Seraphina began her interrogation, her questions designed to extract information about every aspect of Adrian's betrayal. She wanted names, dates, locations of meetings, details about what intelligence he had passed to the dark elves, and most importantly, what he knew about their plans regarding the mysterious shopkeeper.
But Adrian, who had supposedly been prepared through hours of careful physical and magical coercion, did not budge under her questioning. His body bore the marks of torture, yet something in his spirit had hardened rather than broken. For the first time in his life, and especially before his formidable aunt, he remained absolutely firm in his convictions.
"What you are doing is wrong, Aunt Seraphina," Adrian said through swollen lips, his voice hoarse but unwavering. "All elves are elves. Skin colour doesn't define us. Element affinity doesn't determine our worth. These artificial divisions serve nothing but perpetual conflict."
