“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I should have never gotten involved with you in the first place. It would have been the right thing to do to keep you safe. But I was selfish and weak, and I wanted to have a normal life like everyone else. I let myself believe that everything would be okay and I could have a relationship with you.
“It wasn’t fair that I didn’t tell you the truth up front. But you wouldn’t have believed me anyway. You would have thought I was off my rocker and ran for the hills. I thought I was protecting you by keeping you in the dark. You see, the KTP won’t mess with people who are innocent and unaware of Refined Transcendent Power. They are only interested in recruiting the existing practitioners of RTP. And they don’t want to draw any unwanted attention to their order for fear of being exposed.
“I had suspected that Paul had caused the fire in the nightclub, but I wasn’t sure. So, against my better judgment, I decided to continue seeing you. I had fallen for you by then and I needed you. I needed to feel love again. I desperately wanted it to work out between us.
“But after the blizzard and avalanche occurred, I was almost certain Paul was behind it and he would soon find my whereabouts but I still had hope that he did not know about you. I was afraid that if the KTP found out that you and I were seeing each other, they would assume I had told you about RTP and you would be in even more danger.
“Unbeknownst to you, your association with me has already almost gotten you killed—twice. I couldn’t let it continue. My only hope for your safety was to get out of your life before they found out about you and our relationship. Plus, I’m not really sure how Paul will react if he finds out I am seeing someone. I can’t even let myself think about what he might do.
“Leaving you like that was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I do love you, Adam. I hope that you believe me. I hope you can forgive me. But because I truly love you, the right thing to do is to keep you safe by disappearing from your life forever.”
As crazy as her story was, Adam was starting to believe her. He felt he had no other choice. He loved her. He had to believe because he couldn’t accept any of the alternatives. The feelings of anger and hurt toward Maddie had been replaced with a mixture of relief and sadness and a newfound anger aimed at Paul and those who had persecuted Maddie and all of the Keepers of the Peace.
He had so much to think about, so much to process. But at that moment, he took comfort in knowing she did truly love him. If what she said was true, she had tried to do what she thought was right, even if it meant sacrificing her own feelings and her own life to keep him safe. He understood and truly appreciated it.
After a few moments, Adam took Maddie’s hand in his and said, “Maddie, I love you too. I do believe you and I understand why you did what you did. I forgive you. But you shouldn’t have to live your life in fear. Why hasn’t anything been done to stop the KTP?”
She shook her head and said, “Because we want to keep the peace. We don’t want a war, and that is what the result would be if we provoke them.”
“But it isn’t fair to you, or any of the other peacekeepers,” he said.
She shook her head again and said, “The KTP has grown in number. It would be very difficult to overtake them.”
“Exactly how large of a number are you talking about?”
“We’re not exactly sure. Thousands, maybe close to five thousand, maybe more in the U.S. alone.”
“And how many peacekeepers are there?”
“We’re not sure about that either, especially with many people in hiding and using assumed names. We believe it could be in the thousands as well.”
“But the KTP is like a bully,” he continued. “If all of the peacekeepers worldwide could organize and unite to stand up to the KTP, they might back down. To me it seems worth trying, rather than continuing to live in hiding.”
“It’s not peaceful to fight, Adam. We don’t want to use RTP for evil or bad purposes.”
“But using RTP to win your freedom is not using it for evil or bad purposes,” he countered.
“Fighting against the KTP would mean certain death for the peaceful ones,” she explained. “When members of the KTP attack and kill peaceful practitioners, they don’t fight back. They don’t believe in violence.”
Adam felt his anger and frustration at the situation growing. He said, “But they should fight back. That’s why the KTP will continue to harass you all and make your lives miserable until somebody fights back.”
“It’s not that simple, Adam,” she said patiently.
She turned away from him and looked down at her hands. Adam thought she might be getting frustrated with him. Then she quietly said, “So now you know why I believe we can’t be together.”
At this, Adam grew angrier. He couldn’t be quiet anymore. He had to think of a way to convince her that she didn’t need to protect him and that they could be together. It should be as much his choice as hers. And then he thought of a new angle.
He said, “You’re right about one thing, Maddie. Now I know the truth. And now I know why we have to be together.”
Chapter 27
Maddie cocked her head and looked at Adam incredulously.
He said, “You just said that the KTP would not attack the innocent. You left me in hopes that they would not attack me because I was ignorant
