Aria's pov
The carriage hit a bump, jolting us both. I could see the guilt eating away at Margery, but it did nothing to ease the fury roiling inside me. She may have regrets, but that didn't change the fact that she was complicit in this twisted scheme. I refused to let them break me. I had to find a way out of this, somehow.
"Is there no other way?" I asked, my voice softer this time. "You're risking everything by telling me all this. There has to be something you can do to stop this plan."
Margery shook her head slowly. "Geoffrey's already in too deep. He's convinced this is the only way to secure a future for our people. And the other Blood Mages… they're ruthless. They won't tolerate any form of dissent. If I betray them, they'll hunt me down—and they'll kill you, too. The only chance you have is if you play along, pretend to cooperate until you can find an opening."
