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Yuri\'s reaction was immediate. Her body tensed, her eyes narrowing with a mixture of suspicion and anger. "Ezra?" she repeated, incredulous. "You expect me to hand over one of my most loyal Subjects to you? For what?"

"For the end of this war." Solomon said calmly. "Isn\'t giving up one man to end a war an easy choice?"

Yuri stayed silent, thinking. A moment later, she asked. "Why Ezra specifically?"

Solomon stepped closer, his voice turning colder. "Ezra Matten killed my right-hand man, Malachi. Everyone thinks I\'ve forgotten about it but I haven\'t. He killed a man he shouldn\'t have, and I want him dealt with. Personally."

Yuri\'s eyes remained fixed on Solomon\'s, her mind running through what he had just said. She hadn\'t expected this, hadn\'t expected Solomon\'s true focus to be on Ezra, of all people. The realization seemed to catch her off guard, but she quickly masked her thoughts.

Was Solomon so attached to his dead right-hand man? Why had he waited for so long to ask for Ezra? Why would he let the war get to the second phase before making this move? Everything about this affair was suspicious.

"Let me get this straight. You think I\'d hand him over so easily?" Yuri asked Solomon. "Why would I betray one of my own for your grudge?"

Yuri knew exactly what was at stake for her. The problem wasn\'t giving Ezra away. The problem was the consequences of giving Ezra away.

Her Subjects will be insecure under her. If she could hand Ezra, the same person who had fought to make sure Southside ended in her hands, over to a rival Count, what was stopping her from giving them away too?

"Because," Solomon said, his tone darkening, "if you give me Ezra, this war ends. You and I stop fighting, and that means Vladimir loses his chance to capitalize on our conflict. You keep your power, your subjects, your territories, everything." He paused, placing emphasis on his next words.

"All I want is him."

Yuri stared at Solomon. The man was not playing around. This was not a sick joke and he really was after Ezra.

She said nothing for a long moment, the ticking of the clock filling the silence between them. Finally, she spoke, her voice quieter but no less sharp.

"Why is Ezra so important to you?" She asked. That was the biggest mystery of this deal. She had to know before making a decision. "This isn\'t just about Malachi, is it?"

Solomon clenched his jaw, his anger flaring at the mention of his former lieutenant. Was it a real emotion or was it a lie? Face reading was ineffective against vampires who could manipulate every muscle fiber.

"Ezra has been a thorn in my side for too long, Yuri. Long before he became one of yours." He spoke through gritted teeth. "He came to my domain and destroyed it, walking away and leaving a stain on my reputation. Malachi\'s death was the final insult, and I won\'t rest until I see him pay for it."

Yuri studied him, her expression unreadable. "So, this is about revenge." She didn\'t know whether to believe him or not.

"Revenge and strategy." Solomon corrected. "With him gone, I no longer have to worry about the stain on my name. Even if I did have the Ascension well, no one would want to fight under a man in which a lower ring Subject disrespected him and still walks around, unchecked."

"And you? You can keep everything else. Your territory stays intact. No more bloodshed, no more battles. Just peace."

On

Yuri\'s lips pressed into a thin line. She remained silent for a moment, considering the offer. Solomon could see the conflict in her eyes.

The desire for peace, for an end to the war that would definitely consume too much, weighed against her loyalty to one of her strongest allies.

"It\'s a tempting offer." Yuri admitted, her voice softening. "But you\'re asking me to betray one of my own."

"I\'m asking you to make a choice that benefits us both." Solomon countered. "Ezra\'s presence in your ranks is valuable, yes. But is it worth more than peace? Is he worth more than ending Vladimir\'s ambitions, obscure as they are?"

Yuri didn\'t answer immediately.

She turned away from Solomon, walking slowly to the window on the adjacent wall, gazing out at the city below. The longer she spent there, the longer the tension simmered, rising slowly. Each tick of the giant clock seemed to be dragging out the moment.

After what felt like an eternity, Yuri turned back to face him. Her expression was calm, but her eyes were still clouded with uncertainty.

"I need time to think about this." She said finally. "I won\'t make a decision in haste."

"Not that I expected you to." Solomon nodded, masking the impatience that simmered in his gut. "Don\'t take too long, Yuri. The longer this war drags on, the more we lose and the more blood will be spilled. And sooner or later, Vladimir will make his move."

Yuri didn\'t respond. She turned on her heel and walked toward the door, the silence between them heavy with unresolved tension. As the door creaked shut behind her, Solomon remained standing, staring at the clock face as the seconds ticked away.

He had planted the seed. Now, it was up to Yuri to decide whether to water it.

But he wasn\'t a man who enjoyed waiting.

With a final glance out at the city, he turned and walked out of the tower. The clock continued its steady, rhythmic ticking, counting down the moments until Yuri\'s decision, and the fate of the war, was made.