“I trusted you,” she said, her voice trembling as his sword rested against her throat.

Eldrick let out a cold laugh. “Yes, you do have a tendency to trust the wrong people, Lana,” he sneered. “And that trust is going to cost you your life.”

Lana felt the tears welling up, but she fought them back. This was not the time to be weak.

“Did it mean nothing?” she asked. “Everything you said, everything we went through, was it all a lie?”

She tried to meet his gaze, but he looked away.

“It meant nothing, Lana.”

She shook her head. She refused to believe it.

I don’t believe you. I know who you really are. You’re not a killer, Eldrick.

He stared straight into her eyes. “You don’t know a damn thing about me… I have to do this. I have to…” For a moment, his grip faltered, but he quickly recovered.

“Then why is it taking you so long to kill me?” she shot back.

His eyes turned cold. “Because I want you to see it. Because I want you to understand that you brought this on yourself.”

He pressed the sword harder against her skin. A thin line of blood appeared. “And now, it ends.”

Lana could barely speak from the pain. A single tear slid down her cheek.

“Don’t do this, Eldrick,” she whispered.

“Give me one good reason why not,” he growled. “You left me to die in the forest!”

“I thought you were dead!” Her voice cracked. “I didn’t leave you! If I had known you were alive, then… then…”

“Then what?!” Eldrick roared. His voice echoed through the trees. Droplets of spit landed on her face as his eyes blazed with fury.

I had to go on. I had to.

Tears streamed endlessly down her cheeks. Her voice broke as she whispered:

“You know I had no choice… I’m sorry!”

She shut her eyes, took a deep breath, and then screamed it at the top of her lungs:

“I love you, Eldrick! I love you!”

Eldrick froze. The sword trembled faintly in his hand. His eyes narrowed, as though he hadn’t quite heard her.

“What… what did you say?” he rasped, his voice hoarse, almost unrecognizable.

Lana sobbed and met his gaze, despite the pain. “I love you, Eldrick,” she repeated, softer now, but with the same determination.

He stared at her, his jaw clenching and unclenching, as though he were fighting himself. The sword lowered slightly. His lips moved, but no words came.

Slowly, he let the sword sink until its tip touched the ground. His hand trembled. He turned his face away and closed his eyes.