Kyle watched Elizabeth's retreating figure until the crowd swallowed her up.
He let out a slow breath and leaned back in his chair, feeling the tension drain from his shoulders in uneven waves.
That had been nerve-wracking, more than he'd admit to anyone.
The words he'd chosen had been deliberate, carefully placed like pieces in a game he intended to win.
But it didn't change the fact that Elizabeth Duvain, no, Veyl, for now was a dangerous person to dangle bait in front of.
Now came the waiting.
The hardest part.
She'd either take the lure or she wouldn't.
Either way, she wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it. About him. About what he claimed to know.
Eventually, the question would outweigh her caution. She would decide to believe him. If only enough to see how far she could pull on the thread.
And she'd realise soon enough that he wanted something in return. That there was a price for truth.
For now, they were still in that delicate, unspoken space.
