"I thought..." She trembled. "I thought I'd finally stopped crying."

Her voice cracked. "I'm so hurt, Baron. I'm tired. I'm depressed. I want to kill myself."

His whole body stiffened.

"Elowyn... please... don't say that. Your mother wouldn't want that. Mia wouldn't want that either. You can't let Haspan win. He-" His jaw locked. "He escaped."

"He escaped for the remaining battery. And he'll see it. He'll see blood on the day he dies."

"Then don't die," Baron said, softly. "I can't- I can't ...