His gaze, unwavering, pierced through Eleanor. Not judgment, not pity, but something far more unsettling. A calculating assessment, like a predator weighing its prey. The confession had ripped from her, raw and ugly. Now, a fragile quiet filled the caldera's shelter, broken only by the howl of the sandstorm outside.
Elias remained still. His dark eyes absorbed every trembling detail, every catch in her breath. He processed her vulnerability, her desperation. A muscle twitched in his jaw, the only sign of his internal state.
Finally, a slow, deliberate breath escaped him.
"The Serpent's Eye," he stated, his voice a low rumble. "It won't solve your problem. It's a myth, a legend. Your father's debts are real."
A fresh wave of despair washed over her. He was right. She had chased a ghost, a foolish hope. Her shoulders slumped. The sandstorm’s fury mirrored the tempest inside her.
"I know who your creditors are, Eleanor," he continued, cutting through her thoughts. "The Brothers of the Obsidian Hand. They do not forgive. They do not forget. Their interest rates are… astronomical."
Her head snapped up. How could he possibly know? She had kept her father’s dealings a closely guarded secret, even from her closest friends. A chill snaked down her spine, colder than the desert night.
"My sources are extensive," Elias said, answering her unasked question. A faint, almost imperceptible smirk played on his lips. "They collect debts with extreme prejudice. Your life is not your own while you owe them."
He pushed a hand through his dark hair, a rare, almost human gesture. "You're right to be afraid. They would have hunted you to the ends of the earth. The Eye or no Eye."
Eleanor’s throat tightened. He wasn't exaggerating. She had seen their methods. Heard the whispers of those who failed to pay. A shiver racked her frame.
"I can make it disappear," he said, the words cutting through the sandstorm's roar. His voice was calm, utterly devoid of emotion.
Eleanor stared. Her mind struggled to process the statement. Disappear? The impossible debt? The crushing weight that had suffocated her for years? Her breath hitched.
"What are you talking about?" Her voice was a bare whisper, barely audible.