Evan stood in silence for a long while, his jaw set, his eyes fixed on the ground as though the marble beneath his shoes carried the weight of his decision. The room felt cold, oppressive, yet inside him something far darker stirred.
For so long he had been chasing shadows, trying to find a place to stand on his own. His mother's death had left him hollow...an ache that nothing seemed able to fill. But now... now Ed was offering him something more than just shelter or power. He was offering him a path. A throne. A way to carve his name into the world.
And yet, it wasn't loyalty to Ed that curved Evan's lips into a smile. It was the thought of revenge.
Slowly, he lifted his gaze, meeting the older man's eyes. His hand extended, steady despite the storm inside him. "Fine," he said softly
