Deanna glanced around the empty back foyer, playing with the dagger in her fingers.
Confident that she was alone, she slipped into the building. Where would Xavier be?
He would have had his war meetings by now, and would either be preparing for battle or spending his last moments recalling memories.
She choose the latter, slipping unnoticed through the mansion to Xavier's main study.
Agra stood at the door, eyes scanning the hall warily. Further down the opposite hall were two other Hunters, this time males.
Deanna walked straight up to Agra, ignoring her brown-eyed glare.
"Where's Xavier?" she demanded.
"The Master is busy."
"I don't care. I want to talk to him."
Agra opened her mouth, her eyes flaring with outrage, but was interrupted as Xavier stepped into the hallway, his face blank.
"So you return," he said dryly.
"Stop the war," Deanna ordered, turning to him. "This isn't about uniting the covens - it's about world domination. You just want to rule. You're greedy and cruel and you don't care who has to die to get what you want."
"Do you really think that you - an under-age Hunter - know more about the concepts of war than I?"
"I don't need to know the concepts. It's glaringly obvious that this is corruption of power."
Xavier stared at her, his grey eyes piercing.
"Do you know how old I am?" he asked suddenly.
"What?" Deanna snapped, confused by the change of subject. "What does age have to do with this?"
"I am 917 years old, yet I carry the second-born gene. By every right I should be dead by now, yet I am not. I will die soon, and I cannot deny that. This war cannot be dominance of power, because, as my only heir, Corbett will not be able to sufficiently manage the combined covens. I can either choose for him to have an advisor, or I can create a council. Which do you believe will deliver fairer and wiser guidance?"
Deanna was silent.
"I'm no fool, Deanna. I know when my time has come, and I know how to prepare the world for my departure. I do plan to bring peace among the covens. And even you cannot deny the fact that peace can only be achieved through war. I have personally witnessed this through both vampire and human history. I truly am trying to create a better world for you and my descendants. Imagine how much more prosperous we will be if the covens unite. We will be safer, and shared profits will ensure a constant financial future for all of you. Do you not want what I am offering you?"
Deanna glared at him, annoyed that she had not thought of his motives thoroughly.
"I need to win this war, Deanna, and a war master must have no distractions. You will be escorted to a chamber where Corbett will watch over you. It will keep both you guarded and him away from the battle. Please try to think of the benefits I'm offering you."
"Fine," Deanna said as the two guards headed towards them on Agra's signal. "But answer me this; who did you swap in the Peace Treaty?"
Xavier stared at her, thinking. "Ask Corbett," he said quietly, returning to his study.
