The question hung in the air, sharp and accusatory. Elara didn't flinch. Instead, she reached out and flicked a stray piece of lint off Leo's tunic, her touch light but cold.
"I loved that old man in my own way, Leo. He was the only thing standing between this family and the abyss. There's no reason for me to kill him. Then again, there are many reasons for me to kill him. So, whether I killed him or not doesn't matter. I will always be doubted."
Leo frowned. "You're... complicated. So what you're saying is, you escaped prison just to complicate things for yourself?"
She laughed. "Ah, yes. I did escape prison."
"And you feel it's right to tell me that?"
"Why not? It's not like everyone doesn't already know I've escaped."
Elara was right. It had been a week since her escape, so why hadn't the officials come to take her back?
"And why aren't they here to apprehend you yet?"
