The truth was a heavy burden, and Lysara watched it weigh on Elaris like a physical thing. In the days following their confrontation, the young squire moved through the fortress like a shadow of himself—still training, still following orders, but wrapped in a silence that spoke volumes.
She couldn't take her eyes off him. Every conversation he had could be the one where he revealed her betrayal. Every step he took could be leading to her downfall. Sleep became a distant memory as she tracked his movements, searching for any sign that he'd made his decision.
By the second day, paranoia had sunk its claws deep into her mind. She found herself trailing him through the fortress corridors, ducking behind pillars when he turned, holding her breath when he paused. If he noticed her amateur surveillance, he gave no sign—which only made her more nervous.
The third day broke her.
Exhaustion had turned her thoughts razor-sharp but brittle when she saw Elaris entering Dain's chambers. Her heart nearly stopped. This was it—the moment she'd been dreading. With movements born of desperation, she pressed herself against the wall outside, weaving a subtle spell to carry their voices to her.
"I want to talk about our strategy against Kael." Elaris's voice was steady, betraying nothing.
Lysara's fingers dug into the stone wall. Was this how he would do it? Frame her betrayal as a strategic concern?
"You're thinking about the battle ahead." Dain's response carried the weight of command.
"Yes. I want to be prepared."
Prepared for what? To fight Kael, or to expose her? Lysara listened until her legs cramped, until the conversation wound down into discussions of formations and tactics—but Elaris never mentioned her. Never spoke of the message or the truth she'd shared.
She fled before he emerged, her mind spinning with possibilities.
That night, as she sat in her chambers trying to piece together what it all meant, a voice spoke from behind her.
"You know, you're really bad at spying."
Lysara jumped, whirling to find Elaris leaning against her doorway, a smirk playing at his lips.
"You—!" She couldn't even form words through her shock and indignation.
Elaris chuckled, the sound startlingly normal after days of tension. "I knew you were listening outside Dain's chamber."
Lysara crossed her arms, scowling to hide her relief. "Then why didn't you say anything?"
"Because I wasn't planning on turning you in." He shrugged as if it were the simplest thing in the world.
She narrowed her eyes, not daring to hope. "So you've made your decision?"
"Yeah." His grin widened. "I'll work with you."
The tension that had held her rigid for days finally released. She sagged against her desk, exhaling slowly. "Took you long enough."
"What can I say?" Elaris pushed off from the doorway, his eyes dancing with mischief. "I like to keep you on edge."
Lysara rolled her eyes, but couldn't quite suppress the smile tugging at her lips. For the first time since she'd sent her message to Kael, she felt something close to peace. She wasn't alone anymore.
"So," Elaris said, closing the door behind him and lowering his voice, "tell me more about what the gods don't want us to know."
In the candlelight of her chamber, as the fortress slept around them, Lysara began to share more of the forbidden knowledge she'd gathered. With each truth, each revelation, she watched Elaris's expression shift from doubt to determination. He wasn't just an ally now—he was becoming a true believer in their cause.
And somewhere in the depths of her mind, she began to plan. Because having someone else who knew the truth, someone who could fight alongside her... that changed everything.
The war for truth had gained another soldier, and the gods' grip on their own narrative grew just a little bit weaker.