"I'm not afraid of them," she said softly, her voice trembling. "I'm afraid of what this truth will do. I'm afraid of losing them. I'm afraid of being different. I'm afraid that when they look at me, they won't see the same person anymore."
Dante reached out and gently lifted her chin, his fingers warm against her skin, tilting her face up so she had to meet his eyes.
"Truth does not break real bonds," he said, his voice low and steady. "It tests them. It challenges them. But it does not break what is real."
Her eyes wavered, tears threatening at the edges.
"...But what if they speak about it?" she asked, her voice cracking. "What if they tell someone else? What if they can't keep the secret?"
This time, his expression turned more serious. Not harsh, but honest.
"That will create problems," he said. "For me. For the academy. For the balance we have maintained for centuries."
He paused.
"And I will be held responsible for allowing it."
Alina's heart dropped into her stomach.
