.......... Kiara ......... "I was at the meeting!" I blurt out, shocked, but he warns me not to lie to him. “I’m not lying to you. Why would I lie? I was at the meeting, and I went to lunch with Alaric afterward. You are hurting me!" I say, tears pooling in my eyes, shocked by his behavior, and I see something change in his eyes. He lets me go and staggers backward as though he's dizzy. "I’m sorry," he whispers, turning around, burying his fingers in his hair while I stand there, trying to process what just happened. "I’m sorry, I feel like I'm losing my mind," he says, turning to face me again, his voice still soft, and I notice he’s trembling. I step up to him, wrap my arms around his waist, and lay my head against his chest. What is happening to him? He doesn't say anything and just

