Chapter 20: The Moment That Breaks Everything
The blade sank into her instead.
A wet, sickening sound.
Silence followed.
Justin froze.
Cristoff froze.
Even the forest seemed to hold its breath.
Tristana swayed—
Then collapsed into Justin's arms.
"No… no, no, no—" His voice broke as he caught her, hands trembling.
Blood soaked through his fingers.
Too much.
Far too much.
"Stay with me," he begged. "Tristana, look at me."
Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused.
"Justin…" she whispered.
The bond—
It ignited.
Fully. Completely.
At the worst possible moment.
He gasped, choking on it. "You feel it…?"
A faint, broken smile touched her lips.
"I always did," she admitted.
His world was shattered.
"Then why—"
"I was afraid," she breathed. "But… I love you."
The words came too late.
So cruelly, devastatingly late.
Tears fell freely down his face. "Don't do this. Don't leave me."
"I wanted… more time…"
Her hand weakly lifted to his face.
"I wanted… you…"
Her heartbeat stuttered.
"No—!" He pressed his forehead to hers. "Fight. Please, fight—"
"I'm so tired…"
Her hand slipped.
Her eyes dimmed.
And then—
Nothing.
The blade sank into her instead.
A wet, sickening sound.
Silence followed.
Justin froze.
Cristoff froze.
Even the forest seemed to hold its breath.
Tristana swayed—
Then collapsed into Justin's arms.
"No… no, no, no—" His voice broke as he caught her, hands trembling.
Blood soaked through his fingers.
Too much.
Far too much.
"Stay with me," he begged. "Tristana, look at me."
Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused.
"Justin…" she whispered.
The bond—
It ignited.
Fully. Completely.
At the worst possible moment.
He gasped, choking on it. "You feel it…?"
A faint, broken smile touched her lips.
"I always did," she admitted.
His world was shattered.
"Then why—"
"I was afraid," she breathed. "But… I love you."
The words came too late.
So cruelly, devastatingly late.
Tears fell freely down his face. "Don't do this. Don't leave me."
"I wanted… more time…"
Her hand weakly lifted to his face.
"I wanted… you…"
Her heartbeat stuttered.
"No—!" He pressed his forehead to hers. "Fight. Please, fight—"
"I'm so tired…"
Her hand slipped.
Her eyes dimmed.
And then—
Nothing.