Chapter 57 Importance

• The weight of Sonia's words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment, no one spoke. Finally, it was Luca who broke the silence, his deep voice filled with a mixture of determination and resignation.
• "Sheila," he began, turning to face the High Priestess fully, "You might be the key to our survival --- the survival of the elves, and maybe even the kingdom "
• Sheila stood before Luca and Sonia in the dim, musty cell, her mind whirling with the gravity of the situation. The truth Sonia had revealed—her role as a spy for Alpha Sandro—had left Sheila both shaken and conflicted. But even more pressing was the state of her own reputation, which had been steadily eroding under the weight of malicious rumors and innuendos. The rumors about her supposed affair with Luca, a rumor that had spread like wildfire, had cast a shadow over her leadership, making it nearly impossible for her to take the decisive action needed to save them all.