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Taste the truth

Demons were liars and tricksters, but when he smacked his lips, it wasn’t a lie or a trick that he tasted He savored the sweet taste of truth

The being in front of him was Annabelle

How had this happened? And oh, Deity, what had he done? Thrown her Hit her Choked her Zacharel released his grip on the sword, the fla him to his knees

No wonder he could smell Annabelle on her She truly was Annabelle And he had hurt her Hurt her terribly He would never be able to forgive himself

He remained in place as she closed the distance between them "I am sorry, so sorry, Annabelle" Would he never take proper care of her? Would he always bring her pain?

Her head tilted to the side, as if she heard hihtened, as if she cared not about his apology And in the ensuingHer claws slashed at him, her little fists beat at him She twirled with a skill she had not previously possessed, cutting at his

Not once did he attempt to stop her He deserved this He deserved this and so ive her his head I’h, she jumped away from him and stopped, just stopped and blinked

"Annabelle?"

She wavered, closed her eyes A moment passed before she was able to refocus, but when she did, he realized her irises had returned to that startling shade of ice-blue

"Annabelle!" He leapt to his feet

"Zacharel?" At least, he thought she’d said his name The as jumbled, nearly inaudible

"I’m here" Steps slow and measured, he approached her He didn’t want to rattle her

As though a strong wind had just slammed into her, she teetered over, fell

He whipped intoher down "I’m so sorry, love I didn’t knoas you"

Tears filled her eyes, spilled down her cheeks "Zacharel," she repeated in that sale of panic left her Was she scared of hihtly shut "Did I…kill you?"

Her poor ht her bruised jaw Hadrenial had pleaded for death Annabelle had pleaded for life Look what he’d done to theonized over his decision to do what his brother asked and strike the killing blow? And afterward, when the decision had been made and the action done, how hard had he cried? So hard he’d broken nearly all of his ribs So hard he’d vomited blood But even then, he hadn’t wanted to die hie Now, he would have welcohed, a trickle of blood sliding from the corner of her h ashaentle "I know, love, but we’ll find a way to fix you"

"Demon…in cloud…he waited, tried to take brother…I--"

"Shh Don’t worry about that right now"

Still she persisted "Didn’t let… Fought"

"I know, love, I know, so tell ht noant you to drift off to sleep All right? I will protect you, I swear it"

"No! Listen!" she said with a sudden burst of strength "You can’t leave the deone as quickly as it had arrived "Have to take hi li at last dawned The slain demonthat heavy weight around, trying to escape, fighting for her life, because she had vowed to protect Zacharel’s greatest treasure

"I won’t leave hiain In sleep, she would not feel the pain She would heal

She had better heal

"Thank you," she said on a sigh, her head lolling to the side, but her eyes blinked open, as if she didn’t trust hih to do as he’d asked

Thank you, she’d said