Eva's smile remained there, calm and dangerously sincere, contrasting almost cruelly with the heavy silence that filled the hall. The Ainsworth mansion suddenly seemed too large, as if the walls were discreetly moving away to avoid being hit by the impending explosion.
Amelia was the first to react. Not with screams, nor with weapons, but with a short, incredulous laugh, devoid of any humor. She ran a hand over her face, as if trying to wake from a particularly absurd dream, and then slowly turned her gaze to Kael.
"Repeat it," she said, with forced calm. "Repeat it slowly, because I must have missed some important part of reality."
Irelia, on the other hand, did not laugh. She did not move. She simply stood still, gripping her sword tightly enough that her knuckles turned white, her gaze fixed on Eva as if trying to decide which of the various forms of violence available would be the most appropriate.
