“You have to protect the children.”
“All of them.”
I pull back and look up at him. “Can’t you give it one more day? Please? This will…” My throat clogs. “Our magics won’t be the same.”
He thumbs away a tear I didn’t know had fallen. “It must be done tonight.”
“It’s too soon.”
“I can’t have you getting hurt.”
“So you’re making this choice without me?”
His eyes narrow and his next words come out measured, like he’s been calculating which exit strategy is the best one. “I hoped you’d understand.”
I pull away from him and his hands fall. His warmth is instantly gone, and I want it back so badly. “You’re not giving this enough time.”
His jaw flexes. “We don’t have time.”
“We have as much time as you?—”
“There’s no time left,” he shouts.
Shouts.
I flinch.
He sees it and his face darkens—not in anger, but in agony.
But all I feel is betrayal. “You’ve already decided. You weren’t having this talk with me to see if I had another idea. You’re telling me your plan.”
He slips his hands into his pockets and looks away. “I’m doing it tonight.”
“No.”
He nods.
“One day! Just one day!”
He shakes his head. “I’m sorry.”
“Please, Eryx.”
He reaches for me. “I’m sorry,” he repeats.
I pull away. “I want you to fight for us—for this. You’re just letting go, giving in before you’ve given us a chance to heal.”
His jaw flexes in reply.
“You're asking me to trust you," I say, voice shaking. "But you won't trustme. You won't trust that I'm strong enough to handle this. You won't even let metry.”
Emotions flicker across his face, and when he speaks, his voice is strained. “All I’ve done is fight for us. Don’t you think I want you to be my beautiful monster?”
The words break something inside me.
Iwashis beautiful monster. I had claws and power and felt like I could take on the world. And now he's taking it away.
Not because I failed. Not because I wasn't strong enough. Because he decided I can't handle the pain.
