Never One to Take Goodbyes Well

"This isn't your decision to make, Ercilia."

Marius growls, taking a few steps forward as the flames circle around him and blacken where he used to stand. Ercilia has a dagger right at her side - just within her arm's reach. Her fingers itch to wrap themselves around it, but if she makes one wrong move, either she or Meir might drop dead right then and there. 

Even still, she needs to do something. There is no way out of this without her dying, or him being recaptured.

'Hell, that was even with positive thinking.'

She knows that, even if she sacrifices herself for him, he'll still probably get caught after he dies. Her father isn't a man known for keeping his promises, after all. 

Meir goes on to open his mouth to speak again, and it takes all the self-control Ercilia has left, which is apparently not a lot, to keep herself from slapping her hand over his mouth.

'Like uncle, like nephew, I guess.'