73 | ACT IV, SCENE XII

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P R E V I O U S L Y

And however hard I tried to wake her up, her heart never started beating again.

And however hard I tried to wake her up, her heart never started beating again

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ARCTON FORTRESS, RIMEBAY, VERTGATE.

TRISTAN

HER BODY LAY STILL AND limp in my shaking arms as Atherton banged on the doors of the Fortress, Halette weeping beside me in shuddering gasps. I could hardly control the flow of tears down my own cheeks at the dread filling me up - she had to be alive - she couldn't die on me -

"Open the doors!" Atherton boomed once again, his knuckles rapping the formidable gates.

What if he wasn't here - what if he was still at the Ball - what if Edwina bled out to death-

Panic had overwhelmed my senses, far beyond the point of rational thought - I couldn't think - I couldn't breathe, not with her hurt so badly, when she wasn't even moving, not even breathing - with that wicked thing buried in her side, with that blood leaking from every cut on her body - the blood wasn't stopping, she wasn't breathing, she wasn't moving, she wasn't liv-

"Who comes at this hour?" a woman's voice finally drifted out, and the doors finally opened.

Her gaze lingered on the still body in my arms.

"No!" Rosalva shrieked loudly and slammed the door shut.

"Rosalva, please!" I begged hoarsely, my voice cracked with tears, breaking into a raw cry, a desperate plea for help. "She'll die without your help!"

"You bring a murderer here-"

"She didn't do it!" I shouted. "She didn't murder those children! Rosalva - please - help her - please - they tortured her!"

"He speaks the truth, daughter!" Atherton raised his voice. "The Rotavelles - the Everlys, they played us all - please, get Vivian - he'll know what to do-"

"-he's at the Ball!" she snapped from the other side. "I won't allow a murderer anywhere near my home! Go take her somewhere else. Anywhere but here."

"You bitch-" Halette snarled. "She is dying-"

"-who is dying?" asked a curt voice from behind us.

I instantly breathed with relief at the sight of the quiet master of the castle, standing behind us.

"Son-" Atherton coaxed, his face pale. "We need you to help-"

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