The silence that followed Kharzan's departure was as heavy as the threat he had left behind.
Julius was the first to break it, placing a hand over his face with evident concern.
"We could hand Kassian over to him and keep Klein," he suggested, his voice betraying his exhaustion. "It wouldn't be ideal, but it would avoid an immediate conflict..."
"Giving them the guilty party would be too obvious a defeat," responded Sirius, his tone cold as ice. "It would make the situation worse more quickly. We would be showing weakness, and Yino never respects weakness."
"Besides," added Arturo, "if Kassian has truly been experimenting with abyssal corruption, releasing him now would be giving them precisely what they need to accelerate whatever they're planning."
Selphira, who had remained silent since Kharzan's departure, sighed deeply.
"I will speak with Kassian," she finally decided. "Perhaps there is something more we can discover before making a final decision."
