"You're not considering going back, are you?" Alexander asked Lily, his concern evident.
She smiled. "You know me best."
A chorus of protests erupted. "You shouldn't!"
Mike exclaimed, "I'm worried about Nicky, but you just escaped. How can we let you go back to that hellhole?" He shook his head firmly. "No, I can't let you risk your life just to rescue my son."
"Don't say it like that," Lily said nonchalantly, a faint smile playing on her lips. "It's not like I'm surely going to die."
"But you're taking too much of a risk!" Mike insisted, his brow furrowed. "If anyone has to die, it should be me, no one else!" He felt a deep responsibility for his son, but refused to let others sacrifice themselves.
Lily sighed. "I know what I'm doing. Besides, do you think I'll be safe if I don't go back? Will Queen Yasmin spare me? I'll never be safe unless she abandons the experiment."
"She's right," Dominic interjected. "When the queen gives up, we don't have to rescue your son because she'll no longer need him."
Still, they doubted its feasibility. Numerous attempts to dissuade Yasmin had failed; even threats proved ineffective.
"Queen Yasmin won't spare me. She won't abandon the experiment, and I doubt she can find another suitable candidate quickly," Lily said calmly, as if discussing a stranger. "They'll try to kidnap me again, no matter where I am. So, I might as well go to them."
Instead of awaiting the inevitable, Lily preferred proactive action. Waiting was never her style; she preferred to fight back.
After a moment's reflection, Mike offered, "I don't think they dare do anything to you in Hyderland."
Lily countered, "What about the pandemic and the viruses? Do you think they care?"
Despite their caution and secrecy, Yasmin might risk anything for the experiment. Silence descended as everyone contemplated Lily's point. While they understood her reasoning, they couldn't accept her risking her life, especially so soon after her escape from the embassy.
"Don't look at me like that," Lily shrugged, a hint of self-deprecating humor in her voice. "I'm not as noble as you think. If they hadn't chosen me as the vessel, I wouldn't bother with this experiment." She would have gladly avoided the whole ordeal if given the choice.