There was a pause. Eva seemed to consider her answer carefully.
"I told you," she said at last, "I owed someone a favor. And I'm not the type to leave debts unpaid."
In truth, she was gambling. She had no idea what Liam's plans were, or if he even considered her anything more than a passing nuisance. But she had seen enough to know that power like his could tear through the order itself. And if siding with him—even indirectly—meant survival, then she would take that chance.
She would carve a new path forward, away from the mess of the cult she once followed. Even if it meant being hunted by both sides.
Emerald still didn't lower her sword, though her stance became less rigid. Her thoughts raced. This woman had saved them. That was undeniable. But her power, her demeanor, her mana—it was all steeped in darkness.
She didn't feel the same as the heretics they'd fought… but that didn't make her trustworthy.
