Elara's crimson gaze sharpened as David's words hung in the air. She tilted her head slightly, her fiery demeanor held in check. "Hmm, I see," she murmured, her tone curious but edged with skepticism. Her lips curled into a faint smile as she leaned forward on her desk. "And what is it that you want? Gold? Land? If it's within my power, I will grant it to you."
David shook his head, his expression resolute. "It's none of that," he said, his voice steady. "This… this is something I've been preparing for. My request is that you disappear—from the general public and from the eyes of the empire—for a time."
Elara's eyes flared in sudden fury, and her short, wavy raven hair ignited with searing flames, glowing like a storm of embers. "Do you think I am a coward?" she demanded, her voice a dangerous growl that echoed through the room. "To hide, like some cornered animal?"
