The word struck Gideon harder than a physical blow. His face changed. For one moment, pain replaced the madness in his expression. Then the pain became rage.
“Monster?”
His voice trembled.
“You call me a monster?”
Dark magic rolled across the ground.
“You abandoned me.”
Agatha’s parents struggled to rise behind them.
“You left without saying goodbye.”
His voice grew louder.
“You chose another man. Another creature. You carried his child.”
Every word sounded torn from a wound that had never healed.
“You destroyed me.”
Tears filled his eyes, but the darkness remained.
“You broke everything inside me.”
Agatha stared at him. Despite her fear, despite everything he had done, she could hear the truth of his pain. He had suffered.
Her leaving had wounded him deeply. But pain did no
