**L'Appel Du Vide—Thomas Bergersen, Merethe Soltvedt, Claudio Pietronik**
"You are even more fearless than you were eight years ago." Khaos said, making a show of pressing the dagger deeper into her flesh.
The flesh broke open, and a trickle of blood rolled down from her shoulders.
She maintained her distressed expression, more tears welling from her eyes. "What? Do I look fearless now? Even as a weeping beauty in your arms?"
He scoffed. "You're a better actress than I gave you credit for."
"My Lord, does the concept of a damsel in distress truly elude you?" Ember said in the most distraught voice she could afford, "don't you see it in my eyes, that I long for your acceptance…and your love." She said the last word, her eyes sweeping down intentionally to his lips.
He stiffened, the dagger loosening in his grip. His eyes perused her like he couldn't quite believe the woman that he was seeing. And Ember was the most perfect picture of an unhinged and dutiful actress.
