Thorns of Truth

QUEEN VESPERIA'S POV

I clung to him, sobbing. "Val—”

"I know. I’ll kill him."

But that warmth didn’t last. Behind us, the room darkened.

Something yanked me away. But it wasn't soft vines this time. This was harder and sharper. Like dead wood and hard earth, gnarled branches with thorns and rot clinging to their spines.

They tore me from Valerius's arms.

"No!" I screamed, trying to reach for him.