The fire crackled softly in the sitting room, its warm glow wrapping around me like an embrace I couldn't fully feel. Next to me, Marie sat steadfast, her hand resting lightly over mine, a lifeline amidst the storm raging within my chest.
"Drink," she urged, offering a steaming cup of tea. Her voice held a soothing authority that left no room for refusal.
I hesitated but obeyed, though the bitter taste lingered on my tongue. My hands trembled, almost spilling the tea, and without a word, Marie reclaimed the cup, holding it steady for me.
"You're stronger than you realise," she said gently. "But remember, strength doesn't mean you don't feel; never let anyone take that from you."
Before I could respond, the doors swung open.
Tristan appeared, looking different with a tense face, shoulders locked, and jaw set like stone. His eyes scanned the room, locking onto mine with an intensity that eased some of the tautness within him.
Marie rose, a knowing look passing between them. "I'll give you both a moment," she said, pressing a soft kiss to my hair as she slipped past. "Get some rest, darling."
And then it was just Tristan and me.
-
Ellie was curled in the chair, her face pale, eyes swollen with the unshed tears that reflected her torment, and I could feel my heart twist painfully at the sight. She had faced the fire tonight, forced to take a life to save her own, and here she was, clinging to her fragile composure.
In a few swift strides, I crossed the room, dropping to my knees before her. "Ellie."
Her lips trembled, the weight of her unspoken thoughts hanging in the air. "Tristan, about your father,"
"It doesn't matter anymore," I interrupted, urgency threading my voice. My hands enveloped hers, chilled from shock and marked with remnants of dried blood. "Father will understand the cost of this world. You were the bait he chose, and he must bear the consequence of exposing you to such horrors. But none of that matters to me because I'm not letting you go."
Swallowing hard, Ellie struggled to find her voice, her words coming out like a bitter pill. "You know, your father isn't entirely wrong in this situation. I understand where he's coming from," she admitted, the confession hitting harder than I had expected. "But I'll be honest with you, if I had to make the same choice all over again to protect the ones I love, I wouldn't hesitate for a second. If that's what it takes to keep you and everyone else safe, then I have no regrets."
Her breath hitched, and finally, her tears spilt over. I caught her as she broke down, pulling her against my chest. Her sobs were muffled in the fabric of my shirt, and I held her tightly, feeling the weight of everything I could lose.
As her breathing gradually steadied, I leaned in, pressing my forehead against hers, feeling the warmth of her skin. "You're mine, Ellie," I declared, my voice steady and resolute. "There's nothing, no force, no war, not even my father, that could ever tear us apart."
Her soft whisper broke through the chaos around us, a lifeline of certainty. "If that's what you truly want, then I'll stay by your side, with your family. We'll face whatever challenges come our way, together."