Two hours later, Owen and I sat across from Lydia in a secured interrogation room. She looked different from the confident young woman who had challenged me to a duel. Her dark robes were gone, replaced with simple prison clothing. Her hands were bound with magical restraints that glowed faintly with suppression magic. But her eyes were still sharp and intelligent as she studied me.
"You saved my life," she said without preamble, her voice lacking the manic confidence it had held during our fight. "After I tried to kill you and steal your abilities, you still saved me from the corruption. Why?"
"Because letting you die would have made me like The Covenant," I said simply. "They killed people who threatened them. I heal people who need help. Even when those people are my enemies."
"That
