“I don’t want to hurt you, Beloc,” she said. “Don’t make me.” “I wish I didn’t have to.” He squared himself to her, holding his sword with both hands, his knuckles white. “You’ll have to go through me.” Lila growled and gripped her knife. “Please,” he added. “Please go through me.” Lila gave him a long hard look. “How?” she said at last. His brows went up in question. “How do you want to die?” she clarified. The fire in his eyes wavered for an instant, and then he recovered, and said, “Quickly.”
