Burn

“But what if a small number of the lair live among demons that belong in a separate lair?” Malden asked. “It’s extremely rare, since lairs like to stick together. But what if that was the case?”

“I would say the simplest answer would be for those demons living away from their lair to move closer to it. However, they could also request to switch to the lair they currently live among, or simply ask permission from the Prime of that territory to live in that area without having to join. As you say, it’s an extremely rare situation, so it will hardly affect anyone.”

“Okay, but what if demons want to relocate to a location that is within the territory of another lair?” persisted Malden.

“My answer to the previous question would also apply here. They would need to either switch lairs or request permission from the Prime of that territory to reside in that area without joining that lair.”

There was a short silence before another voice called out, “The problem I foresee here is that although many of the public may like your system, they won’t benefit from it if their Prime chooses not to join you.”

“They are always free to join my lair or another that is part of the new system.”

“That could mean a lot of demons join his lair just to have more rights,” Harper said to Knox. He nodded.

“I have a question,” declared Raul. “There are places in the U.S. that demons don’t inhabit. What if Primes suddenly decide that they want to claim those territories? Wouldn’t that lead to war?”

“No,” denied Dario. “The issue would be discussed by the council and myself. An agreement would be reached.”

Raul’s brows raised. “Without the votes of the public?”

“It’s not a decision that would directly affect the public. Asking them to vote on every little thing would eventually bore them.” That was actually true – something Isla and Malden hadn’t considered.

“All right, here’s something to consider,” said Raul. “We all know how much our kind love Las Vegas. This is where most of Knox’s demons reside, which means it would then be considered his territory. We couldn’t cross that territory without permission, could we?”

“No. But I can’t imagine that Knox would wish to keep us away. If nothing else, it would affect his businesses.”

“What about the Underground? He created this place, he runs it, so that would also make it his territory.”

“Yes, so you would need his permission to come here. Again, though, I don’t foresee him preventing outsiders from coming. He created the Underground for our kind, not for himself.”

“Let’s ask him.” Raul turned to Knox. “Would you let demons from other lairs cross your territorial lines? Would you let us come here the way you do now?”

“That would depend,” replied Knox.

“On what?”

“Whether or not having territories causes demons to see outsiders as enemies,” said Knox. “It’s true that lairs intermingling can cause conflict. But if Primes start claiming territories, that will effectively create divides. Suddenly lairs will consider other lairs to be potential enemies. I won’t have here or Las Vegas suddenly becoming a battle ground.”

A Prime to their right spoke. “Knox has an excellent point. You say your system will unite us, Dario. Instead, it could just divide us more.”

“I see how Knox may view it that way.” There was no judgment or hostility in Dario’s tone. “But I truly believe this system could work. The Primes would be working together, all demons would have equal rights, and we would be united. It would make us stronger. That can never be a bad thing.”

As Dario left the dais, Beck spoke. “I thought that the only demon who’d present a reasonable case would be Isla, since the other two just want to avoid answering to someone else. But all three of them have presented proposals that just might appeal to the public.”

“Worse, Dario’s proposal might appeal to the Primes,” commented Martina.

“I think that if the Primes start worrying that the public will want a Monarch, they’ll prefer it was Dario, because it would gain them territory – more power. Even Isla can see that.” Jolene tipped her chin toward the she-demon in question; she was currently glaring at an unsuspecting Dario, clearly seething.

Knox whispered into Harper’s ear, “I have to say a few words and remind everybody what happens next.” The moment he walked onto the dais, the attention of the room settled on him. “Over the course of this weekend, you’ve heard all three proposals, and you’ve heard the opinions of many Primes during the Q&As. Now it’s time to form your own opinion. There are pros and cons of having a Monarch, and there are pros and cons of each proposal. A vote will take place in the Underground two weeks from now. Anyone who votes will only be able to do so once, and each vote will be anonymous. If you vote in favor of a Monarch, you’ll need to also specify which candidate you wish to elect. So think it through, and choose your fate wisely.”

It was as Knox reached Harper that the Primes began to head to his table. Gently pulling Harper to her feet, he spoke briefly to each demon as they thanked him for hosting the event. Knox was sure to refer to Harper as his mate, wanting the news to spread fast.

When Malden approached, he was wearing a very smug smirk. Knox had the feeling that he believed his proposal would be the most favored. “It was good seeing you, Knox. Where’s Raul?”