“Good morning,” I say, voice raspy.
“Morning,” she murmurs.
Her mood is just as sour as it was last night. I can’t say I blame her.
The table in front of her is set for breakfast, even though she shows no interest in food. Vera stares at her cup, not even lifting her eyes as I approach and take a seat next to her.
I glance at the selection of breakfast foods. But I’m not hungry. I pour a cup of black tea instead.
“I couldn’t sleep last night,” I say. Vera doesn’t answer. So I continue. “Too much on my mind. I had this idea…a way to ensure I win, and the Talbots are condemned for their crimes.”
That rouses Vera’s curiosity. She looks at me with an arched eyebrow.
“When I was at the Ezkai Academy, Daegel told me it’s no secret to the General and the Order that his family are Caligos. The only reason why they haven’t been put to trial is that there is no concrete evidence, just rumors and suspicions.”
“Yes. Caligos are good at hiding their tracks.”
“They haven’t hidden their tracks well, this time around,” I reply. Vera looks at me, her eyes blank. “Jax. He’s a loose thread. If we have him as a witness, we can finally bring the Talbots down.”
Vera shakes her head. “One man’s word is not enough. It would start the trial, and then it would fizzle out when the Order can’t find physical evidence. Chances are, Jax would disappear in the middle of the trial, anyway. An accident would find him, or he’d be mysteriously murdered while in his cell.”
“But if we had physical evidence, let’s say…the poison that was used to murder Kitajo, it would be enough?”
Reluctantly, Vera nods.
Determined, I say, “Well, what if I say I know how to find that evidence.”
Vera doesn’t look convinced.
“Daegel’s the one who ordered the assassination.” I force the words out. “He must have something in his house that could point to it. I can access his estates and search them without raising suspicions. If I find the evidence, and Jax gives the testimony, we can get the Talbots into prison before the Trial of Strength even starts.”
Vera stares at me mutely.
I expected a little more reaction from her, to be honest. I understand she’s worn out, but I thought this would give her a new sliver of hope.
Instead, it ignites anger.
“You’re just looking for a reason to go see your boyfriend, isn’t that right? Even if it means risking everything we worked on.”
I blink, startled.
Where the fuck is this coming from?
“Vera,” I say and shake my head. “It’s not why I want to do this. I’m offering to find evidence that would condemn Daegel and his family!”
Vera scoffs. “Condemn? To me it sounds like you’re trying to find a way to get him out of the trials so you don’t have to kill him during the Trial of Strength.”
It’s like a slap across my face. I’m speechless for a moment.
“You see, I couldn’t sleep last night either. The events from our conversation kept repeating in my mind, over and over again. After going through the entire conversation from start to finish for a hundred times, something dawned on me.”
I frown.
“You thought I was talking about you when I came back from my meeting with Noire,” Vera says.
It’s not a question.
Our gazes lock. I don’t answer immediately. The heavy silence stretches between us.
