Ries didn't dare gamble. She saw the unquestionable resolve in Cruze's eyes, and it clearly told her that if she failed to satisfy Cruze, it wouldn't just be Todd—she, and countless members of the Enlightenment Legion, would all die here.
After taking two breaths, Ries shook her head in disbelief. "They're innocent. Most of them were only acting on our orders. They couldn't possibly pose any threat to you. You've already gained everything. Can't you spare these innocent people?"
"The Burning Legion has no need to keep Todd's diehard loyalists." Cruze's lips curled as she looked at Ries with an inexplicable smile. "But I can accept them becoming your diehard loyalists."
What Cruze said was effectively telling Ries that it wasn't impossible to spare those who had originally been marked for execution. Even keeping Ries alive was possible—but that depended on what choice she made.
In truth, Cruze's plan to keep Ries hadn't been a sudden idea. She had considered it earlier. It wasn't because Cruze had been struck dumb by Ries's beauty; the real reason was to use Ries as a buffer for the Enlightenment Legion's integration into the Burning Legion, letting her watch over and restrain the former Enlightenment Legion members.
Todd had to die. There was no possibility of keeping him alive, and that made the Enlightenment Legion's situation somewhat different from the other legions. Every legion that had pledged itself to the Burning Legion still had its leader. Having one leader integrate into the Burning Legion was always easier than having an entire group do so.
Once that leader integrated, it effectively meant the legion behind them had integrated as well. That leader would also become the crucial intermediary and link between the Burning Legion and the other legion, capable of exerting influence within their own