Pain exploded across his face.
He collapsed briefly before forcing himself upright again.
His hand gripped the dagger so tightly his knuckles turned white.
Then —
He raised the blade once more.
And with a brutal twist of his wrist —
He carved through the remaining tissue around the eye socket.
The scream that ripped out of him wasn’t controlled.
It was pure agony.
His right eye — destroyed — now hung in a ruined socket, partially severed but not fully detached.
Blood ran freely down his jaw and neck.
He reached up with trembling fingers —
And yanked.
The damaged eye tore loose with a sickening sound.
It dropped to the marble floor between us.
I screamed.
High.
Raw.
Primal.
My knees nearly gave out.
“No!”
The word tore from my throat as I rushed forward instinctively — catching him before he collapsed fully.
He was shaking violently.
Breathing through clenched teeth.
Blood soaked his face and shirt.
His remaining eye — wild, unfocused from shock — locked onto mine.
“Is that enough?” he rasped.
His voice was strained.
“Is the price... paid?”
His body swayed.
