Chapter 655: Plans for Negotiation
Elise and I jumped as Jessia’s laugh sliced through the room. It wasn’t her playful giggle, like when she teased me, but a true, genuine laugh.
"That’s what is holding this up? Let’s just sign it now and be done with this thing," she said.
Elise frowned at her. "All those lives might not seem important to you, but the empire, it is a matter of life and death."
Jessia kicked her legs up on a sitting table, one soft leather boot resting atop the other. "When did the demons kill all their people?"
"After the battle. The empire’s scouts found the refugee camp reduced to ash. The inquisitors had saved a few thousand from the city, but that was it."
I clenched a fist to my chest. "I promised them they’d be safe!"
"Gods, Xiviyah, why are you acting like we reneged on that?" Jessia asked.
"Well, I, um..." I grabbed my horn, rubbing it furiously. "Who would have given that order? You were fighting Connor in the canyon, and Luke was watching after me. He didn’t leave Haven for a few days, right?"
Elise frowned. "It’s true. It was almost burdensome how long he spent by your side. I barely had a chance to hold your hand."
"You still don’t get it?" Jessia asked. "Luke never gave that order. I can guarantee it because I was pretending to be him that whole time."
Elise asked, "Did one of the other apostles–"