Before she could process what had happened, a warm trickle slipped down from her nose, slow and metallic. Blood. It smeared across her upper lip.
Luke frowned, "You shouldn't have been this hard, Your Highness."
Marvin's expression shifted—barely—but his silence spoke volumes.
The knights thought Kazmun had pushed her too far.
Kazmun said nothing. His gaze lingered on Alyssane, for a moment too long, unreadable, and then… wordlessly, he turned and walked away.
Alyssane subconsciously bit her lips. The blood tasted like nothing. Her fingers on the sword trembled. Her heart raced faster than ever. But a strange thought echoed in her mind.
'It's so real… painful… then why does it almost feel like I am not here?'
"Please allow me to help you," Marvin politely stepped forward.
Alyssane just nodded. Neither of them spoke as they walked.
And slow, the the strange feeling, the dull pain, it all began to fade. Soon, too soon, it was almost as if it was never there.
