"Sharron, you're far too kind."
As she listened to Zartwin's mocking, cruel words, Sharron's heart sank.
We've been played...
I was still too reckless. In her haste to learn about the situation on the Southern Continent, she had launched an ambush without thoroughly investigating the other party's background. She silently berated herself.
The situation could hardly have been worse. Maric was gravely injured and had lost most of his fighting strength. She herself had expended a considerable amount of spirituality resisting possession just now.
In this condition, escaping from a demigod of the same Sequence was almost impossible. Worse still, Zartwin had at least one fully fit Sequence 5 Wraith assisting him.
Now, their only hope seemed to be Lorne.
Actually, Sharron also found something strange. With the perception of a demigod of the Fate pathway, Lorne should have noticed the disturbance here long ago. Yet he still had not appeared.
No, it's better if he doesn't come. Don't get hurt because of me...
Sharron thought silently. She did not want Lorne to step into this trap to save her, much less be injured or even killed because of it.
She already owed him far, far too much, time and again...
Lorne himself might not care about everything he had done for her, but Sharron did.
If he risked his life to save her again, she feared she truly would never be able to repay that debt in this lifetime.
Besides, Beyonders of the Fate pathway had never excelled at direct combat. Beating Zartwin, a Sequence 4 Marionette, in a head-on confrontation was almost impossible, especially with an assistant at his side.
Perhaps it was because she always suppressed herself and strictly observed the doctrine of temperance. Now, truly facing death with no way out, certain deeply buried feelings inevitably