The room stayed quiet after Ella's words; she allowed the question to linger in the air between them for a few seconds.
"Do we call this an alliance?"
Morena didn't want to answer right away. Blinded by possibility, she had to consider many things. This deal didn't just involve her own life, but the life of her entire house.
Her father, sister, and even people like Adolf and Hark, who had served her loyally so far, would be implicated if the deal went south.
She leaned back against her chair, eyes steady on Ella, biting her lower lip just slightly as she thought. The woman's tone was confident, even playful, but the weight of what she asked wasn't something to toss around lightly.
"That depends."
Morena collected her thoughts and spoke at last, breaking the silence and causing a shift in the lady's appearance.
