I managed a weak smile.
“You defeated him,” I said softly.
The words seemed to shake her out of her thoughts. She looked at me with wide, fearful eyes.
“Don’t speak,” she ordered. “We have to get you to the hospital immediately. That poison—”
I shook my head. My whole body ached, each heartbeat radiating pain through my limbs. There was a burning sensation in my throat, making it difficult to swallow.
“I think it’s a little late for that,” I admitted with a sad smile.
Her grip tightened on me, her eyes flashing with frustration. “Don’t say that. We can still—”
“I knew the risks, Ella.”
The words tasted bitter. I had chosen this path, knowing full well what could happen. The moment I turned against the Northern King, I had sealed my fate. I had been ready to
