Sheila did not answer immediately.
The words Liam had spoken remained between them, quiet but heavy, carrying far more weight than the calm tone in which he had delivered them.
I want you to act as a bridge between me and your people. The Crescent Kingdom.
For a few seconds, the only sound around them was the soft stillness of the library itself—the faint turning of pages from somewhere below, the distant creak of wood, the muffled movement of students on the lower floor. None of it seemed to matter much in that moment.
Sheila remained beside the wooden barrier, one hand resting lightly against its polished surface as she looked down at the floor below without truly seeing it.
Then, slowly, she turned her head toward Liam.
There was no anger in her face.
No immediate rejection.
Only surprise. Careful, genuine surprise.
"…What do you mean by that?" she asked at last.
Her voice was quiet, but far more serious now than it had been moments ago.
Liam met her gaze evenly.
