Of course, Adyr was completely bullshitting, since he had no way to cure them. He could not even understand what a curse meant in this world. But his curiosity about what could cause such a condition, powerful enough to bring Rank 4 Practitioners to this state, was intense.
"That…" Zephan hesitated for a moment, then looked to the other Rank 4 Practitioners, clearly seeking their opinion.
Eryndor kept his voice calm. "Lord Adyr is already here. I see no reason to hide anything from him."
The other Practitioner gave a single firm nod, indicating he had no objections.
Having decided, Zephan faced Adyr, met his eyes directly, and spoke in a heavy tone. "To answer that question, I must first tell you my… our entire race's biggest secret."
Adyr studied their faces. The tightness around Zephan's mouth, Eryndor's guarded shoulders, and the way other Rank 4 avoided looking at the chained figures all indicated that this secret was either too valuable to share or too shameful to reveal.
