|| Richard ||
My blood burned, a seething inferno barely held in check, as I carried Penelope through the towering gates of Inarica. Every step I took only stoked the wildfire inside me, a blaze of fury, regret, and something darker — something primal. My fingers clenched around her delicate frame, my grip firm but careful, as if letting go would mean losing her forever.
The beast inside me roared for justice, for vengeance. It was a living, breathing force beneath my skin, restless, raging against the confines of my body, demanding to be unleashed. My muscles tightened with the effort of restraining it, of keeping my own darkness at bay. But the fury wasn’t just directed at those who had hurt her — it was at myself. Because I had failed her.
I should have protected her. I should have k
