Lorien POV

"Regardless of how you brought me here, I told you I’d do whatever I could to help your people and I meant it," I said, my voice quieter than I intended. Unable to meet his gaze any longer, I rolled onto my back, staring at the ceiling instead.

Silence stretched between us, heavy and tense. I found myself tapping my right index finger against the back of my left hand, trying to steady the frustration still simmering inside me. Eventually, the words burst out. “I really didn’t ...