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“I changed my mind You die—”

His throat explodes

18

I surge to my feet before the blood mist has a chance to fall My father is old He’ll heal far too quickly to hesitate now It’s e couldn’t risk a shot to the head If he’s still able to speak, he’ll put a stop to any attack before I have a chance to finish it

His power still lingers in the air, but it no longer feels like it’s chaining round even as he tries to stop the bleeding His mouth moves, but no words come out How many seconds do I have? Thirty? Twenty? Ten?

Fear gives th as I hack at him with the knife One strike hits his hands, another, and then they’re finally out of the way It takes one glance at his throat to drive how little tiether beforethe blade overto impale his neck It will be impossible for him to heal if there’s a knife in the way

I don’t make it

He catches the blade in the pal on the hilt Shock freezes le heartbeat, and then it’s too late He wrenches the knife away Theaway from us I follow the trajectory as horror rises with the realization that it lands too far away If I go for it, he’ll be healed by the tiet back to him

Rylan’s voice rises fro else

Never defenseless Never weaponless

Do not panic

I screathat spread froh my hands I shove back at my father and blink down as blood sprays where I make contact

My hands are…transformed It’s not like before There are no dainty claws that are sharp but ultiht No, e and wickedly curved and achingly sharp

My father’s eyes go wide No, he mouths

“Yes”

This tiht me with his bare hands A blow from me, and there are no one entirely I keep going, fear driving one and his head rolls away from his body