I stood there, speechless.

For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t sure what to say or how to defend myself. I had made my decision

I had chosen to act on my own judgment rather than follow Eval Morningstar’s orders. And now, I had to face the consequences.

I swallowed, trying to keep my expression neutral as Arfa leaned forward, resting his hand on his chin.

His sharp blue eyes bore into mine, and when he finally spoke, his voice was calm but cold.

"Is Marsil alive?"

My throat went dry.

"He escaped,"

I admitted, barely above a whisper.

Arfa sighed, shaking his head.

"So, not only did you go against Eval’s orders, but you also left a loose end."

His words hit harder than I expected.

I had acted because I thought it was the best choice. I believed I was protecting our cause.

And yet, here I was standing before one of Eval’s most trusted commanders, being told that my decision had not only defied orders but had also created a problem that could come back to haunt us.

Arfa continued, his gaze never leaving mine.

"You do realize what you've done, don’t you?" he asked.

"Marsil is dangerous," I said.

"Or at least, he has the potential to be. If he had joined the enemy, he would have been a serious threat to us."

"And now?" Arfa raised an eyebrow.

"Now, he has even more reason to become our enemy."

I opened my mouth to argue, but I couldn’t.

Because he was right.

Marsil hadn’t been an enemy before.

But now?

Now he had every reason to hate us.

We had tried to kill him.

And if I had been in his position, I wouldn’t have forgotten that.

Arfa’s expression darkened as he leaned back in his chair.

"You made him an enemy, Elenora. And worse, you made him an enemy with anger and revenge fueling his desire to take revenge. If he continues to grow, if he becomes stronger he won’t just be another mage wandering the continent. He’ll be someone we will have to deal with, whether we like it or not."

I felt a chill run down my spine.

I had thought I was making the right choice.

I had thought that eliminating a potential threat before it could grow was the smartest move.

But what if I had done the opposite?

What if, by trying to stop him, I had only ensured that he would one day return with vengeance in his heart?

Arfa sighed again, standing up.

"You don’t have the authority to make decisions like this," he said. "And yet, you did."

I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to meet his gaze.

"I did what I thought was best," I said firmly.

Arfa studied me for a moment before shaking his head.

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"That’s the problem," he replied. "You thought."

And with that, he turned and walked out, leaving me standing there, drowning in the weight of my own choices.

As the others left the room, I remained standing, my mind still processing everything that had just happened.

I had made my choice.

And now, I had to live with it.

Eduardo stayed behind, leaning against the wooden table, arms crossed over his chest.

He exhaled through his nose, shaking his head slightly before finally speaking.

"You know," he said,

"I didn’t mind taking Marsil down. I could even agree that he might have been a threat."

I glanced at him, waiting for the rest.

"But letting him go?" Eduardo continued.

"Making him a long-lasting enemy? That’s not just reckless that’s dangerous."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair before sitting down on one of the chairs.

My body felt heavy, weighed down by something I couldn’t quite name.

"I’m not afraid of Marsil," I admitted. "Not really."

Eduardo frowned, confused. "Then what is it?"

I leaned back, staring at the ceiling as if the answers I needed would be carved into the old wooden beams.

"I’m afraid of Eval," I said simply.

Eduardo was silent for a moment.

His expression shifted slightly, just enough to show that he hadn’t expected me to say that.

"Arfa said it himself," I continued.

"I disobeyed orders. Eval gave one command to invite Marsil, not to antagonize him. And I did the opposite."

Eduardo exhaled sharply.

"Yeah… that’s not great."

I let out a bitter laugh.

"No, it’s not."

Eval wasn’t a man known for his patience.

He valued loyalty, efficiency, and results. What I had done? It was none of those things.

And worse Arfa was right.

I had acted on instinct, on what I thought was best, but in the process, I had made an enemy of someone who hadn’t even chosen a side yet.

Eduardo ran a hand over his jaw.

"So… what do you think is going to happen?"

I shook my head.

"I don’t know."

That was the terrifying part.

I didn’t know if Eval would see my actions as a miscalculation or a betrayal.

I didn’t know if he would be angry enough to punish me or worse, remove me entirely.

And I didn’t know what Marsil was going to do next.

All I knew was that, one way or another, this wasn’t over.

-

Marsil Pov

I exhaled slowly, letting my body relax for the first time in hours and even though Sacril had done most of the running, my entire body felt sore from the sheer tension of the escape.

I reached into my bag and pulled out some dried meat, tearing off a piece and tossing it to Sacril, who caught it effortlessly in his jaws.

"Good work," I muttered, running a hand over his fur.

"You really saved my ass back there."

Sacril let out a low, satisfied growl as he chewed on the jerky.

His body sprawled across the forest floor, rising and falling in steady breaths as he rested.

I found myself staring into the fire I had just lit, watching as the flames licked at the dry wood, consuming it hungrily.

The warmth was comforting, but my mind was far from at ease.

Elenora.

Why would she do something so reckless?

She had sought me out, acted like she wanted me on her side. I had no reason to trust her, not completely, but at the very least, I had believed she was following orders. If Eval wanted to see me, if he wanted me to hear him out, why would his own people try to kill me?

The idea that Eval had changed his mind about me did cross my thoughts, but it didn't add up.

No, something else was going on.

I bit into my own piece of jerky, chewing slowly, my gaze still locked onto the fire.

Elenora must have decided this on her own.

She had ignored Eval’s orders, acting on her own instincts.

But why?

Did she think I would turn against them?

That I would be too dangerous to let live? If that was the case, she had made a mistake because now, I had every reason to see them as enemies.

I clenched my fists, feeling a slow burn of anger rise in my chest.

She had forced my hand.

I had no intention of choosing sides.

I had only been looking for a place to learn, to grow, to become stronger.

But now? Now, she had turned me into a target.

And I hated being a target.

I let out a slow breath, forcing my emotions down. I needed clarity, not rage.

Sacril let out a soft, contented huff beside me, stretching out his legs.

He was exhausted, but still, his ears twitched every so often, listening for threats even in his rest.

I smiled slightly and reached over, resting my hand on his side.

"Get some sleep," I murmured. "We need to move again in the morning."

Sacril didn’t respond, but his breathing deepened slightly.

I leaned back against the tree trunk, staring up at the sky through the breaks in the canopy.

The stars were barely visible, obscured by the thick forest, but I could still feel their presence above me.

I closed my eyes, letting the fatigue settle into my bones.