Elia’s words had finally clicked into place. In some twisted, unspoken way, Lance had his own fears, his own ghosts that haunted him. And yet, understanding didn’t soften the sting of the truth.
Fiore wiped her tears, drawing a shaky breath before speaking. “I sympathize with Lance, I do, but it doesn’t change the fact that his indecisiveness—his failure to act against his past—has led to the deaths of thousands.” Her voice, even to her own ears, sounded harsher than she intended.
Dominic didn’t flinch, but there was a shadow of acknowledgment in his eyes. “The story I’ve told you isn’t to justify his actions, Luna.”
Fiore’s heart thudded in her chest, her emotions a tangled mess. She felt both compassion and frustration, torn between understanding the trauma that shaped Lance and the d
