Keith's POV
Vera's face contorted into a deep frown the moment the words left my mouth. "Not in a million years," she said, her voice sharp as broken glass. "I will never have any kind of agreement with those people. Never."
I had expected this. But seeing the raw hatred in her eyes still made something twist in my chest.
Kaelen moved closer to her, his hand rubbing small circles on her back as she continued her tirade. "What makes them even think they can propose something like this? After everything they've done? After everything they took from us?"
"It's probably because this is the first time we have something they desperately need," Kaelen said, his voice calm, reasonable. "That's not nothing. It's actually... leverage."
"I don't care about leverage!" Vera snapped, turning to face him. "I will not give it up. Not after what they've done to our family. Not after what they've done to the world. What makes them think I would ever agree to this?"
