“Yikes,” I muttered.

“Yes,” she agreed. “And those who have sided with the traitors would thrive if humans were enslaved. A world of unhappy humans would mean they’d have even more of what they crave.”

“Not good,” I kept muttering.

“No, and worse, it’s gluttony. For there is already much anger, jealousy, prejudice, and fear for them to feed from.” She shook her head and, along with it, her music-video-drifting hair. “It makes no sense to the sisterhood. The more you consume, you just become more of what you consume. It doesn’t make you more powerful. It just makes you angrier, uglier, more hateful.”

“Just like humans,” Leah stated.

“Exactly,” Serena replied.

“The good news is,” Gregor butted in, “although Serena and her sisters have lost their foothold amongst our enemy, she’s managed to make a meeting with Gastineau.”

“Who’s Gastineau?” Abel asked.

“My lifemate,” Serena answered. “He’s also emperor of the phantoms. We were reconciled seventy-five years ago, but this lasted under a decade. However, we made a child during that time, our third daughter, and since he dotes on her, but I’m raising her, we’ve had to stay in close contact. As his brothers wish after the last situation they involved themselves in, which segregated our kind, Gastineau prefers to keep to the shadows and allow other immortals, and humans, to do what they will. Including making their mistakes. I hope to impress on him during our meeting that this time he must take a stand, with his brothers, alongside their sisters, uniting us all once again in order to keep peace.”

“And how is he leaning?” Abel asked.

“We, like wolves, once we find our mates, never stray. Imagine you were separated from your mate for decades, a mate you love who you’re simply angry with, a mate who’s raising your child.” She tipped her head. “I think you know how he’s leaning.”

“In other words, you got leverage,” Abel remarked, and her smile came back.

“Indeed, I do. But also, most phantoms, like most wraiths, prefer positive energy. Even if I didn’t have that leverage, I know my Gastineau. He would never side with the traitors. He may not wish to get involved, but he would not ally himself with them. Therefore, in order to keep the state of the world as it needs to be, I believe inside he understands that he must lead his brothers to maintain that. I just have to point out that this situation has become dangerous; instead of pockets of rebellions breaking out, this is a real threat.”

“Why do you call them traitors?” I asked, and her attention turned to me.

“They know we’ll not feed on negativity and therefore will perish. To ally with those who would wipe all goodness from humanity would mean vast amounts of wraiths and phantoms would cease to be. And this is the same for vampires. There are those who don’t like fear and desolation to sour the blood of humans, but they’re resigning their brothers and sisters to that fate. In the end, we are all of this world. We all must find a way to live together in harmony, and anyone who doesn’t agree is a traitor to the way things need to be.”