“You endangered my family,” I say quietly.
“I protected it,” he counters. “From you.”
The audacity. The loyalty twisted into treason.
“You couldn’t stomach the idea of me choosing differently,” I say.
“You don’t get to choose,” he snarls. “You inherit.”
I tighten my grip until his words cut off into a choke.
“You don’t get to decide!” I reply.
He claws at my wrist. Kicks uselessly with his injured leg.
“You think that boy makes you strong?” he gasps.
I don’t reply. I don’t need to. He sees what I think on my face.
Hartford’s eyes flicker. Something almost like approval passes through them.
“You’re finally angry,” he rasps.
I release him just long enough to pick up the knife.
He slides down the wall, blood pooling beneath him.
“You always needed someone to push you,” he says.
I crouch in front of him.
“You trained me,” I say.
“Yes.”
“Youbeatme.” My voice doesn’t sound familiar.
“Yes.”
“You taught me to anticipate betrayal.”
A faint smile touches his mouth.
“Yes.”
“And you think this is a test,” I say.
“It is,” he replies.
I study him.
“You wanted to see if I would choose love,” I say.
He shakes his head weakly.
“I wanted to see if you’d choose power.”
Silence.
