Corvine froze for a second, but he pulled himself together fast.
"No, you're reading her wrong," he defended, jaw tight. "She's just grateful because I saved her once."
The only thing that came to his mind was the incident with Olivia.
Corvine had spoken up for her then, refusing to stand by and watch her take the fall for something that wasn't entirely her fault. To him, Jasmine's behavior had always been nothing more than gratitude, simple and clear.
Athaliah didn't feel comfortable with his answer, but she knew one important thing. Never force someone to see a point when their mind was already made up.
She kept her expression warm, even as something uneasy settled low in her stomach. "Alright, I believe you."
Still, something about the way she said it made Corvine's chest tighten hard. He couldn't explain it. Before he could figure out what felt off, Athaliah turned and climbed into the jet, the door sealing shut behind her with a soft hydraulic hiss.
