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He leaned forward. “Who benefits from you seeing only this?”

My chest tightened. “I… I don’t know.”

I thought Guild would be the one to give me answers. That I’d walk in here leave knowing who Alaric truly was. Instead…all he’d given me were more questions.

Guild held my gaze. “An incomplete truth, Nyssa, is still a lie.” He waited. “No matter how neatly it’s packaged.”

I sighed and deflated. “I thought you’d tell me…”

“Tell you?”

“If this is truly Alaric.”

His gaze darkened. “You’re asking me whether a good man can do terrible things.”

I nodded.

Guild’s voice softened. “Then the answer is yes.”

I flinched.

He waited. “But you’re asking the wrong question.”

My pulse gave a stutter.

“Ask whether terrible things always make a man evil.”

My question was a whisper. “Do they?”

His answer was to open his hands. “Do I look evil to you?”

I shook my head.

One nod.

I looked at the cell once more. “Is it him?”

Guild stopped. “The Clove Man?”

I nodded.

“He came looking for you,” he answered carefully. “We made sure he didn’t find you.”

I swallowed and waited for relief. But it didn’t come.

“You’ve seen what darkness does.”

I gave a nod.

“The question has never been where we come from.” He hesitated. “It’s what we choose once we’re free.”

My shoulders curled with the heavy pulse in my chest. “At least tell me this… should I go back?”

Silence filled the room. Then Guild slowly rose and walked to the small, grimy window. He looked outside. Wrestled with the answer. When he spoke his voice was quieter.

“Do you believe he’ll hurt you?”

The answer was instant. “No.”