Chapter 85: Someone’s Always Lurking (2)
Adrian requested A’Mila to hear him out alone. While she was still adamant about not letting him walk into the lion’s den, she thought she could at least hear him out. Once the room was empty, Adrian began his speech.
"This is not just a plan, A’Mila. It’s our best shot. The Tulkas won’t see me coming," Adrian asserted. "I need you to step out of Vesper’s memories for a moment and think as the Matriarch of the tribe. Besides, it’ll be beneficial for both of us."
"What do you mean?" she inquired.
"After Silka’s public outburst, the tribals would view me suspiciously," Adrian explained. "No matter what you say or do, somewhere in the back of their heads, they’d think of me as a traitor."
He continued, "I need to prove myself, and what better way is there than facing our enemies on a risky mission? Plus, if you let me go, it’ll set straight those who think you favour me. No one who’s all biased would let someone take on such a dangerous mission, right?
A’Mila didn’t say anything and kept staring at Adrian. He had offered her a solution to all her immediate problems, but her gut told her there was something more to Adrian’s request than just a desire to prove himself.#
Someone like him wouldn’t propose such an absurd arrangement to please people. But A’Mila pushed such thoughts out of her head. She didn’t care what Adrian’s true goal was. Besides, he was right. She had to think as the Matriarch of the tribe and not as his babysitter.
"Fine, you have my permission to leave," A’Mila concluded. "But if you’re doing this for us, you’ll have to do things our way."
"I don’t get it."