Pam's lips curved into a slow, knowing smile as her eyes rested on Faith, studying her not with hostility, but with a kind of amusement that only grew the longer she looked. There was no rush in her expression, no sign of tension, only the calm confidence of someone who had already decided how this would play out and saw no reason to hide it.
"So this is the one who wants to compete with me."
Her voice carried lightly across the hall, almost playful, but there was a clear edge beneath it, one that made her words feel heavier than they sounded.
She took a few steps forward, her gaze never leaving Faith, as if the entire room had faded away and only the two of them remained.
"You're brave, I'll give you that."
Her tone softened just enough to sound almost encouraging, but the faint curve of her lips made it clear that she did not mean it in the way it sounded.
"But bravery and ability aren't the same thing."
