Elena’s POV
I met his eyes and said nothing for a long moment. Then, very quietly, I said. “No.”
That single word snapped something in him. His hands clamped down on my shoulders, hard enough to hurt. “No?” he barked. “Have you lost your mind? Do you actually want to be executed?”
A dry, broken smile crossed my face. “Do you think I want that? Of course I don’t. But tell me; what choice did you leave me?” I looked straight at him. “You voted for Sara. You sealed it. You pushed me to the edge. And now you show up acting like a savior?”
His jaw tightened. “I never wanted you dead,” he said through clenched teeth. “All you had to do was come to me. Beg me. And let me fix this. I could’ve kept you safe.”
I twisted out of his grip and stepped back. I wiped the blood from my che
