While Eden and Seraphina were dealing with Dominique, Nova, Everly, and Rayna had just finished briefing Aelina about their time in the Forbidden Forest.
On Aelina's normally unreadable face, a slight frown hung upon her lips as she thought about their story. While tapping the armrest of her chair, her gaze sharpened, and she stared at the girls in front of her, looking for any signs of deceit. She even used a sliver of Qi to examine their minds and bodies to ensure they weren't brainwashed.
However, her frown deepened when she found that they were fine other than a poison slowly being expelled from their bodies.
After a few moments of silence, Aelina spoke up in a somewhat skeptical tone, "...So, you're saying that at the center of the Forbidden Forest is a Basilisk?"
Nova nodded.
"...And that Mira made some sort of deal with this Basilisk for a bit of Celestial Nectar?"
Nova nodded again, cold sweat starting to form on her forehead.
