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I gaze down at my hands, the warmth of his blood still clinging to my skin, and I watch as it slowly drips onto the marble floor beneath my bare feet. I lean down at his side once more and I can feel the stickiness of his blood coating my white gown.

As the wind picks up, the sheer white curtain sways and flutters with grace. Will he forgive me for this night? The sacrifices I must make, my selfishness — I can’t let him go. I refuse to release the ripples that shimmer and glow inside my chest. “ Only the sacrificed can save.”

I gently press my lips against his chilly forehead, running my fingers through his lush hair, and savoring his familiar scent that fills my senses.

I grab the jeweled dagger, feeling its weight in my hand, and offer a final prayer to the Goddess watching over me. I rise, my ears picking up the increasingly loud footsteps of the soldiers and feeling the vibrations of heavy thuds reverberating through the floor. They are coming.

As I gaze upwards, the moon’s ethereal glow casts a shadow over the sun, creating a captivating celestial duel. Raising the dagger, I feel the cold, sharp blade grazing my neck.