“What?” Grant said. “What are you claiming?”
“Rest easy, boy,” Nathaniel said as Pinter’s hand trembled.
“Pinter, do not lower that weapon.”
Nathaniel looked at Grant then, the gold flecks in his eyes blazing. “Do not push him to make a mistake.”
Grant grabbed Nathaniel’s arm. “That’s—”
Nathaniel’s palm slammed into Grant’s chest, and Grant flew backward, landing hard on the ground. Nathaniel said, “Free will comes with consequences.”
“Nathaniel, don’t!” she said.
“You would take sides against me?” he demanded.
“I’m not taking sides.”
Grant regained his feet with effort and held out a hand to Pinter, who had his weapon trained on Nathaniel.
“Demons sometimes disguise themselves as men and other creatures,” Grant said. “They spout prophecies and try to trick us with claims that they’re God’s messengers or soldiers, so we don’t kill them. You’ll come with us, so we can discover your true nature.”
“Killing demons is not the responsibility of men. Resisting temptation is work enough for mankind.”
“And we should let the demons kill us whenever they want?”
“Kate,” Nathaniel said, resting his hand on the roof. “I don’t belong here. Open the door.”
“Kate, you should stay with us,” Grant said. “I’ll take you into the Etherlin where you’ll be safe.”
She felt like a wishbone about to be broken between them. The Etherlin represented all the world’s promise for her dazzling future, but Nathaniel might become the love of her life. She wanted both. She couldn’t allow them to be at odds with each other. She had to smooth things over.
She glanced at the gates and then walked around the car to Nathaniel. “You remember what you are?” she whispered.
“I have an idea, yes.”
“So you don’t need my help anymore?” she murmured.
“I never needed your help.”
She flinched.
“Let’s go, Kate.”
He still wanted her to go with him. That was something. “Hold on. This isn’t just about you,” she whispered fiercely. “I have a relationship with this community. This amazing community. You can’t ask me to jeopardize that. I need for you to come inside and to submit to a few tests so that they’ll be satisfied that you’re not dangerous.”
“I am dangerous, and I won’t submit to anything.” His tone was so hard and even. So final. As if what she needed didn’t matter to him at all. Her body became rigid, her emotions brittle as glass.
“You owe me an explanation,” she said.
“I’m leaving this place right now. You can accompany me or not.”
She glared at him. She was not going to be steamrolled. “We need to talk this out.”
He scowled and pulled her forward, his fingers digging into her pocket to retrieve the car keys.
She shoved him and backed away. “Don’t manhandle me.”
“You accuse me of such a thing? Perhaps you should stay here, Kate, until you decide with whom you belong.”