The tension stretched, pulled taut like a piano wire. Kael watched in horror, his aim shaking as he tried to track the silhouette on the catwalk. If Jarek fired now, Silas was dead. This was reckless. It was stupid. It was against every regulation Kael had sworn to uphold.

This is where demands nuance. Neutrality, in many cases, is not peace—it is a vote for the status quo of suffering. But blind partisanship is equally destructive. The chapter teaches that loyalty to two parties simultaneously is possible only if you refuse to weaponize your allegiance. You can say, “I will not break confidence with either of you, and I will work to understand both truths.” That is not weakness. That is advanced loyalty.