"Her spirit had long fled. I was simply using the shell to encourage you to discover your own heritage. I was being helpful. If you look at it in the right light."
I couldn't even respond to that.
"Why did Edgar Chandler ask me to kill you?" Gabriel said.
"That's . . . complicated."
"You have one minute to find an uncomplicated answer. If you do so, you will earn five minutes of our time."
"You're very cute," Tristan said. "Both of you. You act as if you have a say in the matter. As if you could, indeed, just push me out of the way and go about your evening."
"Is that an invitation to try?" Gabriel said.
"Not particularly. I lack your fondness for confrontations."
"Chandler," I said. "He wanted us to kill you."
"No, I don't think he did. He wanted you to find me. I'd gone to him once before, when he was working on his brainwashing techniques with the merry Huntsman. I'd made him an offer. He refused. I believe he was reconsidering, namely because he realized he was in deep trouble. He sent you after me. He thought I would use my abilities to overpower you and learn who sent you, and then I'd go and speak to him. He was overcomplicating things, as usual. I wouldn't have bothered with him. He was damaged goods by that point. There's your answer, so I'll take my five minutes." He gave us no time to object. "I'm the one who started the business with James Morgan. Making him think Eden was in danger from you, Mr. Walsh."
"What?" I said.
"I had a plan," he said, with a combination of nonchalance and smugness that left me staring.
They aren't human. You need to remember that. Don't expect them to think, to act like humans.
Tristan continued, "I want peace, Eden, and you could start a war that will make this entire corner of the world a very uncomfortable place for those like me. So I'm going to help you make the right choices. If you don't . . ." He shrugged. "I'll have to kill you. Which would be regrettable."
"All right," Gabriel said. "We've heard enough--"
"I still have four minutes. The point is that I ruffled Mr. Morgan's feathers for the same reason I toyed with Ciara Conway's unfortunate shell. All part of my plan. Mr. Morgan was a pest. Pests need to be eradicated."
I lunged forward. "You killed--?"
His hands shot up. "An unfortunate choice of words. Please allow me to finish. He was a nuisance because he was distracting you from discovering your identity and your role. I expected Mr. Walsh would stomp him, and in the process the bond between you and Mr. Walsh would strengthen. That bond is important, as I'm sure you know by now."
I glanced uneasily at Gabriel, but he only watched Tristan with the same wary look he'd had since we'd been waylaid.
I answered quickly. "So you made James think Gabriel was a danger to me. You compelled him--"
"Which was only possible because he was quite willing to be persuaded," Tristan cut in, as if that made a difference.
"You got Gabriel arrested for assault and trespassing--"
"That I didn't expect. Morgan was more committed to you than I anticipated. The situation escalated."
"No shit it escalated." I stepped toward him. "You escalated it. You sent cult deprogrammers after me, in James's name."
"No, I presume Morgan was behind that. And now our Mr. Walsh has been falsely charged with his murder."
"Do you know who did it?"
"Well, no. Not yet. I believe if we pool our resources--"
I laughed.
"I realize you haven't seen me as an ally," Tristan said. "Though I'd argue I am. In fact, I'm the only one who doesn't seek the destruction of either side. I want peace."
"Is that an option?" I said. "Because according to everything I've heard, I have three choices: I choose to align myself with one side and let the other die out. Or I choose neither and both die. I'm not hearing an alternative."