The truth had been sitting in the space behind her eyes the whole time.
She had needed him alive to reach the barrier. Marcus's speed had gotten them across the ruined arena floor at a pace her own body couldn't have.
Sarah had already known that whatever the dark organization was doing today would reshape the kingdom's power structure, and that the winning side was going to be the side that adapted fastest.
The Surpasser appearing outside the barrier hadn't been a threat to her life. Sarah saw it was a job interview to show her competence.
She had recognized the moment the exact same way she had recognized every other opportunity in her life.
Wearing her usual cold expression she watched the Surpasser beat Marcus to the point of no return. And once the chance presented itself, Sarah didn't ask to join, but proved that she could remove her own attachments when the moment required it.
Marcus had been the price of her admission to the dark organisation... and to survival.
