"Don't dodge the question. Which was it?" I asked
"We were genuinely hired to kill you!" Nila finally responded
"That's legally admissible, you know. Forget it," I said quickly as she began to blush. "So you claim you were hired to kill me. What if you were tasked with making it look convincing? How—"
"I wouldn't accept such a job. Why risk my life?"
"Set that aside for now. Just imagine. How would you answer the questions I've been asking if your job was to make me believe Goren wanted me dead?"
She paused, looking confused.
"Exactly. You'd respond just as you have been."
"Young Master Viktor," she said cautiously, "do you really think that's what's happening?"
"Not particularly. But I have to consider it, don't I?"
"I suppose," she said. "So what's your next move?"
"It means we can temporarily disregard you and Ilyin."
"You haven't explained why he'd go to such lengths." she asked
