Emerald stared at Ares for several long moments, her heart hammering against her ribcage. She already knew what he wanted, but she needed to hear him say it.
"What do you want?" she asked, though her voice came out steadier than she felt.
"It's time to come with me," Ares said simply, his dark eyes never wavering from hers.
"I don't want to," Emerald replied firmly. "Not blindly, without knowing what will happen to me. Not with all the secrets you still keep."
Ares stepped closer, his presence filling the space between them. "It's not negotiable, Emerald. You only have to trust that I'll do what I can to protect you."
The word 'trust' sparked something cold and sharp in Emerald's chest. She moved closer to him, her green eyes blazing.
"If I had to die to break the curse," she said, her voice cutting through the evening air like ice, "would you still protect me?"
Ares said nothing. His silence stretched between them. That alone gave her the answer she dreaded.
