# CHAPTER 65 – "The Burden of Forgiveness"
## POV: Vanessa
The vision hits me like a punch to the skull.
One second I'm walking through the ruins looking for the third artifact. Next second I'm somewhere else entirely. Some kind of courtroom made of white stone and silver light. Gerald's kneeling in the center looking like hell warmed over.
"This ain't real," I tell myself. "Just another test."
But it feels real. Can smell his fear. Hear his heart beating too fast. See tears running down his face like he's been crying for hours.
"Vanessa," he says without looking up. "I'm sorry. Sorry for everything."
"For what? Betraying me? Selling out to the Shadow Council? Helping them murder my people?"
"For being weak. For letting them twist me into something I never wanted to be."
"You made choices Gerald. Nobody forced you."
"Didn't I? You think they gave me options? You think they asked nicely?"
