The guards, firm and impassive, signaled that their time was up.
Their authoritative presence left no room for negotiation. Eiravyne held tightly onto both Elara's and Zain's hands, her eyes wide with concern and regret.
"I—I'm so sorry for this treatment," she said, her voice trembling slightly as she struggled with the unfairness of their situation.
Zain, however, merely smirked, his expression a mix of bemusement and stoic resolve.
"I don't believe you're making me say this again," he said, his tone light yet firm. "Whatever the circumstances here, they're a thousand times better than what we faced in Aloxa."
Elara, standing beside Zain, nodded in agreement. "We've faced worse, Eiravyne. The situation here might be less than ideal, but it's a far cry from the peril we were in before."
The guards, apparently unperturbed by the exchange, kept their watchful eyes on the group.
