"It's up to you, pal," John said, casually tossing the scroll toward Ricky. It landed on the floor between them. "Either sign it with your blood, and our fates will be tied forever. Or you don't... And you know exactly what that signifies."
"..."
Cissel stood to the side, her heart thumping hard as she watched John outplay Ricky. Even when Ricky had tried to drive a wedge between them with the truth of her regression, John had pivoted and turned the pressure back onto him tenfold.
Seeing this scene made her heart swell with a strange, immense happiness. It was as if she had placed a desperate bet on an unlikely horse, and that horse had just won the grand prize by trampling over the favourites.
"I don't see anything wrong with doing this," Luke said, breaking the silence. As Ricky looked toward his friends for some form of support, he found only firm resolve. Luke's voice was steady.
