I felt something deep in my chest tremble. Not pain this time. Something stronger.
He coughed—once, hard. Blood slipped from the side of his mouth.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” he said. “I was trying to protect you. But now… now you need to run.”
“No,” I shook my head. “No, you’re coming with me.”
But he was already slipping away.
His eyes began to close.
His last words came like a breath on the wind.
“Save yourself… live for us.”
And then he was gone.
I didn’t have time to break.
I didn’t have time to fall apart.
Because behind me, I heard the voices returning. The shouts. The command to regroup. They were coming for me now. And I knew this time, they might not take me alive.
I turned.
My eyes searched the crowd and found them—Lilian and Rhea, still in the same spot. Lilian
