"Yes," he said.
Not a full lie.
Just… not the entire truth.
You don't need to carry that part, he told himself. You already have enough.
Elowen studied him for a long second.
The tent went quiet.
Even Serelith didn't break the silence with a joke this time.
Then came the real discussion.
Because Silvarion already knew this day would come.
And they had already prepared.
Vyrelda straightened, pushing fully away from the pole. "The contingency," she said. "We move to it, then?"
Serelith's smirk returned, sharper this time. "Of course we do. We worked too hard on this to let it sit on a shelf."
Cerys glanced between them, eyes narrowing. She knew pieces of the plan. Enough to dislike it. Not enough to stop it.
Lira stayed quiet, but she listened closely now, hands finally easing away from her skirt.
Mikhailis rolled his shoulders once, as if settling a cloak over them.
