Elliot stood frozen in the guildmaster’s office, the letters still clutched in his hands. The guildmaster’s admission hung heavy in the air, and Elliot’s mind raced with questions. Was the guildmaster truly trying to stop Malakar, or was he playing both sides? Either way, Elliot knew he couldn’t trust him.

  “What do you want from me?” Elliot asked, his voice trembling.

  The guildmaster sighed, his expression softening. “I need your help, Elliot. Malakar is closer than ever to finding the remaining Aether Core pieces. If he succeeds, no one will be able to stop him. But together, we can outmaneuver him.”

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  Elliot shook his head. “How can I trust you? You’ve been lying to us this whole time.”

  “I had no choice,” the guildmaster said, his voice pleading. “Malakar has spies everywhere. If I had told anyone the truth, it would have put the entire guild at risk.”

  Elliot hesitated. He didn’t want to believe the guildmaster, but he also couldn’t ignore the urgency in his voice. If Malakar was as dangerous as the guildmaster claimed, they couldn’t afford to waste time arguing.

  “Fine,” Elliot said finally. “But I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing it to stop Malakar.”

  The guildmaster nodded. “That’s all I ask.”