First Failure (5)

 First Failure (5)

Lily tightened her hold on him, her voice gentle and reassuring. "No, Arthur. It's not just your fault. It's mine too. I should have urged them to hurry, to take the danger more seriously. We both share the responsibility for what happened."

Arthur felt a mix of surprise and relief at Lily's words. He had always admired his sister's strength and wisdom, but now he saw her vulnerability, her willingness to share the burden of guilt. In that moment, they became not just siblings, but kindred spirits in the face of tragedy.

"You couldn't have known," Lily continued, her voice soothing. "We can't predict everything that will happen. All we can do is learn from our mistakes and be better prepared in the future."