Marcus's funeral was the forty-fourth I'd attended since becoming Hybrid Queen and I was running out of ways to process grief that didn't involve completely shutting down, which probably wasn't sustainable but neither was feeling every death like it was personal.
Except this one was personal. Marcus had been there from the beginning. Had coordinated our battles. Had believed in the alliance when it was just desperate hope.
And he'd died defending it while I was fighting The Root.
"He knew the risks." Isabelle's voice came quiet from beside me. "He chose to stay. Chose to defend. That was his decision."
His decision. Right. Except if I'd been here instead of sealed in a prison maybe he'd still be alive.
"You were saving reality." She continued like she could hear my spiral. "Fighting The Root. Killing it permanently. Marcus knew that. He was proud to hold the line while you finished it."
Proud to hold the line. That should have made it better. Didn't.
