty years. That’s what he has that others don’t – a willingness to stop at nothing to get what he wants. Now answer me before I throw your ass out – is that the man you want me to be?”
Her breathing quickened, her heart rapping on his ribs as she timidly searched his eyes, like she might find the answer within them. “Yes,” she confessed, “I want you to value yourself above the others… above me, because you’re better than Agro, and when he falls, you’ll lead us in a better direction.”
“No, Lynette. What you speak of isn’t possible. If I were to take control and present myself as a fair leader offering equality and power, I’d be dead within a month, murdered by a soldier jealous of the power I’m clearly not willing to kill for. An army like this must be ruled with an iron fist. So you see, a shift in power won’t save these soldiers. It will only elevate me to an enviable status. If this is to be done, it’s to be done selfishly, not with grand fantasies of a happy family full of cold-blooded killers. This is not a coven, Lyn. This is a snake pit, and every single one of these slithering bastards is fighting for survival. They’ll strike the moment you show weakness – a point proven by your grand schemes. So, are you ready for me to become the man you hate? Because that’s what will happen if you keep this up.”
Her arms remained pinned to the ground, but her hips wiggled. “Sounds like everyone’s screwed either way. Why not remove yourself from the snake pit and lord over it?”
“And what about you? What should I do with the one woman in camp I know for a fact is capable of mutiny? Letting her live would be a risk. It would show weakness.”