"I… I made a deal with the devil."
Every face around him flinched.
Especially Essa, who stood under her hood, her eyes widening in sharp horror as she jerked her head toward him. Her expression twisted into disbelief and fear.
"D-Devil? How?" she muttered, her voice torn between confusion and dread.
Leo bit his lip harder, watching as Raphael and Azrael slowly released him, stepping back in shock. He drew in a sharp breath, his shoulders tense, and moved forward. His steps echoed, stern and deliberate, until he stopped in the centre of them,
"I… I don't know when it happened. Most likely before I lost my memories." His voice lowered, "That's the truth… or at least, part of it."
And yet, even as he spoke, he knew. There were things he could never tell them. Secrets too dangerous, truths that would break everything fragile and sacred between them. Because no matter how much they clung to him, he was still… an outsider.
