Titans of Chaos

He took his rose-hued bow in hand and shrugged, and spread his wings, so that the purpleplumage stretched out for yards to each side of him, brushing the dresses hanging there. "I coulduse the Great Weapon."

Archer paused to let that sink in, and then he said with soft danger in his voice, "Lord Terminus,for all his power and might, could not escape my darts, nor pull the barbed heads free of hisenflamed heart. Ask Io, ask Europa, ask Leto."

I was suddenly certain he could do it. Take away what I felt for Victor, just like that. Make me fallin love with Colin, or Quentin. Or Grendel Glum, for that matter. All the warmth, all the special,hidden thoughts I had, all my plans: They could be turned to dust with a pluck of the string.

Something more precious than life itself, and it could be lost.

Now is not the time to go wobbly.

I said, "Controlling someone's mind is generally not a good foundation for a long-term, workingrelationship of mutual trust. Besides, if you make me fall in love with you, I'll try to change you.

So, you have the Great Weapon. You can threaten me with a nasty crush. But is that your bestoffer? Mavors can threaten me with bloodshed, death, and ruin."

Archer laughed and put the heel of the bow on the tiles, and leaned on it. "Okay. Let's make abest offer. I have limits on what I can decree, as all gods do. But I have the authority to preventother gods from decreeing your capture. That is not the same as decreeing your freedom. Youunderstand? I cannot be seen helping you. If you can make it, on your own, into a position whereno one is chasing you, well and good: My oath will allow you to keep the freedom you earn. Butyou must earn it, and I cannot give it. I cannot deflect Lamia or the other vampires from yourtrail, because they are creatures no one loves or can love."

I said, "What about Boggin being able to trace me?"

He answered as I thought he would, "Even could I, I would not free you of your debt to him. Thatwas the price he asked for selling me the chance of meeting you."

"But you have the power to free us from Mavors' curse?"

"Mavors is beholden, most shamefully, to my mother, Lady Cyprian, and his decrees I can undo,even in matters of war, for Love conquers War, and the Imperial Seal is still mine, and my bow isgreater than his bloodthirsty spear. No more can I do."