The room sank into a suffocating silence as those two words echoed like a curse.
Kurt and Victoria's bodies stiffened. Mechanically, they turned their heads toward the source of the horrifying plea.
"C–Clark…" Victoria's voice cracked as she stumbled forward, her trembling hands reaching for him. "Can you hear me?"
Tears slid down her cheeks, falling onto Clark's charred, broken face.
Densdor sat calmly by his side, as if nothing about the situation was unusual, while Kurt hovered helplessly behind Victoria, unable to move closer.
"The elven healers will be here soon, so—" Kurt began.
"K–kill me…"
The words slipped out again, weaker this time, but laced with the same unbearable despair.
Victoria froze. Her breath caught in her throat, and she sank into the chair behind her as if her legs had betrayed her.
