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"I was supposed to do that," I say, voice breaking I clear my throat "Before the medallion was destroyed"

"Sire!" Westley calls softly from the top of the stairs "Come quickly!"

"What? Is he hurt?" I deht's sword has broken"

I wrench away fro Take ic of the castle Torches flicker and I trail theh for two buses to drive through Tooden doors lead into the banquet hall and I stop before theive a frustrated yell

There's a creak and then one of the open towards , running into the hall

I see neither of theone

"Don'twith tears My heart is near the point of coroan

Uncertain what I heard, I holdfro the tables, I slow long enough at each break between rows to look between theround, blood pooling around their bodies

"Atreyu!" I gasp and dash towards hi to my knees, I don't notice the blood that splashes up and instead, shakily reach to take his pulse

It's there - but weak, shallow and slow

"You can't leaveover his sculpted lips to the hard planes of his face and his dark hair His scent is thick in the air Leaning over hiony hits od Please, no!" I can't lose hi hi I walk forward on my knees He's unconscious and covered in blood, his ash in his side, froh, from both shoulders, the side of his neck

There's no stopping or replacing that it hospital, which this world doesn't have I sit back, stricken by helplessness and horror, unable to believe the onlynu on a surreal feel My ears buzz and I try to distance s from here, try to convince myself it's not real