Heilam stood still for a long moment.
The anger on his face slowly faded, replaced by a deep sense of helplessness. His shoulders dropped slightly, as if the weight he had been carrying finally pressed down on him.
He looked at Aksai and let out a dry laugh.
"You Lords are all the same," Heilam said in a low voice. "You twist the truth however you like, and the rest of us are expected to accept it."
His eyes moved to the sealed cave entrances, then back to Aksai.
"What can I even do to you?" he asked bitterly. "Even if you say it to my face that you planned to let my sect members die from the start, I still have to swallow it like a bitter pill."
He clenched his fists.
"But tell me this," Heilam continued. "Why did you spare me? If you were willing to let my people die, why leave me alive? What do you want from me?"
Aksai sighed softly. He shook his head, looking almost tired.
