"What?" Arthur's voice came out strangled, his face contorting in genuine shock at her words. He could feel his carefully constructed composure beginning to crack under the pressure of her unwavering stare.
"Your time in the rose field. Specifically before meeting Aziel here..." Her voice carried the weight of absolute certainty. "It had holes in it. But never mind that for now..." She leaned back in her chair, her posture deceptively relaxed despite the intensity radiating from her golden eyes. "Tell me what your goals are."
Arthur sat in stunned silence for a long moment, his mind racing as he tried to process how she could possibly know about details he had deliberately omitted. Cold sweat began building up on his forehead, small droplets forming as his body responded to the stress of being cornered. The comfortable atmosphere of the reunion had completely evaporated, replaced by something that felt more like an interrogation chamber than a meeting room.
