Ben, no, Tzarek, stretched his arms with a grunt.
His joints and muscles creaked louder than they should have.
"Two years, and I still hate how big this body is.
Throws off my center of gravity every damn time," he said.
His voice shifted back into his usual tone.
Across the bench, Elvira crossed her legs with a huff.
Her face stayed in a fixed scowl.
Ben glanced at her and smirked. "Still sulking?"
She glared at him, but he kept going.
"Look, I know you hate these people.
I don't enjoy kissing up to murder-happy warlords either.
But we've built a massive army now.
The stronger our enemies get, the more we need insurance."
Elvira stayed silent.
She did not need to explain herself.
Ben already knew why she had not stormed off in rage.
After everything with the Magus, staying close had become more than just strategy.
She never said it out loud, but she did not have to.
"I get it," Ben said, his tone softer. "But staying together keeps us alive."
