Because something Carter said to me a long time ago is so very true. These people don’t like him, they like what their closeness to him does for them. They don’t follow his orders out of loyalty or a genuine desire to support him, but out of fear—fear that if they step out of line, he will banish them, and all the benefits of his friendship will disappear in a puff of smoke. Erika was wrong. None of Carter’s friends think they’re safe. They just make sure not to cross him so that he never has a reason to throw them to the wolves. Looking over at him, I feel a strange stab of sadness for him.
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