Chapter Eighteen: Uprising

Chapter 18: Uprising

Aria’s POV:

I sat beside Lyraeus, my heart pounding in my chest as I watched his labored breathing. The room was eerily quiet, the shadows cast by the flickering candles creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and fear. My hands trembled as I held his, willing him to stay with me. His skin was pale, almost ghostly, and I could feel the heat radiating from his body.

“I’m here,” I whispered, my voice cracking with emotion. “I’ll care for you. Don’t leave me.”

The memories of the past few hours swirled in mind. The meeting with the allies, the desperate plea for their support, and now this. Lyraeus had been my only rock, my unwavering support, and now he was slipping away with every attack.

I felt a tear roll down my cheek as I brushed a strand of hair away from his forehead. “You promised me, Lyraeus,” I murmured. “You promised we’d get through this together.”

His eyes fluttered open for a brief moment, the blue of his irises barely visible through the haze of pain.