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His head slid from his neck, down to the floor like a slice of fruit.

His body fell forward, blood spurting in violent arcs across the walls, soaking Fae.

For a stunned second, Fae could not move.

Behind where he had stood—

Lisna.

She was braced against the wall, one hand gripping Fae's sickle. The curved blade was slick with blood, her knuckles white. She looked as pale as a ghost

Her eyes looked dead, but her breath came too fast.

Maxen's body twitched once and stilled.

The only sound left in the room was the door creaking in the wind.

Lisna swallowed and seemed to consider the weapon in her hand.

Fae's eyes widened in horror.

"Lisna..." she whispered. "Lisna, give me the sickle."

For a moment, Lisna did not seem to hear her.

She stared at the severed head on the floor, at the body collapsed in a widening pool of red.

"Lisna," Fae said more firmly. "Give it to me. Think of the children. Think of little Rue."

The sickle slipped from her grasp and clanked against the wooden boards, spinning once before settling.

Lisna swayed before dropping to her knees beside the body of her lifemate.

"No..." she breathed.

Her hands reached for him automatically, cradling his headless shoulders as though she could piece him back together.

"Maxen… Maxen, why?" she choked.

"Why did you do this?" Her voice broke.

She pressed her forehead against his chest, rocking slightly as though soothing him to sleep.

The blood soaked into her dress, but she didn't seem to notice.

Fae forced herself to move. She stepped around the body carefully, ignoring the way her boots squelched in the spreading pool of crimson, and knelt beside Lisna.

"Lisna," she said gently.

There was no response.

"Look at me."

Lisna's shoulders shook violently, sobs tearing through her in jagged bursts.

Fae wrapped her arms around her from behind and pulled her back just enough to break her hold.

"Look away," Fae whispered. "Look away, sister."