Kris looked at Rhyn, who refused to take the hint. Kris lifted his chin at Daniela, and the woman offered a curtsey before hurrying back to the Sanctuary.
"I couldn't believe you wouldn't want your life back and wanted to hear it from you," he replied, facing her.
"You don't have the power to offer me that."
"Of course I do."
"Obviously one of us is confused. I haven't lived for millions of years in your world, but I believe Rhyn here would have to die permanently so his claim on me was nullified.
And then you'd have to find someone older than Andre to wipe my memory and put everything the way it was. All of this would assume that you've decided you have no further use for me."
"You've learned a lot but not everything. There are ways of releasing you from Rhyn's claim, and there are ways of erasing your memory."
"But are you done with me, Kris?"
He didn't respond. She frowned.
"You don't seem to understand how important you are," he said at last with barely restrained impatience. "You can right the imbalance of our world so that evil is held in check. Do you want humanity to go down the toilet because you didn't feel like helping?"
"You had no intention of returning my life to me."
"Eventually, yes."
"Kris, you can't use people! Do I want to help you save the world? Yes, I do. But I don't trust you. If you lied to me about everything so far, why the hell would I trust your word about anything, even saving the world?"
He wiped his face, and she sensed again he was unaccustomed to being challenged. Andre had claimed Kris was highly combustible. She didn't want to find out, but she wasn't following him blindly.
"You used Jade, too, didn't you?" she accused. "Look where that gets you!"
"I trust Jade with my life! You think I believe the word of some stupid mortal?"
"I know what I saw, Kris!"
"So, what is your solution?" he ground out between clenched teeth. "You stay here with him while the world falls apart around you?"
"He's the only reason I'm alive, Kris," she reminded him. "You dropped me into this world, and he's kept me alive."
"How noble of the beast that nearly destroyed the world once!"
"You didn't come here to talk. You came here to do the typical immortal thing and boss me around."