Maelina looked right back at her. "Eliora, it isn't about me. What you did... what you want is bigger than both of us. And though I shouldn't have spoken to you like that, I stand by what I said. You are selfish."
Eliora stared at her, her chest tightening. The blunt words hurt, but deep down, she knew they were true. Everything she had been doing was to protect herself, no matter what it cost the people around her.
"I know," she whispered, looking away from Maelina as the bitter truth settled over her. "I know I am."
"And that...is a terrible trait for a queen." Maelina said.
Eliora closed her eyes for a second. She didn't fight back or try to make excuses. She knew Maelina was right.
"I'm trying to survive," she said softly, opening her eyes to look back at the seer. "Every day feels like I'm walking on thin ice. If I do not look out for myself, no one else will."
