With a cruel sneer, Aldrake raised a silver dagger and drove it into Aldus's back.
Time shattered.
The world moved in slow motion as Aldus's body jerked forward, his eyes widening in shock and pain. Blood — thick and crimson — blossomed across his chest, spilling down his shirt as he staggered and fell to his knees.
He coughed, choking as blood dripped from his lips, staining the earth beneath him.
"Aldus!" Livia screamed, her voice breaking. She stumbled toward him, her legs heavy, her heart pounding against her ribs. "No, please — please, open your eyes!"
But he was slipping away. His golden gaze — once so alive — began to dim, his body crumpling to the ground as if the world itself had abandoned him.
And then she saw them.
Aldrake and Amber, standing side by side. Their hands intertwined, smiles of twisted triumph painted across their faces as they looked down at Aldus's still body.
