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My chest tightened.

He reminded me of Alaric. I turned away. Just like everything reminded me of Alaric.

The toaster sprang up. Guild buttered the toast without a word. Then he crossed the room, set the plate beside the mug and gently pushed them toward me.

“Eat.”

A simple, quiet command.

I swallowed and forced my attention to the toast. I tore off a piece and slipped it into my mouth.

I set the toast back on the plate.

I didn’t taste it.

I couldn’t.

I placed the food down. Then reached for my phone.

Guild waited. Leaning back in his chair, he sipped his coffee slowly. Giving me all the time I needed.

I swiped my thumb across the screen and stopped.

The video waited.

My hand shook as I gently slid it toward him.

He didn’t reach for it. Not at first. Just looked at me. Like he was asking if I was sure without saying the words. Then he picked up my cell without looking and pressed play.

I searched his face as the recording played.

I knew it by heart now.

Every shudder.

Every breath.

Every movement.

Every second that led to the moment Alaric raised the flame.

Guild watched it to the very end. Only then did he set the phone down. He lifted his gaze to me.

I waited for him to tell me this was real.

That the man I’d fallen in love with…

Had once been a monster.

But he didn’t.

His gaze drifted back to the phone. Then he quietly asked, “What happened before this?”

“What?”

He nodded to the phone. “No one gets to that moment on their own, Nyssa.” He glanced to my deformed thumb. “You of all people should know. We all carry our wounds. So, I’ll ask again… what happened before this?”

“I don’t know.”