“I’m harnessing it. This is where our discussion comes full circle, William. Everyone else is recruiting. They’re picking their teams, and you’re my first pick. This is how we cheat the game.”

“You’ll use him to recruit?”

“Not just him,” Teacher said. He smiled at William. “I want you to give him something. You’re not limited to physical maladies, are you? You can take mental illnesses, stresses, poisonings, parasites, take them into yourself, and then transfer them. And, I think, you can move other things.”

“He’s an ally.”

“He’s a complete and utter monster that even the other Fallen detest and fear. I need you to work on him for me.”

“Work?” William asked. He frowned. “You want me to give him… the influence you gained over me?”

Teacher smiled. “You take and you give injuries, ailments, and other maladies. This slavishness and loss of autonomy is a malady. Part two of this process is to give it to him. I want him under my thumb.”

“What’s part one?”

“He put a compulsion on himself, using his own hypnosis. We’ll give that to someone inconsequential. We can’t have his loyalties divided.”

“It doesn’t stop with him, does it?” William asked.

“You are so immensely powerful, William, but you were always limited by the fact you had to endure whatever it was you intended to heal or inflict. I can suppress that. In exchange, you can turn anyone into a pawn for me. We’ll turn the most dangerous monsters into docile servants, and the world will be better for it.”

William approached the bed. He felt for and found Teacher’s influence. It was hard to look directly at, because he could feel the pressure of the thing on the other side, trying to do its work.

Reaching out, he touched Valefor’s forehead.

He’d barely noticed the influence while it was in effect, but he noticed its absence. A weight was off his shoulders.

“We’ll give him his jaw back,” Teacher said. “And we’ll give him his eyes. He’ll be able to use both.”

“After, you mean? You’ll want more influence first.”

“Of course,” Teacher said. “We’ll be careful, even with someone already accustomed to servitude.”

William paced around the room, deep in thought.

“You’re interested. Will you leave the Fallen and join me?”

“Are they mutually exclusive? You helped them before.”

“Not mutually exclusive, but not wholly inclusive either. Some are too dangerous to leave alone. Others, like the new branch, are already firmly in my camp. Our camp.”

“Who else?”