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As much as I loathed the Fates, I really wished they could hear him right now. They’d cut his thread in a heartbeat and burn it to ash.

I tried a different tack. “Don’t you worry you’ll get bored? If people listen to your every word, there’ll be no surprises.”

“I’m in charge. If I want to surprise myself, then I’ll find a way to make it happen.”

I resisted the urge to antagonize him with the shake of my head. His delusions of grandeur knew no bounds.

“Do you know why the gods stopped being active in the human realm, Keith?” I didn’t wait for an answer. “Because they lost interest. Turns out puppeteering people is tedious work.”

“Except I don’t have an entire world, only a small island.”

“Which means you’ll lose interest even faster. Then what? Your mental tricks won’t work in a more populated area.”

He shrugged. “I can move on to one of the other retirement islands until I’ve conquered them all. That’ll take a few years.”

“Will it? You plowed through Evermore in a matter of days. It’ll take you months, not years.”

He grinned. “I suppose you’re right. I executed my plan flawlessly, didn’t I?”

Good grief. I was surprised he didn’t sprain his wrist with all that ego stroking.

“You’ve done well,” I admitted. “If I were you, I’d pat myself on the back and call it a day. Release your hold on everyone and be satisfied with the knowledge of what you could’ve done, if you’d been a lesser person.”

His gaze scanned the area behind me. “I don’t want the knowledge that I could’ve slept my way through Evermore, darlin’. I intend to have the experience.”

“You want the experience of violating people? I guess I was wrong about you, Keith. You are a lesser person.”

His nostrils flared. “And you will submit.” He jerked his head. “Subdue her by any means necessary.”

I followed his gaze to a group of familiar faces that had assembled behind him. They advanced on me with zombie arms outstretched, ready and willing to follow their alpha’s commands.

“You don’t want to do this,” I told them. “You all have egos the size of California. You’d be super pissed if you understood what was happening right now.”

They ignored me, seizing my arms. Someone kicked the back of my legs, forcing me to my knees.

“Keith wants you to be quiet, Maya,” Buck said.

“Keith can suck it.”

I didn’t want to hurt them. They were innocent victims of Keith’s power trip.

“Try to block out his voice inside your heads,” I told them. Easier said than done, I realized, but I had to try.

Gerry didn’t even try. The werewolf marched toward me, ready to do his master’s bidding.

I didn’t have a potion to offer him, so an old-fashioned choke-out would have to do.

“You’re going to feel a pinch,” I warned.

I twisted and grabbed Gerry in a chokehold, restricting the blood flow to his brain. Then I guided his limp body to the ground.

“You killed him!” Sammy shouted.

“He isn’t dead, only unconscious.” I grabbed the other werewolf next. “And now it’s your turn, friend. Pleasant dreams.” I helped him to the ground but lost my grip at the last second. He dropped to the sand with a clumsy thunk.

“Oops, that will leave a mark.”

Keith was unbothered by my display. “I have an entire island of people to rule over, Maya. You can’t put them all to sleep.”