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“I wasn’t always alone. I had you.”

“That’s not good enough.”

“You couldn’t be with me every second.”

“I should have known the depth of your sadness. Done more. Something.”

“How?”

He swallowed hard, his eyes turning glassy.

“I just should have.”

“Rafael, you couldn’t read my mind. There was nothing you could do against Father except get yourself killed.”

“I promised your mother I would protect you.”

“You did.”

“Not from wanting to kill yourself, though.”

His face twisted with pain and self-recrimination, his jaw tightening as though he were already punishing himself for not having seen it. I reached for his wrist.

“I won’t do it. I promise.”

He blinked back the unshed tears.

“I’m still here.”

“Thank God.”

His forehead touched mine for a moment.

I closed my eyes.

“Now Lachlan is here too.”

Rafael drew back slightly.

“He’s given you hope.”

“Yes.”

The answer came too quickly to pretend otherwise.

“And now you’re afraid for him.”

“They’re hurting him because he won’t give them what they want.”

“I know.”

“He could make it stop.”

Rafael nodded, his jaw clenching.

“All he has to do is tell his people to give Father what he wants or obey Isabeast, but he won’t. He’d rather let them torture him than give in.”

My voice shook again. I didn’t want to upset him further, but he needed to know why I was placing my fate in Lachlan’s hands.