"Please… just kill me." Florian's voice cracked—a broken plea escaped through the blood and mucus that drenched his face.
Lisbeth wrenched her hand from his grip, her strength barely holding against the desperation in his grasp. With one final pull, she broke free, stumbling backward as Florian collapsed onto the floor, wailing like a wounded animal.
She didn't look back. She couldn't. Her feet carried her out of the chamber, her heart pounding so loudly it seemed to echo in the silent northern tower.
As she slammed the door shut behind her, Lisbeth pressed her back against it, her chest heaving. Every breath felt sharp, ragged, as if her body was trying to keep pace with the chaos storming inside her mind.
She should leave. She had to leave. The northern tower was no place to linger. Yet her legs refused to obey, trembling beneath her until she slid to the cold stone floor.