Victor didn't rush the next answer, letting the pause stretch just long enough for the sound of clinking glassware and low conversation from the other tables to fill it. When he finally spoke, his tone had the kind of uniform weight that suggested he was reciting something older than either of them.
"Like every deity with a following," he said, his gaze steady on Elias, "some of mine chose different paths. Ambition makes people inventive. Desperation makes them reckless. The red ether I give them does exactly what I designed it to do. It strengthens, sharpens, and allows them to break through limits mortals shouldn't. But it isn't a gift without a price."
Elias stilled, fork halfway to his mouth. "You gave Matteo power."
