Lucas drew in a slow breath, his eyes shifting briefly to the floor before meeting hers again.
"Your Majesty," he said quietly, "I can see there is no point in trying to hide anything from you."
The empress tilted her head slightly. "So you do have an answer."
"Yes," Lucas replied. "And if there is anyone in this kingdom who could understand it without reacting blindly, it would be you."
Her expression didn't change, but her voice softened just a touch. "Because I am a Celestial."
Lucas nodded. "Exactly. Someone who has reached the height of cultivation must understand the nature of balance. You more than anyone would know that nothing in cultivation exists alone. Everything has a counterpart."
The empress clasped her hands behind her back again. "Speak plainly, Xavier."
He took another breath, steady and measured.
