Taleth didn't say a word, but the look on his face said enough, disbelief, anger, disgust.
The woman saw it and sighed. "I know you're angry. I was too. But listen to my story carefully."
She sat up straighter, her voice calmer now, but no less heavy.
"In the past, there was a massive war between the Nephirid Kingdom and the surface nations. Velmora was caught in the middle, and to survive, we allied with the Nephirid."
She paused, her jaw tight. "But in the end… we lost."
Taleth remained silent, his eyes narrowing.
"The defeat wasn't just military," she continued. "The Nephirid lost more than land. Their primary power source was sealed. With it went their ability to maintain dominance."
"And the Velmora?" Taleth asked quietly.
She didn't flinch. "Our king made a deal to preserve what was left. To keep our kingdom alive and our wealth intact… we sold half our population."
