Lira didn't flinch.
"Yes," she whispered. "And I'll bear that for the rest of my life. But I didn't kill them. I didn't want that. It was Sorn. He gave the order. I was supposed to just steal the system."
Kael's voice was quiet, deadly.
"You walked out. While I screamed over their bodies."
Silence fell.
The System glowed.
"Warning: Emotional Overload. Initiating Battle Mode Lockout in 10… 9…"
Lira stepped forward, slowly.
"Kill me, Kael." She dropped her weapon. "Or help me finish what they started."
Kael stared at her.
And for the first time since that night… he hesitated.
*