[center] [h1][color=f49ac2]Amaris Marivaldi[/color][/h1] [sub]Interacting with: [color=fc8686]Madalyn[/color] [@Achronum][/sub] [/center] The countess could hear the multiplying panic in Maddie’s voice as she responded. She could do little more than imagine the water rising from the cracks in her containment, her mortal body slowly shutting down as the cold set in. Amaris was just about out of time, and yet even with Maddie’s help she still found herself at a loss for words. How could it be that the answer was only a singular lie rather than the two the rules had mentioned before? Was there some sort of clue Maddie had that she did not, or had she allowed the circumstances to muddle her mind so much? As it was, from Maddie’s point of view, the only part she had personal stake in was the final statement but she didn’t find herself in agreement with it. Amaris wished she could believe it was the lie, but it was difficult for her to see it the same way. Perhaps she had not broken the trust between her and Maddie but she had not given the mage much of a reason to trust her. Not to mention the past partners she couldn’t even bring herself to look in the eyes, how could she expect Maddie to trust her after such horrific failures. [i][color=f49ac2]It was never their trust you lost.[/color][/i] Amaris thought to herself softly. Through it all, Amaris had been beating herself up over events that had been outside of her control only to end up projecting her own feelings onto her lost companions. It was the trust she had in herself that she had lost and because of it her partner was facing freezing or drowning while she sat playing the self pity game. Clenching her fists tightly, Amaris decided to put her faith in Maddie’s sincerity and spoke. “[color=f49ac2]Alright then serpent, a decision has been made. ‘One partner now, two partners past, lack all trust in you’ is the lie.[/color]” The countess’ hands remained tightly closed as she waited for something, anything, to happen.