"But against Paradise, Alistair?" Atrum teased, his smirk barely hiding the glint of challenge in his eyes. "Your elders must think you've gone mad."
Alistair chuckled, shrugging. "I could say the same for you. I can only imagine the uproar in your council."
Before Atrum could respond, Assid's voice cut through the air, calm yet commanding. "This way, if you please."
As the grand double doors swung open, Atrum and Alistair's banter faded, both men blinking in surprise at the figure who entered. Alistair, taken aback, uncrossed his arms, his usual calm giving way to curiosity.
"You," he said, a hint of disbelief in his voice. "I'd have never expected you to stand against Paradise."
Amara, the matriarch of the Red Lotus, raised an eyebrow at them, rolling her eyes at their reactions. With an elegance as commanding as it was unruffled, she strode forward, unbothered by the two men's surprise.
