"How's it going?" Ariana asked, settling across from Jean in the resting area.
Juice and snacks had been served, but Ariana didn't touch them—it was already late.
Jean hummed. "Better than how I used to do things."
"And how so?" Ariana pressed.
The older woman leaned back. "Now, I can do what society actually expects from a Warden."
She sighed, her gaze dropping to her hands. "Back then, I was rarely forced to do things I didn't want to. I had to protect the people deemed important while watching ordinary folks get sacrificed. That pained me—it made me question my purpose."
"I always told people the reason I lifted a weapon was to serve them. But as a Warden… was I really?"
Ariana chuckled softly. "Well, we did serve the citizens. But when it came to the elite… we were made to take the hard choices."
Jean's brows rose. "So that's why you left?"
