urns and shakes his head. "How can I believe a

old me so hers

re beating i

hat fatal blow, the reminder I don't need. He doesn

"I was fighting for my life. I didn't mean to kill

to soften his anger. It eats at me, and I just wish he'd look at me for one second without com

s that it? Do you wish it were

at all!" he roars. "You betrayed me. You schemed. You ne

adingly. "I would rather die than hurt you, b

me too. But instead of death, it was the darkness that stole me. I

second, the agony makes me wish I were dead. Perhaps tha

had to witness this anguish from the one person who's always loved

y to get some slee

g to happen

sleep," he repeats. "And when yo

ee his resolve, his acceptance that we have no choice but to move fo

ng up on me. Blood is the unbreakable bond that can't be severed. We've been t

word. Santi is the head of our household, and in our world, that means

haven't been taking it seriously enough. I've already tested hi

ng him that I can listen. I can abide by the rules of Society and do what's expected of me.

g in my chest is blotted out by the darkness as the

e horrifying realization that I've killed someone. It torments me. It grabs me an

th as fragments of the insidious nightmare try to dr

ne, tickling every one of my senses. How long have I been

the figures sitting across from each other in t

as I cling to the covers a

want to believe I'm confused. I'm not awake at

n that I can't trust you. Not in my home. Not in my life

The one sitting like a silent warden as he watches me in the dim

, he's tasked with the Rite of my care sh

He's as cold-hearted as they come, and he lets it be known in the hars

enge him. Few can even really look him in the eye,

self, but the idea of him stealing me away

e covers off me. "You can'

and I scramble from the bed, trying

tand what's happening, but something in his gaze tells me it's going to be okay. He silently implores m

rt me right now. Just for a minute. But I would have to be delusional to believe Judg

ead for my life. I will do anything, say an

side and wrapping a steel arm around my wai

ight, but it's useless. Within seconds, he has my arm

I've already fought for my life once

ease don't

lls him. "I wi

ne last time, and all I

to me," I whisper.

is gaze away and doesn't glance

last wail. "That's enough now. Just relax. Don't ma

gainst him. It's my adrenaline crashing, somethin

carded me like I'm nothing. And surely, there is something more terrifying on the horizon i

I know it