I say and look at him. “I need proof. Evidence.”
“Haven’t I given that to you? What more do I have to do?”
I shake my head.
“How can you prove it isn’t a mental projection? You can’t. I know some neuroscience. Real experience or stimulating a memory – there is no ultimate difference to the brain or the person experiencing it. Until you can prove it, projection is the simplest explanation. I tend to accept those over the more complicated ones that rely on some improvable deity.”
I'm so confused and squeeze my fingers into my palms to clear my mind.
"Regardless of what you believe, believe this. I didn't want this for you. I wanted you to study music like your parents did. But what I want isn't the point. This is about fighting Dominion," he says, "and both you and I have a responsibility to join the fight. This is what your mother would have wanted for you, had she known how close we are to it. Julien's so infatuated with you, he won’t let you be used the way you should be, but Eve, as much as I love you, I know I have to put my personal desires aside and use you the way you were meant to be used.”
“As a weapon?”
He nods, closing his eyes. “ Yes .”
“I hate the thought of leaving Julien.”
“You’ll hate yourself even more one day if I you don’t come with me.”
“Why can’t you and Julien just cooperate and fight against Dominion together?”
He shakes his head. “Because we both love you and want you for our own. Neither of us wants to yield to the other.”
“Why can’t I choose between you?”
“You can . I just wanted to give you time. I wanted to see how Julien would use you and now I have.” He shakes his head. “In the end, he’s too selfish. He wants a happy little life with you as his partner, fighting crime like you’re some ordinary Adept. You’re not ordinary and you were meant for this war.”
He shakes his head for a moment as if fighting his emotions.
“I can't lie, Eve. I was just as foolish and selfish. I thought I could make a new life for you and escape this future but I was wrong. I understand now that I have to follow this path, however much I wish to avoid it. As much as I love you – as much as I want you, I need you with me to win this war even more.”
“So I can choose?”
“Yes, but please," he says and takes my shoulders in his hands, staring in my eyes. "Consider what I've said seriously. I'm giving you this choice. By rights, I could just take you, the way Julien has. He didn't give you a choice, did he? He took you and you were far too overwhelmed by him and by everything that's happened to you to refuse. I will give you the choice. I've always given you the choice. But let me warn you again – things have gone farther than I thought they would. Time is not on our side, Eve.”
“Tell me so I understand.”
“I would but I don’t want to frighten you." He shakes his head. "I don’t want to break your heart.”
“It’s that bad?”
He nods, and brushes a strand of hair off my face. “If it wasn’t, I’d let you stay with him without making this offer. I won't lie to you. He can make you happy. I know that.”
“So if I say I'm staying with Julien, you'll just up and leave right now?”
“I let you stay this long. I didn’t try to take you back. I wanted to see what he’d do and how you’d respond. I've made my offer. You have until the end of the course to decide. At the end of your test, Julien will be here and he'll take you with him. Or I'll take you with me. It's your choice. You'll have to live with the consequences.”
I don't know what to do or say, so I just sit there, staring at his beautiful face, so filled with concern.
"I want you to be happy, Eve," he says and leans in, kissing me softly. "I'll do everything I can to make you as happy as possible if you agree to help me. But I can't promise you happiness. You may chafe at what you must do, what you must be when we're on stage and you're seen
“Haven’t I given that to you? What more do I have to do?”
I shake my head.
“How can you prove it isn’t a mental projection? You can’t. I know some neuroscience. Real experience or stimulating a memory – there is no ultimate difference to the brain or the person experiencing it. Until you can prove it, projection is the simplest explanation. I tend to accept those over the more complicated ones that rely on some improvable deity.”
I'm so confused and squeeze my fingers into my palms to clear my mind.
"Regardless of what you believe, believe this. I didn't want this for you. I wanted you to study music like your parents did. But what I want isn't the point. This is about fighting Dominion," he says, "and both you and I have a responsibility to join the fight. This is what your mother would have wanted for you, had she known how close we are to it. Julien's so infatuated with you, he won’t let you be used the way you should be, but Eve, as much as I love you, I know I have to put my personal desires aside and use you the way you were meant to be used.”
“As a weapon?”
He nods, closing his eyes. “ Yes .”
“I hate the thought of leaving Julien.”
“You’ll hate yourself even more one day if I you don’t come with me.”
“Why can’t you and Julien just cooperate and fight against Dominion together?”
He shakes his head. “Because we both love you and want you for our own. Neither of us wants to yield to the other.”
“Why can’t I choose between you?”
“You can . I just wanted to give you time. I wanted to see how Julien would use you and now I have.” He shakes his head. “In the end, he’s too selfish. He wants a happy little life with you as his partner, fighting crime like you’re some ordinary Adept. You’re not ordinary and you were meant for this war.”
He shakes his head for a moment as if fighting his emotions.
“I can't lie, Eve. I was just as foolish and selfish. I thought I could make a new life for you and escape this future but I was wrong. I understand now that I have to follow this path, however much I wish to avoid it. As much as I love you – as much as I want you, I need you with me to win this war even more.”
“So I can choose?”
“Yes, but please," he says and takes my shoulders in his hands, staring in my eyes. "Consider what I've said seriously. I'm giving you this choice. By rights, I could just take you, the way Julien has. He didn't give you a choice, did he? He took you and you were far too overwhelmed by him and by everything that's happened to you to refuse. I will give you the choice. I've always given you the choice. But let me warn you again – things have gone farther than I thought they would. Time is not on our side, Eve.”
“Tell me so I understand.”
“I would but I don’t want to frighten you." He shakes his head. "I don’t want to break your heart.”
“It’s that bad?”
He nods, and brushes a strand of hair off my face. “If it wasn’t, I’d let you stay with him without making this offer. I won't lie to you. He can make you happy. I know that.”
“So if I say I'm staying with Julien, you'll just up and leave right now?”
“I let you stay this long. I didn’t try to take you back. I wanted to see what he’d do and how you’d respond. I've made my offer. You have until the end of the course to decide. At the end of your test, Julien will be here and he'll take you with him. Or I'll take you with me. It's your choice. You'll have to live with the consequences.”
I don't know what to do or say, so I just sit there, staring at his beautiful face, so filled with concern.
"I want you to be happy, Eve," he says and leans in, kissing me softly. "I'll do everything I can to make you as happy as possible if you agree to help me. But I can't promise you happiness. You may chafe at what you must do, what you must be when we're on stage and you're seen
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